Home Based Travel Agent - November 2008 - (Page 35)

I did was laugh like a madman. Like most of the ziplines, the ride took only about 20 seconds, although it felt a little longer. I did four more of these, including two where I did perhaps the craziest act I’ve done on an adventure trip— zipline upside down. It’s not as hard or dangerous as it sounds: As soon as you take off, you release your left hand from the harness, your right from the line and fall backwards until you are completely upside down. It was scary, and it would have been borderline terrifying had we not known in the back of our minds that we were safe. Following the tour, we drove to El Porvenir, one of Perez’s three haciendas, where we were treated to an authentic Ecuadorian lunch that included a salad with trout plucked fresh from the local lakes and llapingachos, which are potato patties filled with cheese. We washed it down with some naranjilla juice and canelazo. We allowed time for the food to digest before we tackled our next adventure—riding on Criollo horses along the Ruminahui volcano.The volcano provides a huge variety of breathtaking landscapes, from high mountain forests to river canyon ridges and high-altitude lakes. We threw on ponchos and traditional Ecuador riding pants (provided by Perez) along with cowboy hats before listening to yet another simple set of directions. We rode a Criollo named Hercules, first slow- ly trotting down a long scenic path before cantering up the hill. We stopped at the top, peered across the valley and gazed at one of the most beautiful sights we’ve ever seen—green pastures, mountaintops and the eerie but beautiful Cotopaxi volcano. The canopy tours are surprisingly inexpensive; with prices ranging from $10 to $25 per person, depending on how many ziplines you want to ride. The horseback riding is offered at either 9:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. daily, and guests can choose from rides that last from one to seven hours. Anyone staying in Quito can have an excellent day like I did, but I’d recommend spreading the adventure out a bit and staying about three to four days. HB The South Pacific The South Pacific Specialists Specialists With over 80 years of experience, Australian Pacific has one of the widest range of tours available. From small group deluxe packages to fully escorted vacations to full and half day sightseeing tours— there’s a vacation to suit everyone’s budget. Fully Escorted Series Enhancing Life's Experiences Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge A true Outback bush setting amongst desert oak trees at Kings Creek Station, makes the Wilderness Lodge a unique experience when visiting the Kings Canyon / Ayers Rock area. Ten luxury tented cabins with full private en suite facilities, the Lodge offers stylish comfort while providing an opportunity to 'get away from it all'. Memorable gourmet outback meals are served in the dining area or, in the warmer summer months, under the sensational night sky while sitting around the campfire with a glass of wine. EXCLUSIVE TO APT Choose from our selection of Fully Escorted Tours from North America. Our Fully Escorted Series delivers the highlights of the South Pacific in style—for the vacation you will measure against all others. From relaxed tropical islands to the rugged Australian Red Centre and from bustling cities to the pristine alpine scenery of New Zealand, you can discover it all with a friendly local guide by your side every step of the way. CALL FOR OUR LATEST CATALOG 1-800-290-8687 www.aptouring.com NOVEM B ER 2008 Home-BasedTravelAgent 35 http://www.aptouring.com http://www.aptouring.com

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Home Based Travel Agent - November 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Publisher’s Note Your Lifeline Agent Spotlight New Technology Industry News Hot Deals Cultural Tourism Luxury Hotels For the Traveler: Luxury For the Agent: Luxury For the Traveler: Latin America For the Agent: Latin America Hawaii For the Traveler: Provence For the Agent: Provence For the Traveler: Florida For the Agent: Florida Home-Based Agent Expo New Products

Home Based Travel Agent - November 2008

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