Brazil: Rio De Janeiro (Mar.2), Gate 1 Review, and Thanks

With all respect to the elegant city of Buenos Aires (home of our peerless tour manager, Sol), Rio is the city I most enjoyed on this whirlwind tour of Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.  It’s not just the dramatic hills, endless beaches, and beautiful parks and people – it’s the musical, magical aura of the place.  Even the palms seem to sway to Rio’s soulful beat. 

On our last morning here, Shari and I headed to the Jardim Botânico, a serene enclave in the shadow of Corcovado (entry fee roughly $13 per person). 

The garden’s plantings include cacti, ferns, bromeliads, orchids (my favorite part), and other flora both native and imported. 

Paths wind through a natural Atlantic forest and pass the shell (no pun intended) of a building that used to be a gunpowder factory, which was  – who could have imagined – “deactivated due to explosions.”  It was a lovely way to draw the curtains on a memorable trip.

Gate 1 Review

I’ve had a marvelous time these past three weeks, first in Rapa Nui and then on the Gate 1 tour through South America.  This was my first trip with Gate 1, and I was pleased with the quality and value of the experience.  We stayed in nice hotels, traveled comfortably from place to place, ate delicious food, and enjoyed the insights of knowledgeable local guides.  Most of all, Sol was a terrific shepherd:  organized, caring, funny, informative, and responsive. 

Gate 1 includes fewer meals and programmed activities than other companies I’ve traveled with, which helps account for their generally lower prices.  I consider having fewer group meals a plus, because I can better control where, when, and what I eat.  (The meals that were part of the tour were uniformly excellent.) 

Having fewer included activities is okay, but keep in mind that purchasing the optional tours adds to the cost of the trip and thus needs to be factored into any comparison between Gate 1 and other tour operators.  Booking private tours through Viator, Tripadvisor, or GetYourGuide is a less expensive alternative to choosing Gate 1’s optional tours and allows you to focus on what most interests you.

The trip’s itinerary afforded a good mix of cities and nature, but for me, at least, it could have been improved with less time in Santiago (which I found unremarkable) and more in Patagonia. 

My only real disappointment was the size of the group (39 travelers).  Although there were no “problem children,” and Sol adeptly kept the group together, I felt that the sheer number of people at times verged on overwhelming.  (Gate 1 also runs small group Discovery tours, which I will consider for future trips.)

Thanks

I always end my posts about a trip with thanks to the people who made it special.

Thank you, Sol.  As befits your name, you brought warmth and illumination to our every experience.  You are an exceptional tour leader and a wonderful ambassador for Gate 1.

Thank you, Shari, for accompanying me on this adventure.  I relished our trips down memory lane (if not our trips on sidewalks, curbs, and roots) and our wide-ranging, always interesting conversations.  It’s been a long time since we met at Beech Street Elementary School, but also no time at all.

Most of all, thank you to my wife, Sandy, for once again indulging my globetrotting.  I am fortunate in every aspect of my life, but especially so in your devotion to the happiness and well-being of our family, myself included.  Tanto quiero!

And so closes another adventure.  Next up:  several days in Poland followed by a Viking cruise on the Elbe in late April and early May.  Until then, be well, be joyful, and be present!