Meet the Trek Team In the company of travellers One of the perks of working in travel is travelling; and what's better than coming back home and bragging to your mates? In each edition we like to share some of our most memorable experiences, so follow Jon on a night in Mexico that he will never forget! South of the Border! Mexico – Conquistadores, ancient Mayan ruins, white sandy beaches, rainforests, tequila! I had never travelled to Central America before, but I was feeling adventurous, had some holiday coming and fancied something new. The trip really was way too full to write about without warbling, so I'll focus on just one day on the beach at Playa Del Carman. The evening before we had all been dancing at a club on the beach until late, so today was a recovery day – wandering down the beach, the odd dip in the sea and a few games of volleyball. At around 5pm our trek leader came down to the beach to grab us. As it was a full moon, a sanctuary just up the road was releasing some baby turtles and wondered if we'd like to set some on their way. Within 20 minutes we were all on the beach with a big white tub full of energetic little turtles. Each of us was given a few to release, letting them go one- by- one. They truly are the cutest things. We watched them go with a little trepidation as they flapped quickly towards the moon and relative safety of the sea – while trying not to step on the ones with a poor sense of direction as they headed back towards us in the dark. An hour later we headed happily back to the beach for a late night swim. A storm was coming in from the sea and the sky was lit by a huge lightning storm, while the sea was illuminated by billions of microscopic algae stirred up by the coming storm. I remember just floating around chatting and laughing until early in the morning as the rain poured down. Sounds soppy, but it really was a trip I'll never forget. Hello to everyone on my trip. Sad to admit, but still miss you all! John Clements, Adventure Specialist Frequent Trekkers And here are some stories from a few of our happy ' Frequent Trekkers'. So whether you're a first time traveller or a seasoned vet, don't forget to drop us a line with your latest travel adventures and other tales from the road! And don't forget, if you've travelled with us before you are entitled to 10% off any future tours, when you join our Frequent Trekkers Club online. Sarah Having already done three trips with TrekAmerica, I was a little apprehensive about doing a 4th as I was worried it would not live up to my expectations! I need not have worried as the Gold Rush didn't just live up to my expectations, it exceeded them! The other trekkers were fantastic and our brilliant tour guide, Drew Edwards made sure we all had the most amazing time on our trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas and guaranteed that we returned home with so many wonderful memories. One of the highlights for me has to be climbing Half Dome at Yosemite. As it was something I never dreamed I would be able to do, reaching the top was an exciting and rewarding experience and the breathtaking views made the arduous climb all the more worthwhile. After such an amazing couple of weeks it was very difficult saying goodbye to everyone in Las Vegas but after such a wonderful experience all I wanted to do when I returned home was book the next trek! Sarah has also been on the… - Transcontinental North - Indian Trail - New England Adventure Jonathan I did the ' Patagonian Adventure' from Santiago to Punta Arenas which was simply stunning. Each day just kept getting better and better! On one day we witnessed an Argentine trucker getting a boat stuck on a bridge. It was pure comedy! Later we hiked to Lago del las Tres on a hot and cloudless day – a rarity in those parts. The lake was frozen and surrounded by glaciers. The take- my-breath- away view of Cerro Fitz Roy, at 11,000 feet high, dominated. It was here that we ate our lunch and enjoyed being away from our normal life in no better location. Jonathan has also been on the… - Canyons & Pyramids - Patagonia Adventure - Western Explorer - Reef n Rock - Gold Rush - Klondike Jackie I've just returned from the 28 day National Parks of the West tour which should carry a health warning. I was certainly not prepared for the profound effect this tour would have upon me and the addictive quality of the lifestyle. The whole experience was enhanced immeasurably by the professionalism of our tour leader Sean O'Donnell, for whom nothing was too much trouble. His knowledge of the areas visited, and genuine enthusiasm for each place, was evident at all times. The variety of parks we visited was amazing and each day we saw new and different sights, from the grandeur of Yosemite's waterfalls, to the mysticism of Yellowstone's thermal wonderland and the beauty of Zion National Park, where I left a part of my heart. The whole tour was perfect in every way and even unexpected things added to the experience. When the tour came to an end I realised that I had developed an addiction that had crept up on my over the four weeks. Was I addicted to the group, washing pots in the dark, finding my way to the toilet by torchlight? No, I was addicted to the lifestyle. Now I have to figure out how I can pretend to my employer that I am really interested in their volumes, profit margins, sales etc, when all the time my body is craving the Footloose experience each and every day! Short- term fix: buy a tent and go travelling each weekend. Long- term fix: who knows?! Thanks for a mind- changing experience and continue the good work. Jackie has also been on the… - Canyons & Indian Lands 3 TREKTIMES SUMMER 2009

