Machu Picchu was a destination that I put on my personal seven wonders of the world list a few years back.  Of course, this led to a heavy dose of anticipation as we made our way up the mountain.  Though it’s only a short 20-minute climb up to the ruined city once you disembark the shuttle bus, it is quite steep.  With each step my anticipation grew until finally I reached the top and Machu Picchu was before me.

I have traveled to many fascinating places in my life. I have written of beautiful waterfalls and monumental temples and luscious rainforests. I have written of awe and amazement at the beauty of nature or the beauty of human made creations. Guatemala was different. This is not a story about magnificent structures or the natural wonders of our world, this is a story about humans and how Guatemala changed the way I think about humanity.

Everybody knows what happens when you drink a beer.  Among other things, it makes you have to pee.  I did in fact know this at the time.  Though I was 16 my parents had allowed alcohol on trips abroad as a part of the travel experience.  This story takes place in Botswana.  On a boat.

Iceland is to nature as Rome is to history.  It is a place of natural grandeur and awe.  What will strike you most about Iceland is the range of different landscape you will experience.  Each one is so distinct and just as beautiful as the last.  While on the bus you could look out the window and see miles and miles of moss-covered rocks projecting vibrant greens found in old time fairy tales. 

Having been to Africa with groups on several occasions, I’ve had the good fortune to see all the classic animals:  The Big Five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, cape buffalo), giraffe, hippo, cheetah, and all manner of hooved ungulates.  And often in spectacular fashion.

As soon as I got off the plane I felt the heat.  Stifling heat that only comes with a special level of humidity.  As we flew in I peered out the window and saw the rain forest, stretching for miles.  Miles and miles of thick, lush, trees.  It was a while before I was immersed in the jungle.  A bumpy car ride, a boat, and a ten-minute hike through the trees brought me to my jungle lodge.

Victoria Falls was the second natural wonder of the world I’ve experienced in my life.  As I approached the falls, I could hear the water roaring in the background and I swear it was the most powerful sound I’ve ever heard.  Have you ever heard a sound that you can actually feel in your body?  It made my skin tingle.

I left home with the excitement of a child.  I was about to see African animals in the wild.  The journey was longer than any other I’d endured in the name of travel, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

Barcelona is an architect’s dream.  Everywhere you turn you are confronted with buildings of creative and unique design.  Although other architects helped design this beautiful city one man’s work clearly stands out: Antoni Gaudí. 

Bangkok Thailand – the name alone evokes images of a mysterious oriental cityscape of busy streets, sidewalk vendors, bustling markets, exotic entertainments, and striking Buddhist architecture. As the capital of modern Thailand and the center of its burgeoning economy Bangkok is a multifaceted city filled with myriad delights and destinations.

The final stop on Imprint’s Vietnam Tour was Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, as it is officially known today.  The locals still refer to it as Saigon and that seems appropriate.  I must admit, Saigon was not my favorite stop.  It is a big, busy, bustling city.

At the end of our Vietnam tour we had two of the best experiences of the trip.  We had a Homestay visit in the Mekong Delta and visited the wartime Cu Chi tunnels outside of Saigon.  Both were interesting and served to connect us to the Vietnamese culture – always a goal on an Imprint tour.

I should begin with the fact that Hoi An was my favorite stop on the initial Imprint Vibrant Vietnam tour back in 2015.  Halong Bay was more spectacular, but Hoi An has that great cultural vibe I’m come to love in my travels.

Halfway through our Vietnam tour we were halfway down the country in the charming town of Hue.  After Hanoi and the north we jumped aboard an overnight train and chugged south through the Vietnamese night.

On day two of our Vietnam tour we visit the stunning landscape of Tam Coc.  It has been said that Tam Coc is the terra firma version of famous Halong Bay.  Like Halong, it is the geology that is special here, with karst stacks and towers jutting up from the valley floor. 

In 2015 Imprint Tours had its first tour of Vietnam.  As there is currently an Imprint group in this up and coming Southeast Asian nation, and another scheduled again next February, it seems an appropriate time to share some of the recollections from that first foray.

Botswana has become my favorite African country to visit.  It exudes a fresh, progressive, successful vibe that distinguishes it from its neighbors.  The Chobe region, Botswana’s most famous and accessible wildlife area, is close to the borders of Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Namibia. 

I have been guiding tours abroad for almost a quarter century.  And I firmly believe we recently completed the fullest, most spectacular single day of any tour, any time.  I was still catching my breath the next day.