DAVID RAND

If I had not been a travel director, I would have pursued further an earlier career studying the behavior of primates. I would have become an anthropologist. The study of man's ancestors and closest relatives, the physical exploration of early hominid sites, and the study of comparative living cultures --- all would have made a fascinating career.

My most memorable moments as a travel director is always seeing and hearing clients' reactions, when they first see India's Taj Mahal. It never fails to delight me. For 20 years, I have lived in a small palace in a village not far from the world's most beautiful monument. So it has always been a thrill to show our tour members what amounts to the highlight of the area that I have come to call home. More than anywhere else, it is a chance to share something of my own ethos, and these moments are magical.

My favorite Travcoa journeys are those to India and to Malaysia. I have lived and worked in these are two regions of the world -- both as a scientist and as a Travel Director, and have the most in-depth feeling for these areas. I like to think that this ability to merge the sensitivities of Eastern philosophy and culture, with my own upbringing in the West (in Hawaii), is of special value to our travelers.