CALIFORNIA MONTANA WYOMING MINNESOTA WISCONSIN INDIANA MICHEGAN IOWA ILLINOISUTAH ARIZONA NEVADA COLORADO KANSAS MISSOURI ARKANSAS KENTUCKY OKLAHOMA NEBRASKA SOUTH DAKOTA NEW MEXICO IDAHO OREGON WASHINGTON NORTH DAKOTA TEXAS LOUISIANA MISSISSIPPI Los Angeles Las Vegas Zion NP Grand Canyon NP Monument Valley Carlsbad Caverns NP Del RioSan AntonioNew Orleans Alabama Tennessee The Grand Canyon 280 miles long, 15 miles wide and a mile deep, now that's pretty dam impressive. Start the day early and enjoy the spectacle at dawn and finish up with an equally impressive sunset over a glass of something fizzy! Yellowstone National Park The world's first ever national park, this spectacular and diverse wilderness region was set aside for the benefit and enjoyment of the people in 1872, and like a zoo without cages it hasn't stopped wowing people since. New York City They don't come any bigger than the Big Apple, New York, New York. You'll get drawn in to the cities hyperactive rush, with loads of big hitting highlights, from lady liberty and the proud old Empire State, to the non- stop mayhem of Times Square. Ice Climbing in Alaska Set amidst the stunning beauty of the Wrangell St. Elias National Park, a day out on the Root Glacier, one of over 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, will ensure you get vertical for some serious action on the ice. Rafting the Ocoee in Tennessee Water. White water. And with more than twenty continuous rapids, you're in for one helluva ride as you raft through the scenic wilderness of the Cherokee National Forest. Hiking in Yosemite You'll be chomping at the bit to get out on the trail after your first glimpse of Yosemite National Park, a natural paradise on a scale better suited to giants, where you'll be dwarfed by Giant Sequoia's, humbled by the granite monoliths and astonished by the sublime beauty of thundering waterfalls. Golden Gate Bridge When completed in 1937 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, becoming an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco and the State of California. Spanning the ' Golden Gate', or the strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific, it is often shrouded in fog, posing proudly for that ' must have' holiday snap. Monument Valley Home to the Navajo people, Monument Valley is one of the most majestic - and most photographed - points on earth. This great valley boasts sandstone buttresses and table top mesas, framed in perfect harmony against the deep blue sky and towering to heights of over 1,000 feet. TrekAmerica lets you experience Monument Valley like never before with an overnight stay in a Hogan, a traditional Navajo dwelling, complete with Native American music and dance. There's genuine excitement in the air! With a cool new President settling in at the White House, we'd like to welcome you back to America. And if we haven't whet your appetite yet, then just take a look at what's on the menu… DESTINATIONS " All in one go" with our 64- day Trailblazer? Or how about one at a time as you keep coming back for more? Wilderness + Adventure = Adrenaline! The question is: Are you ready for it?! The Vegas Sign A group shot beneath the famous Vegas sign is always a prelude to a fantastic night out amongst the neon madness of Las Vegas, with the celebrations often marking the start or finish of another great North American adventure with Trek. Whatever you get up to in Vegas, this cities sure to take you on one wild ride. Statue of Liberty Looking down from almost 100m above New York harbour, the Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The seven rays of her crown represent the seven seas and seven continents of the world. Route 66 Nothing conjures up ideas of cruising the open road in search of adventure more than the classic Route 66 sign. Only once you've had your photo snapped outside the Snow Cap Diner in Seligman, Arizona on historic route 66, will you have truly discovered the true heart and soul of North America. Like India's Taj Mahal or Egypt's Pyramids, there are a few places in the world where you simply have to spoil everyone else's view and plonk yourself right in the middle of it all, and have your picture taken. Here are the USA's Top 5 ' must have' holiday snaps: 4 Welcome back to America! ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES ICONIC SNAPSHOTS 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 4 5www. trekamerica. com