"Hi Paul...You should be so proud of yourself mate, that trip couldn’t have been any better. You made a lot of people very happy indeed. Let me know when you want the deposit for the next one!" Steve & Michaela UK
"Congratulations on a thoroughly successful trip that exceeded all of my expectations" Rowland Griffin, Griffin Ecological, UK Herpetologist,
"Gerry Martin and his team, Gregory Barreto, Kaushik Bajibab and Suresh of the Irula tribe were fantastic company and excellent expedition leaders. I made strong friendships with all of them and their hospitality even extended to Greg taking us to his cousins home. The rainforest research station at Agumbe was fascinating and to be able to hang out with the students such as Gowri Shankar who was conducting ground breaking research on the king cobra by radio tracking was a highlight and one I will never forget" Nigel Hand, UK Herpetologist & author of "Amphibians & Reptiles of Herefordshire", www.centralecology.co.uk
"We both thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Western Ghats, Paul, Gerry and the team made the experience a once in a lifetime opportunity. The wildlife encountered was breathtaking in abundance and diversity, and the teams knowledge regarding them was in depth and comprehensive. There was plenty to see and do for both the hardcore herpetophile and the general visitor, with there being numerous and excellent opportunities for photographers....we would both highly reccomend this trip, and company, and we intend to use them again in the near future" David Willis & Jaqcui Turner UK
"Dear Paul
I write to thank you and express a little kudos for the recent Western Ghats Herpetological Expedition in July 2008.
As a researcher in herpetology my own expeditions are mostly applied field visits to harsh environments globally. I work for a range of universities, consultancies, government bodies and conservation authorities. As such, I understand the difficulty and patience required when organising expeditions to less developed nations.
I originally attended the expedition as a busman’s holiday to see habitats and species that I previously only admired on television. What I got from the trip was so much more. It was a pleasant and relaxing expedition that exceeded my expectations.
I thank you for your endurance and hard work during the trip. I was surprised by the good choice of attendees. It is always difficult to find a group of people with common interests who can operate in the field safely and enjoyably. I was also impressed with your contacts within the unique world of Indian herpetology. These contacts enabled the group an insight into habitats that would not have been permitted without good relationships with statutory authorities, landowners and conservation organisations.
As a result of the trip I have had communication from some of the statutory bodies and conservation organisations we were introduced to. This has lead to design and supervision of a range of herpetological projects that aim to benefit key knowledge to certain Indian species and assist in securing future long term legal protection for them.
In today’s conservation arena it is rare for successes to follow so rapidly from brief meetings in poorer nations that are often bogged down with bureaucracy and issues of greater humanitarian importance. I believe that if it were not for your intricate knowledge, open mindedness, keenness and introductions to key people during our time in India that my current participation may not have developed.
Partnership Travel Ltd should applaud you for providing a satisfying, sustainable and professional ecotourism experience and be proud to have directly influenced greater conservation movements. I would highly recommend your expeditions to fellow herpetologists and look forward to participating in future trips.
Yours sincerely
Todd Lewis B.Sc. AIBiol. (Senior Ecological Consultant)."