Tours, Guides and Travel as We Age

endangered gray wolf

Checking In on the Wolf Hollow Plan

Hi All, Just a quick update on the Wolf Hollow adventure. I’ve been communicating with the Boston branch of GoWithGuide, and I now have contact information for three local guides. I just need to reach out and see what they have to say about a trip to Wolf Hollow.

Rethinking How I Travel

I’ve been thinking a lot about tours and guides. As an older person, I’ve sort of come to the conclusion that if I get back to traveling, it will probably be with senior tours or groups — and I have mixed feelings about that.

I’ve always liked exploring on my own. I don’t enjoy those organized “cattle call” tours where the guide marches you through a set itinerary. If there’s something you want to see and it’s not on the list, too bad. And I’m not sure how much wandering you can really do on a tightly scheduled tour. You know me — I like getting photos that are a little different from the typical tourist shots.

A Great Experience With a Small Guided Tour

We used a tour guide when we went to Pearl Harbor. It wasn’t GoWithGuide — I didn’t know about them at the time — but it was a small group. My sister and I were dubbed “the Sisters.” Our guide entertained us with stories about the morning of the raid and pointed out where the Japanese planes flew in. It gave us a great background before we reached the memorial.

Once we arrived, he turned us loose with a meeting place and a time, so we had plenty of freedom.

Afterward, he even offered to take us to a food truck the locals used. That was fantastic — and an experience we never would have had without a guide.

Why GoWithGuide Caught My Attention

GoWithGuide isn’t just a U.S. company. They’re international. One country I’d love to visit is Ireland, but I always assumed I’d either be stuck on a group tour or forced to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road. Ireland is famous for its tiny, winding roads, and that alone put me off.

Knowing I could have a personalized tour with a local guide opens up the possibilities and makes the idea so much more appealing.

Learn more about GoWithGuide’s personalized tours

It feels like the perfect solution for someone like me — someone who wants the freedom to wander but doesn’t know the territory.

What Comes Next

So next step: asking those Boston guides whether they’re brave enough to take me to Wolf Hollow. If they say yes, it’ll be the perfect chance to try out this whole “personalized tour” idea and see if it really is the right fit for someone like me who loves to wander but doesn’t know the territory.

Affiliate Disclosure

This post contains affiliate links. If you book a tour through my link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, I only share services I genuinely think you’ll enjoy.

 

A Disappointing Truth

Egret with a hot dog

Hungry Egret with Hot Dog, Gatorland, Orlando FL

Sometimes the Truth Hurts

When I learned this secret truth I felt so let down! As an amateur photographer my favorite subjects are animals. (They don’t complain about how they look.) I can spend hours pouring over books with animal photos. I love National Geographic shots. Although I know I will never be that good, I still use them for inspiration.

Nat Geo Photography Specials

Red Fox 2016

Red Fox , Audubon Sanctuary

I watch all of the Nat Geo specials especially the ones about how they got the shot. They always show the poor photographer trudging through the rain forest or freezing in the Arctic while they search for another iconic photograph worthy of a National Geographic publication. The photo magazines are full of trips and tours with (drum roll please) National Geographic Photographers! Take our trip and you too will learn to take worthy photographs.

 

 

White Tiger

White Tiger , Southwick Zoo

The Sad Truth about many animal photos

So it was a real let down when I spotted in the tiny print at the bottom of the credits a disclaimer. It said photo taken at XYZ Zoo! What!  Sure enough. Credits include zoos, sanctuaries, and preserves. Of course some are legitimate but far more than I expected are in controlled environments.

endangered gray wolfIf They Can so can I

With my new knowledge I looked into wolves. I’d love to get a great photo of a wolf. I’m sure that even if I go to Yellowstone any wolves will be too far away for a great photo. So my search began and I located the Lakota Wolf Preserve in New Jersey. I was so excited. This was a couple of years ago. They recommended a winter shoot when the fur is thick and photogenic. I immediately booked a shoot in February. It was snowed out. Then we got ice. In the end I didn’t get there but it’s on my bucket list.

Think Local

That’s why I was thrilled to hear about a wolf sanctuary right here in my homeWolves in winter state of Massachusetts. Located in Ipswich, MA I can’t wait to check it out. Its called Wolf Hollow and they have photo shoots too. You can be sure you’ll be hearing more about this place as soon as I can get a day to drive up there! Stay tuned.