Trip Report IMAGE INTENSE -- Southwest Splendors! Part 5

[cindy18]

Originally Posted by Turtlemom

Say Hello--
Thanks for the terrific trip report! We are going on this trip on August 20, and we just received our package with itinerary and backpacks in the mail yesterday. Seeing your wonderful pictures and reading the fun commentary has made all of us sooooo excited. Thanks for sharing!

Turtlemom.

P.S. Looks like your trip was adults only? We will be traveling with our two girls, age 8 and 11, so we hope that they will find some company their age as well.

Turtlemom, I wish you were going on our trip. Our daughters are 12 and 10. My guess is that now that school is out, the trips will have a lot more kids on them. We leave for the airport in about 48 hours!!!!

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by beansf

Thanks for the entertaining report. I enjoyed all of it EXCEPT for the tarantula. I can't stay far enough away from those things!

I didn't go near the tarantula! I have a great zoom on my camera...

Glad you enjoyed!

Originally Posted by mkmommy

Thank you for taking the time to post your reports, your pictures were amazing.

You are quite welcome mkmommy! I'm glad you liked the pictures. My camera is just great, and the subject matter just made it a pleasure! I love sharing...

Originally Posted by Turtlemom

Say Hello--
Thanks for the terrific trip report! We are going on this trip on August 20, and we just received our package with itinerary and backpacks in the mail yesterday. Seeing your wonderful pictures and reading the fun commentary has made all of us sooooo excited. Thanks for sharing!

Turtlemom.

P.S. Looks like your trip was adults only? We will be traveling with our two girls, age 8 and 11, so we hope that they will find some company their age as well.

So glad I could add a little to the excitement! You are just going to *LOVE* this trip. One of the best vacations I've ever taken! You got backpacks? Not the dumb messenger bags? Waaaaah! My trip was early-to-mid May (10-17), prior to Memorial day & school being out, so we didn't have any kids. I would imagine that now that school's out, there will be many more kids on your trip.

Originally Posted by DaddyBrady

This is great, thanks so much! We're going on the adults-only tour at the end of September, and this really amps up the excitement!

You will love it! Our tour was unintentionally adults-only, but the guides said that, other than the lack of a movie night, they really didn't do anything differently than they would have done if there had been kids on the trip.

Glad I could add a few amps there! Can I hide in your suitcase & go again?

Originally Posted by cindy18

We leave for the airport in about 48 hours!!!!

Have a great trip, and be sure and let us know how it went!

sayhello

[Disneygrl36]

I just finished up your trip report. It was fun to go along with you on your trip & the scenery just looks amazing. I already had this trip on my list of must do's but reading your trip report & seeing the photos made it move right on up to the top of the list.
Thanks for sharing your journey.

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by Disneygrl36

I just finished up your trip report. It was fun to go along with you on your trip & the scenery just looks amazing. I already had this trip on my list of must do's but reading your trip report & seeing the photos made it move right on up to the top of the list.
Thanks for sharing your journey.

Thanks, Disneygrl! I'm glad you enjoyed the report. The scenery *IS* amazing. In case you couldn't tell, I *HIGHLY* recommend this trip! Just a great, great vacation.

Sayhello

[jhryb]

Hello SayHello
I am so happy that you attached a link to your trip report on one of your recent posts or I would have missed it. You did a fantastic job documenting everything. Now I want to do this trip.
Here is a link to the first thread for anyone who is interested:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1870357

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by jhryb

Hello SayHello
I am so happy that you attached a link to your trip report on one of your recent posts or I would have missed it. You did a fantastic job documenting everything. Now I want to do this trip.

Hehehe. I have succeeded in converting another to Southwest Splendor love! It's really a fabulous trip; so glad you enjoyed the report!

(You inspired me to add a link to my signature!)

Thanks!
Sayhello

[americano69]

First thing is to congratulate you for the report and photography. Simply beautiful. As for the new of the Wall Arch falling a few days ago, by looking at your itinerary at Arches it is quite distant from where you were, it is along the Devils Garden route. I was there in june this year, I think for the sixth time, leading a group of 27 italians. That is because I am italian and always scheming to organize tour in the States, and the west is my favorite place. I had the good fortune of being at the Grand Canyon in february (many years ago) and at the time my photo equipment was poor, very poor, but for me beautiful and still treasured. After looking at your photo I am ashamed of mine, but keep them close to my heart. I will be publishing shortly a report on my tour on my website, but for the time being only in italian. I beg your pardon. We went from LA to Vegas, Skybridge, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Canyon de Chelly, Four Corners, Durango, Mesa Verde, Arches, Bryce, Zion, Death Valley, Yosemite, Monterey, San Francisco, then back home in 21 days.
I was the guide and we had a tour operator based in SF organize bus, driver and hotels, based on my personalized request.
For next year I am planning three different trips so could you give me details of the organizations you used for your trip??
Again my sincere and deep compliments for the report and beautiful photos
Ciao Carlo: goodvibes

