I just returned from “guiding” our New Zealand tour (Nathan and our guests may argue my use of the term “guiding.”) It was spectacular! This was my first trip to New Zealand but hopefully not my last. For two of our guests it was their third time touring New Zealand with us and for another guest it was his 6th time on our New Zealand tour.
Many of our guests can’t imagine going on the same trip more than once, but I can’t wait to go back to a destination. The first trip is new and exciting but it can also be a whirlwind of activity. Every day is a new adventure: trying to stay oriented in unfamiliar territory, keeping up – both on the bike and off the bike – with all there is to see and do, while also taking time to relax and enjoy a quaint historic town, a beautiful vista or a one-of-a-kind lodge.
The second time around allows me to slow down, spend more time at the places I couldn’t get enough of, explore that unique side trip that I didn’t allow myself to do the first time (yet heard great things about from guests who did) or maybe challenge myself to ride the route I skipped for a boost in the van.
Going back a second or third time is similar to what I love most about bicycle tours. It’s that rich connection I get with our guests by riding together for several days, or sitting down and enjoying a great dinner and a bottle of wine night after night. It just isn’t the same as just one dinner. Going back that second or third time allows me a chance to gain a much richer connection with an area.
That’s also why you will never find me flying into a tour for just a meet and greet with our guests. When I go on a tour I want to experience the entire tour with you from start to finish.
Whether you have traveled with us before, or you have visited an area on your own, consider going back again on a bike with Bicycle Adventures. You will definitely discover something new and gain a much richer understanding of the area the second time around.
See you on the road soon,
Todd