About Us

About U Travel are a well travelled team who believe it’s our personal knowledge of a country that's key to creating the ultimate travel experience for you. We are constantly travelling to the regions we specialise in to research the tours and keep up to date with the accommodation we offer. We are confident that we can inspire you with our own travels and experiences.   

LYNDA WOODIN: Managing Director

I was born in South Africa and grew up in both Zimbabwe and Namibia.  I have been in the travel industry since I was 21 after studying at university in Cape Town. I began with flying for Air Rhodesia around Central and Southern Africa, and then joined various travel agencies in South Africa and Zimbabwe.  I moved to London for a year to work for Rankin Kuhn Travel looking after BP Oil Delegates which gave me the opportunity to travel all over the world. After a year I was missing Africa so much I went back to Zimbabwe and worked for Musgrove and Watson Travel.  The company transferred me to South Africa which is where I stayed for the next 19 years. I changed my career briefly to work for OK Bazaars Group running advertising and promotions in all aspects of the retail industry.  I then started my own business in the Conference and Incentive market for both South Africa and the rest of the world. After this I moved to Spain and worked on the radio reporting current affairs in The Costa del Sol. After a year I moved to London and started representing various tour operators from both Latin America and Africa.  This is where About U Travel began. I saw a gap in the market as IT was moving so quickly thus changing the way people booked their trips.  I felt an online, shopping basket system, for tourism was the way forward.

I have travelled throughout the whole of Southern Africa and East Africa, and every country in Latin America.  I have also been to Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong, and have travelled extensively throughout Central and Southern Europe.  I am also enjoying getting to know more of the UK. I am currently on the Committee of the Southern Africa Travel Organisers Association, have been on the Latin American Travel Association Committee, and am an Executive member of The South African Chamber of Commerce (UK).

EMMA RUSSELL: Sales and Marketing Manager

I changed careers to be in the travel business after 16 years in the police because I've always had endless enthusiasm for travel and wanted to make it part of my everyday life rather than just my holidays. I initially studied Travel and Tourism at College and went to live in Australia for a year but when I came back I did some nursing and then joined the police. When I left I had a spell flying with British Airways to see a bit more of the world.  I met Lynda on a flight home after working for the World Travel Awards in Durban one pivotal weekend and started working for her shortly afterwards. I have been coordinating, researching and writing the website content, and liaising with our partners in each country for our tours and accommodation. I have travelled to the USA, Bermuda, Barbados, Ecuador, The Galapagos Islands, Colombia, Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Namibia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Holland, Sardinia, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus, and France.

JUDITH POLLARD: Business Development Manager

I was born in Guatemala but have lived in the UK for 30 years now. I worked for The Guatemala Tourist Board for 8 years as The Director of the Guatemala Tourist Office in London.  Whilst I was there I was on the board of the Latin America Travel Association for a year. I went to work for Select Latin America after this and have continued my work with The Guatemala Tourist Board organising press trips and educationals for Tour Operators, as well as destination presentations. I have also worked with Branding Latin America at The World Travel Market on The Ecuadorian Stand. I have been very extravagant with Travel in my life and have been to the following places; Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Brazil, USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Aust, Swit, Cheq Republic, Lichtenstein, Spain, Portugal, Madeira, Canary Islands, Italy, Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, Russia,  India, China, Japan, Bali, New Zealand.And I am going to Zambia in June.  

KEVIN POLLARD: Creative Director

I have been involved with website design and experience modelling for a few years but I studied Architecture at University, designing luxury resorts and hotels in Mauritius, London, Moscow, Cyprus, Dubai, Ajman and Cape Verde. My interest in travel stemmed from having international parents and travelling extensively from a young age, and to date this includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, India, Russia, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Morocco, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Sardinia, Corsica, Canary Islands, Czechoslovakia, Norway, Denmark, USA, Guatemala and Brazil. I speak Spanish and French and also write music. Currently also designing and running kevinpollard.com and ink-box.com.

SUZANNE GREEN: Sales Manager - Spain

I was born in Vancouver, Canada and after living in different parts of the country I moved to Málaga, in the south of Spain with my family. I thought I'd stay for a year, but that was in 1966! Naturally, I am bilingual and studied Art and Decoration at college. I have worked in Real Estate, Retail Management and Travel Sales. I have travelled to Portugal, France, Italy, The UK, Morocco and Kenya.