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by americano69

First thing is to congratulate you for the report and photography. Simply beautiful. As for the new of the Wall Arch falling a few days ago, by looking at your itinerary at Arches it is quite distant from where you were, it is along the Devils Garden route. I was there in june this year, I think for the sixth time, leading a group of 27 italians. That is because I am italian and always scheming to organize tour in the States, and the west is my favorite place. I had the good fortune of being at the Grand Canyon in february (many years ago) and at the time my photo equipment was poor, very poor, but for me beautiful and still treasured. After looking at your photo I am ashamed of mine, but keep them close to my heart. I will be publishing shortly a report on my tour on my website, but for the time being only in italian. I beg your pardon. We went from LA to Vegas, Skybridge, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Canyon de Chelly, Four Corners, Durango, Mesa Verde, Arches, Bryce, Zion, Death Valley, Yosemite, Monterey, San Francisco, then back home in 21 days.
I was the guide and we had a tour operator based in SF organize bus, driver and hotels, based on my personalized request.
For next year I am planning three different trips so could you give me details of the organizations you used for your trip??
Again my sincere and deep compliments for the report and beautiful photos
Ciao Carlo: goodvibes

Carlo, thanks so much for the compliments! I really loved putting this report together & sharing my photos, so it always makes me feel good when people like them enough to comment.

Wow! That's quite an itinerary you put together, and for 3 whole weeks! This tour was 8 day/7 nights, so we didnt get nearly as far as you did, but it was a great look at & experience of the American Southwest.

As far as the organizations used, everything was arranged for us by Adventures by Disney. I'm afraid unless the name is in one of the photos, I couldn't tell you who provided the services. It was all transparent to us. We just showed up, or the guides joined us on our bus. That's one of the beauties of this trip, Disney does all the work.

I don't know if anyone else might remember who the providers were, you might want to post a Thread & ask.

Sayhello

[goirish]

Sayhello, your pictures are beautiful! What type of camera do you have?

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by goirish

Sayhello, your pictures are beautiful! What type of camera do you have?

Thanks, goirish! I'm really extremely pleased with how they turned out. I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1. Fabulous little camera, Leica lens, 10x optical zoom (almost unheard of in such a small camera), 5MP, with a really clear 2.5" LCD screen. LOVE IT. Let me repeat. ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Sayhello

[Mulan2]

Hi sayhello
What a wonderful TR and great pictures! Thank you so much!
We are contemplating this trip for our 15th anniversary in 2010 and would like to bring our DD( will be 7) and our DS (will be 11). Will my DD do well or is it too rugged for her? She's a bit of a tomboy so I'm hoping you say yes!
Can't wait for next year when the rates come out to book it.

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by Mulan2

Hi sayhello What a wonderful TR and great pictures! Thank you so much!

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed!

We are contemplating this trip for our 15th anniversary in 2010 and would like to bring our DD( will be 7) and our DS (will be 11). Will my DD do well or is it too rugged for her? She's a bit of a tomboy so I'm hoping you say yes!

Boy, that's hard for me to comment on, as we didn't have any kids on our trip. We did have some older folks, and they all managed. I would think as long as your daughter is used to walking & hiking in some heat, she should do fine. The Guides are really great at tailoring things to the abilities of those who are there (one of the advantages of having 2 guides). You may want to post this question in cindy18's or tammydel's TR threads; they had kids in their groups, and can give you a more definitive answer.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1877012

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1919869

You will totally LOVE this trip! It's one of the best vacations I've ever taken, and I've taken some good ones!

Sayhello

[jenbadeaux]

mulan2,
We took the Southwest Splendors trip a few weeks ago. My dd6 was the youngest adventurer on the trip. (She was 3 weeks from turning 7). She is a princess, definitely not a tomboy. She did GREAT on the trip. She hiked to Delicate Arch without complaint. For white water rafting, she sat in the middle of the raft and instead of paddling she called "STROKE" for us. All the older kids were wonderful to her. She had a fabulous trip. I would not hesitate to bring your kids at their ages. My other children are dd19,ds11, and ds9. They all loved the trip and we are booked on Quest for the West for next year. Any other questions, just ask!
Jen

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by jenbadeaux

mulan2,
We took the Southwest Splendors trip a few weeks ago. My dd6 was the youngest adventurer on the trip. (She was 3 weeks from turning 7). She is a princess, definitely not a tomboy. She did GREAT on the trip. She hiked to Delicate Arch without complaint. For white water rafting, she sat in the middle of the raft and instead of paddling she called "STROKE" for us. All the older kids were wonderful to her. She had a fabulous trip. I would not hesitate to bring your kids at their ages. My other children are dd19,ds11, and ds9. They all loved the trip and we are booked on Quest for the West for next year. Any other questions, just ask!
Jen

This board is so great. I knew somebody would have a good answer for you, mulan2!

Sorry, Jen, I should have thought of you, too!

Sayhello

[Mulan2]

Thanks for the encouraging answers. We are so psyched to book this.
I better start saving since for a family of 4 I fell out of my seat when I figured out the total price!!!!!
LOL