A photo workshop has been my long-held dream; a photo workshop in Rome was over the top - for me. My husband will tell anyone who asks that he has taken 12 pictures in his entire life - the limit of a roll of film in a Brownie camera. So, on this trip, I am solo.
Traveling from Seattle is almost 20 hours - a good excuse to book a hotel car. I drag out of customs ready to be catered to, but: no driver holding up my name - not even a credible misspelling of my tangled Dutch name. Time to get Euros and call the hotel. Four uncooperative cash machines later, I have to accept defeat: I am not going to use a payphone to the hotel. iPhone to the rescue: used my data connection to add international calling and I am on my way. And, I have successfully managed to elude the money-changers. I would actually rather give the money to my wireless carrier.
Tired as I was, the trip into town was a wake-up call. Nothing prepared me for Rome - not Tuscany, not Paris or any other European icon, not even the guidebooks. Two thousand plus years of history and architecture are everywhere in the city, and what is newer does not look new. It all fits. It all glows in the rising and setting sun -- like no other place I have ever seen. I have come to the right place.
We were nine workshop students and three instructors lodged in a gracious five-star hotel close to the Spanish Steps. Our instructors - two experienced National Geographic professionals and a delightful innkeeper/photographer/former dancer from Tuscany - were equally gifted in choosing sites and helping us to see and photograph them. Exactly what I was hoping for.
We assembled as a group for the first time in the late afternoon, meeting to register, then going out for a companionable dinner at a local trattoria. The usual sorting out of vegetarians, and beer, wine and water drinkers. Twelve people with very personal views of what belongs on their plate - but no one goes hungry - or thirsty.
We students, all from the States, were fairly evenly matched in terms of experience and equipment. Most of us dozed through the arrival day, brought our cameras to the registration area for a check-in before dinner, and were more interested in eating dinner than shooting. Arrival days' pictures: zero. Fortunately, it didn't stay like that.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.