Valparaiso Tour and Vina del Mar Our guide shared a lot of information about the places we went to, and about Chile in general. One thing I found less interesting though was the finicular ride at Valparaiso. We lined up for 20 minutes or so, only to get in a 30-second ride, and we enjoyed a nice view for only about 10 seconds.
Vietnam Adventure beginning 17 November 2018 This was a fantastic trip, which covered a lot of distance and a wide variety of sights, activities and modes of transport. Our excellent leader, Cong Nguyen, managed the whole trip exceptionally well, ensuring that we had sufficient free time to allow us to relax from the busy schedule of travelling and activities. He was also knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic about the history and culture of Vietnam. We learned a lot from him. The standard of accommodation throughout the fortnight was excellent and the friendliness of the Vietnamese people was so welcoming. We even learned how to cross the street - a task which turned out to be a lot less dangerous than it first appeared (well, OK, a little less dangerous!) Finally, everything you ever heard about the fantastic food is correct!
Loved the whole trip in spite of my hiking buddy becoming quite ill, meaning a rather slow trek. The organisation was superb, our guide, Bhim, friendly and accommodating, the scenery spectacular and the trek exciting at times as we crossed recent avalanches and shared the swaying bridges with frisky, stubborn goats. An amazing experience of a lifetime.