Reality Tour, South America: It’s a Wrap

Today is our travel day home. I’m sad to say adiós to South America but am looking forward to seeing my family! International flights to the U.S. don’t leave Buenos Aires until evening and because this is an escorted tour, transportation to the airport is handled for us as is getting our over-burdened bags out of our rooms and onto the motor coach. And for passengers who booked their tour air-inclusive, a sedan limo will be waiting for them at their final gateway to whisk them home—all compliments of Collette’s Door to Door service!

On today’s agenda is packing, re-packing, and begging Debbie to take some of my stuff in her luggage. Kevin surprised us by announcing that lunch would be included today for our entire group and all the arrangements have been made for that. I am hoping for one last empanada before returning home…

I’ll wrap things up and leave you with some final observations about Collette’s Wines & Wonders of South America tour:

Relax. And Smell the Roses.
It’s not easy to break daily habits like rising at the crack of dawn. But this tour has plenty of free time and morning departures that are reasonable (especially since the evenings run a bit later). Debbie and I felt that we were able to fit in some people-watching, and enjoyed some down time back at the hotels. I even was able to work in a run and hit the hotel’s fitness centers. The result is a more rewarding experience. We saw many things and we saw them well.

Yum!

Do like the locals.
Go on and try something you’d never eat at home, especially in Chile and Argentina where we found the food and drink delicious (except for the mate). Seek out the mote con huesillo from a street food cart in Santiago, eat a hot dog smothered with guacamole, mayo, tomatoes and onions… and worry about your cholesterol later! Definitely drink the vino—I can’t wait to try to find back home some bottles of wine from the bodegas we visited! If you’re not exactly sure what you are ordering or eating because of translation issues – think of it as a travel adventure. It will taste better that way!

Learn a few phrases.
Speaking of translation, Debbie and I traveled to South America without a clue about Spanish (I took 8 years of French) but we weren’t worried. First of all, Kevin is fluent in many languages including Spanish (which he learned just 18 months ago) and because Collette’s tour managers are with you throughout the journey, he provides a comfort level as well as some Spanish lessons on the motor coach. Thanks, Kevin! But with free time on your own, learning a few simple phrases can ease the awkwardness and might even earn you a smile. Kevin has many funny stories about talking to locals and getting a raised eyebrow or two because of using the wrong in his translation. But who cares? We found the people throughout our journey to be friendly and willing to help. Get a pocket-size phrase book and leave your inhibitions back home. Your effort will be appreciated.

Pack light.
I can’t overstate this. I was so impressed with Jim and Sue, well-traveled passengers from Colorado who were in our group and came with small carry-on size bags. Sue did a great job of mixing up pieces in her outfits so she

Sue & Jim

always looked like she had something different on. I could take a lesson or two from Sue! Packing light just streamlines your travel experience, plus it leaves room for all the wine and souvenirs you’ll buy because of the advantageous exchange rate here. I know it seems obvious but if you’re buying some new luggage, don’t buy a black bag. Opt for something that you won’t have to worry about identifying like Debbie’s red polka dotted bag—easy to spot from a mile away from the luggage carousel!

Be outgoing even if you are an introvert.
Make an effort to chat with a local, many speak some English, and some like Susana and Carlos, who hosted us in their home for dinner in Buenos Aires, will give you insight into the destination that you’d never get from a guide book. And don’t just limit yourself to the locals. You are on a group tour—talk to your neighbor on the motor coach. In fact, sit near someone other than

Making friends- the best part of travel

your travel companion at dinner. I learned so much about so many places around the world from our well-traveled group. In the course of a few weeks, I have made new friends—and that is truly one of the great joys of travel!

Thanks for tuning in—I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have about this tour and if I don’t know, I will do my best to find out for you. To see the complete itinerary of this tour, click here.

~Melissa