Iggy Gutauskas recently joined the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) as Business Development Manager. Travel Gossip found out a bit more about him…
I never travel without… my audiobooks downloaded. I get so lost in the fantasy world that hours on the plane just fly by. My latest obsession is LitRPG (short for literary role-playing game) audiobooks, which, up until recently, I did not know existed. I would recommend ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ series – I have been asking my friends to read it just so I could talk about it with someone. If you’re a fan too, definitely come say hi when you see me at some event, so we could geek out together.
The famous person (dead or alive) I’d most like to sit next to on a plane is… Leonardo da Vinci. I have an idea or two I would like to run by him.
If I had a tattoo, it would be… I have a full sleeve that incorporates various components. There are two unicorns as my tribute to Scotland, which was my home for about a decade and which will always remain close to my heart. I also have a symbol of the deathly hollows, and some Celtic symbolism.
The next place I’ll visit is… I’ve yet to see the Aurora Borealis, so would love for my next destination to include a chance to see this.
The last place I visited was… Vietnam. What a wonderful country with fantastic food, friendly people, and stunning scenery. I can hardly pass Vietnamese restaurants without stopping to get myself some banh mi.
My most memorable travel experience was… Georgia, where I lived for a year. It has very distinct areas across the country with their own history, cuisine and microclimates. From beautiful vineyards and pomegranate fields in Kakheti, beaches and pine forests in Adjara to stunning almond plantations, caves, and ski resorts in the north. Architecture, food and the mentality of people have been influenced by the Middle East and Europe. Christianity and Islam seem to co-exist in harmony, proving that loving your neighbour regardless of your differences is possible.
The worst thing I ate or drank abroad was… cheese baked oysters. I hated the texture, the flavour, the smell and everything else about the dish, but I am a big fan of regular oysters,
Born and brought up in… Lithuania. I was born when Lithuania was only three months into newly regained independence from the Soviet Union. I’m proud to see it grow into the wonderful country that it can now be without the influence of its less-than-friendly neighbour.
Live… between London and Vilnius now depending on the season, but considering Spain for this winter, as I am slowly trying to learn Spanish.
The best piece of advice I’ve been given is… to never ask or expect of people more than they are capable and willing to give.
The thing I miss most while travelling is… my cat. His name is Nacho and he joins me on my travels if I go for extended periods of time but stays with friends or family if it is a shorter trip as it is pretty complicated to take him with me to some countries, and flights can be pretty stressful for cats in general. My friends normally send me lots of video updates.
If I could eat one thing/meal for the rest of my life it would be… watermelon. I can devour a 10kg watermelon in about two to three days.
When I left school, I wanted to be… a politician. I was heavily involved in student government, various social and charity projects at the time and it felt like a natural progression. I started my degree in Politics in 2010 but pivoted to International Business when I realised it was not my calling at the time.
In my new role, I’ll be… working with both the frontline trade as well as with the fantastic line-up of expedition cruise operators, corporate and associate members we have here at ECN. I am hoping that my assistance with organising trade events, sharing tips with agents and growing ECN as a whole, will be yet another small step towards a more sustainable future of the expedition cruise sector.
What attracted me to the job… was attending the ECN conference. I could not get enough of the thought leadership panels. There were marine scientists speaking about the wonders of the depths of the ocean, founders of these hugely successful expedition cruise companies and in general people who are extremely passionate about the sector. ECN is young but has taken the industry by the storm and immediately become an established go-to organisation for the industry.
Outside work, you’ll usually find me… at the gym, fishing, camping or in a supermarket browsing exotic ingredients to experiment with.
The first thing I notice about a person when I meet them is… their eyes and voice.
If I won the Lottery tomorrow, I would… have more cats and more adventures. I would probably work part time and allocate a portion of my time for charity work and projects I’m passionate about.
