The World Wide Will Amazon Adventure – Day Four

Posted on March 19, 2009
Filed Under Destinations, Travel, World Wide Will Adventures | 1 Comment

We left dock last night and moved up river just outside of Iquitos and tied up to a large mimosa tree to settle in for the night. While we moved down river we had dinner in the beautiful floor to wall windowed dining room. A large tray of Pisco sours were waiting for us to toast our new adventure. At dinner we had fish from the river, chicken and rice along with a nice Peruvian red wine. After dinner we socialized on the observation deck and looked out into the rain forest.

The morning of our fourth day started around 6:30 with coffee on the observation deck. The boat was swiftly moving up river as we moved onto breakfast which included an assortment of bacon, toast, eggs and fresh fruit.

After breakfast we went on our first excursion. We traveled through some back waters to see some local flora and fauna. Our skiff guide was Jorge and he was fantastic. Hernando, our main guide, also joined us for this first trip out and he was equally fantastic. We glided through the warm waters of the river for a little over an hour before returning to the boat. We saw many variety of birds and plants. My favorite part of this excursion was the giant water lily pads. They were so majestic and so large that you almost could imagine hopping from one to another crossing the river from bank to bank. And they had the most beautiful purple flowers that cast mirror-like reflections across the still black waters of the small river.

Back on the boat we had a short break before lunch was served. More great food was spread before us ready for our taking. Then, after lunch, my new favorite activity occurred. The siesta. How wonderful it was to crash in the cold dark confines of the cabin with only the sounds of the boat cutting through the waters of the great Amazon river.

After the siesta we all ventured back out onto the observation deck to watch the banks of the river drift past us. It only seemed fitting to pair the warm river breeze with a cold, buttery chardonnay. Particularly since we were soon to be toasting the magical spot where two rivers meet forming the official Amazon River.

At the confluence we we traveled up the Yarapa river which is still considered a section of the greater Amazon river system. Our late afternoon excursion was up a black river tributary. We saw more birds, a couple of iguanas and our first glance at the local river people. We stopped on the bank and had our first excursion into the rain forest where we saw endless birds of paradise flowers, wild lime trees, grapefruit trees and all sorts of exotic insects and beautiful butterflies.

On our way back to the main boat we were surprised to find that the strong current of the main river had block our exit from the tributary. Giant logs and thousands of small limbs were jammed into the mouth of the small river. We rammed the blockage, drug trees out of the center and skipped over logs untill we finally made our way out. It was an adventure but it was a little scary. It was proof of the the power and ever changing mystery of the big river.

We arrived back on the boat just in time to wash up before cocktail hour. This was always such a fun part of the day. Everyone comparing photos and stories from the day. And it was so much fun getting to know everyone. It is amazing how we were already starting to bond as a group.

The dinner bell signaled us to yet another incredible meal. The food on the boat was consistently far beyond my expectations. One last glass of cold crisp wine and off to bed with a full belly, great memories, new friends and a swirling of excitement as I anticipate the next day’s adventures.

The World Wide Will Widget

Posted on March 11, 2009
Filed Under General | Comments Off

Looking for an easy way to keep up to date with the latest travel tips from The World Wide Will? Then try downloading a World Wide Will RRS fed widget. The first is already available on Chumby and there are more versions to come that will work with everything from Google to Windows VISTA to the Mac Dashboard.

To put The World Wide Will on your Chumby click here or go to www.chumby.com and look in the travel section.

Letter From The President – It’s No Competition

Posted on March 4, 2009
Filed Under General, Safety | 8 Comments

At least a couple of times a month I get asked- ‘So what kind of competition does Medjet have?’ And of course I go through the standard answer of other membership programs, some travel insurance coverage and even some upper-crust credit card programs.

However, what I always tell people is our real competition is perception. Yep, perception.

And the perceived competition comes twofold for MedjetAssist.

Perceived competitor number one is the people who think they have both evacuation and repatriation with whatever coverage they may have in place. There is a big difference between evacuation coverage and an actual repatriation benefit. Evacuation coverage moves you to the closest appropriate medical center (your provider makes the decision, not you) and that generally concludes the benefit.

A repatriation benefit brings you home. With your MedjetAssist membership, you get full repatriation benefits which means if you meet criteria – you are an inpatient and will be admitted as an inpatient on the receiving end – we will move you to the medical center of your choice which typically is back in your family and physician network. You make the call, not some third party provider!

If for any reason you opt for a program other than MedjetAssist, or more importantly, have the perception that you have a full repatriation benefit, please ask the question as soon as you can. Unfortunately, there are programs in the marketplace that want you to think you are getting more than they will deliver. You don’t want to receive the wrong answer at the wrong time!

Perceived competitor number two is my favorite. It comes from people who want to learn more about the program and are fascinated by what we do and the relative low cost of membership. Then, when you ask them to enroll, you’ll hear the now famous words – ‘It won’t happen to me.’

