Beautiful Cotswolds. Hotel was adequate but far from any town and impractical for any alternate activities. Comfortable but would not move the needle of a charm scale. I was surprised we stayed in the same place the entire trip and were bused, often for over an hour, to the hiking sites. More hiking than I could handle, not their fault, but I wish I had a better idea of the venue. Attentive and knowledgeable guides, beautiful towns and countrysides. Good dinners.

Overall an enjoyable trip Overall an enjoyable trip. The single use of the hotel room was great, including the view of the Dolomite mountain range.Most of the hikes were great, although the initial explanation of the hikes in the literature was incomplete. Since this was the inaugural trip to this region I'm sure a lot of the issues and confusion will be corrected on the next trip. The other group members were fun to be with although their were some conflicts with meal times and some other minor issues, which is always the case with a group trip.I would recommend to anybody this is an enjoyable trip.

A Walking Tour of Provence with Big Round World… A Walking Tour of Provence with Philippe and Dierdre as our guides, was my first experience with a small group guided tour. It was by far, the highlight of my trip to France. Excellent organization and overall fabulous choices for lodging, food, and daily explorations. Philippe served as the local guide and in addition to providing his expertise on the area history, trails, winery, flora, and fauna worked tirelessly to involve all participants and ensure we were comfortable yet challenged. I feel the whole experience was a great value, especially since it was my first time to France.

Cheerful and well-paced The trip was well-paced; we traveled and hiked to many great locations, and I never felt rushed. Unexpected events, like the delayed Cook Sound crossing, turned into a unplanned visit to the Wellington Botanic Gardens. I appreciate the trip leader's can-do attitude, their cheerful flexibility, and attention to detail.

Crete Hiking Trip I just got back from the Crete trip. As usual, Ed and Helen provided a wonderful, well organized trip. In this case, it was in an area of the world which I would not have otherwise experienced. Great museum trips, towns, villages, and landscape.