We're up early and on the 6:00am shuttle to the airport. Today our flight is "late" - it is t 8:30 am! We meet a really nice couple in the shuttle - on their way to Minnesota for the summer, as they live in Rio Dulce.
Our flight to Miami was uneventful, but the Miami airport has another long, long walk to immigration and baggage claim. I guess physically challenged people are not really welcomed to travel internationally. e're stuck in baggage claim for about 45 minutes. he ramp is closed because of a thunderstorm and the luggage cannot be offloaded from the plane. Our 2 1/2 hour connection time is rapidly being eaten up!
Finally we're through customs. We repack - the rum and whiskey Gerry bought in the duty-free in Guatemala has to go into the checked luggage for the remainder of the trip.
Unfortunately, American has screwed up our upgrade request again, and Gerry is on the brink of a fight with the gate agent about it. Oh well, everyone on the plane arrives at the same place at the same time and it is only a 2 hour flight. We're home by 7:00pm!
And so it ends, our Guatemalan adventure. I remain as in love with the country as I was after the first trip. Gerry is a convert (I had so hoped he would love it too!) and we're planning to return.
Would we do anything differently?
For one, we would not go in May. May was the only time we could schedule this trip, and it was in no way a mistake, but one of the real experiences for me on my first trip to Guatemala was the absolute awe I felt when I saw all those volcanoes. That was missing from this trip. Because of the season, the volcanoes were shrouded with haze and clouds for all but one days in Antigua and the very early mornings on Lago de Atitlan.
Ideally, our next trip will be much longer. I would love to visit every single town around Lago de Atitlan and be able to enjoy the sunrise over the lake to my heart's content. I'd also like to visit the highlands around Quetzaltenango, and believe it or not, I'd visit Tikal again (Maybe in our winter months it will be manageable temperature-wise). Tikal deserves more time, and more time especially to be there early in the morning and late in the evenings.
Although many of my friends are now of a mind to seee everything in the world before they're too old to enjoy traveling, I have always enjoyed revisiting places I have been, delving a little deeper each time into the culture and the life...I cannot wait to go back to Guatemala!
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.