You know what? Chances are it won’t happen to you. But if you travel – international or domestic – it becomes a roulette game. Many, many things while on the road are out of your hands. Take a look through this newsletter edition or any of the past ones for the partial listing of transport activity. Unfortunately for these Medjet members, reality overtook perception. Fortunately, they were Medjet members and they were taken care of. It happens almost everyday.

We market reality and we’re glad you tossed away perception and bought the whole package!

Safe travels.

Roy Berger
President/CEO
MedjetAssist

Trip Safety in Mexico

Posted on March 3, 2009
Filed Under Medjet, Safety, Travel, Website Tips | 7 Comments

People planning a Mexican vacation may be very concerned about safety during their trip. Recent news reports on kidnapping and violent attacks have raised everyone’s awareness levels with the most recent violence being located in Nuevo Laredo and Tamaulipas along with outbreaks resembling small-unit combat in Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez.

The situation in Ciudad Juarez is of special concern. Mexican authorities report that more than 1,800 people have been killed in the city since January 2008. Additionally, according to the U.S. State Department, this city of 1.6 million people experienced more than 17,000 car thefts and 1,650 carjackings in 2008. U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in Ciudad Juarez, avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours, and remain alert to news reports while in these areas.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to stay in the well-known tourist areas of the cities. Travelers should leave their itinerary with a friend or family member not traveling with them, avoid traveling alone, and should check with their cellular provider prior to departure to confirm that their cell phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G international networks. Obviously, do not display expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items.

If your travel plans will take you to Mexico, stay alert, stay informed, and don’t take chances. As always, MedjetAssist is ready to assist you in the event of a medical emergency as part of your membership benefit. Other ancillary service available to Medjet members on a Fee-For-Service basis include security services provided by our strategic partner, the Steele Foundation. The Steele Foundation provides incident management and executive protection expertise, Global Rapid Response travel advisory centers, evacuation support and security consulting services. For more information visit www.steelefoundation.com

Travel Safe,

John

U.S. State Department Website

The World Wide Will Amazon Adventure – Day Three

Posted on March 3, 2009
Filed Under Travel, World Wide Will Adventures | Comments Off

The following series is a day by day account of my Amazon adventure. This trip was hands-down the most incredible holiday I have ever experienced.

Day Three 1/17/09

Day three started off with another great breakfast. That also means it started off with more fresh juice and even more green tamales (which I am now officially craving). After breakfast we met up with the International Expeditions group in the hotel lobby.

The group was a good mix of all sorts from retired bird watchers to young environmentalist. Everyone immediately began introducing themselves, sharing stories of past travel excursions and talking about the excitement surrounding this new adventure ahead of us. We were also introduced to our main guide, Hernando, and our guide for Lima, Jose. Once we had a chance to meet and get organized, Hernando loaded us onto a tour bus and we were off on our first excursion, a tour of Lima.

The tour of the city was fantastic. We saw a private residence that has been in the same family for eighteen generations. We also visited a monastery and explored its catacombs where thousands of bones from the first beneficiaries are gathered. The tour ended with lunch at the Sheraton in downtown Lima.

I must admit I was initially shocked and a little dismayed that we were having lunch in a business hotel, all be it a very posh one; however, the food was incredible. It was the biggest spread I have ever seen. There was everything from local Peruvian dishes to sushi. After lunch we were off to Iquitos in the Northeast section of Peru where we would board our ship, La Aamitista.

The flight from Lima to Iquitos was short and quick. IE had arranged all of the boarding passes, exit taxes and luggage so our experience in the airport was seamless. Once we landed in Iquitos we were taken to a VIP lounge where we had food and drink available along with our last WiFi hot spot. We waited in the lounge until our luggage was taken from the plane and loaded onto the tour bus.

After our bags were taken care of and we were full from food and drink, we were taken to the bus and were off on a city tour of Iquitos and then onto the boat. Iquitos was a bustling port city with markets and beautiful squares abound. We were very close to the equator so the air was warm but there was a nice breeze coming from the river that curved around the city much like the Mississippi does around New Orleans.

We stopped at the main city square and started roaming and exploring the city. It was as busy as it was beautiful. Friendly and happy people were everywhere, kids were laughing and bubbles from street vendors were floating around in the warm night air. I walked across the street from the square and purchased a cold beer from one of the restaurants and carried it back to the green center of the square to find a bench. On my way I met a nice man sitting by a statue and we chatted about Peru, the Amazon and old adventures while I finished my beer. Before I knew it the bus was ready to leave and take us to our boat.

We arrived at the dock and got our first glimpse of the majestic boat we were about to spend the next seven days aboard. It was fantastic. A romantic riverboat with hardwood railings, dark green tarps and a beautiful dragon jutting from its bow. I was instantly struck by the entire scene and could not wait to get on the boat and start our great trek up the mighty Amazon.

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