Hi Tammy,
How was Xmas???
Remember that funny picture?? It's on 2010 A2Z - Adventures catalog.......
Check it out on this link:
http://www.facebook.com/l/9109f;www.a2z-adventures.com/download/cat_a2z_A4_2010.pdf
Hope you have a great new years....
Kiss,
Nuno
I clicked on the link and sure enough, page 15 of the A2Z Adventures brochure revealed me pulling Deanna on a 'historical bike trailer'. I had to laugh out loud when I saw it. I remember that day so well. And that particular photo almost never came to be.
That trip was wonderful in so many ways. Not only for the scenery and the challenging bike rides, but also because we had such a personal tour. Our guided tour was of the historical villages. Each day we rode from one ancient castle site to the next while our luggage was transported for us. A large group had also booked the week with us, but they canceled at the last minute. That left only me and Deanna, the only two clients for the entire week trip! Nuno would ride with us every day, pointing out the sites, while Felipa would transport our luggage and provide support along the way.
Nuno leads all sorts of tours all over the world. His quick smile, twinkling eyes, and devilish sense of humor makes him an intriguing companion. He educated us along the way on customs of the land, along with everything we encountered. There didn't seem to be anything of which he wasn't knowledgeable.
Felipa was more quiet, soft spoken, but just as quick. Her English was not quite as good as Nuno's, but we easily understood her. And she set the meanest picnic table in all of Portugal, I'm sure.
On that particular day, Nuno, Deanna, and I were riding along a quiet country lane when we came upon a quaint little cart sitting beside the road. I glanced at Deanna to find her glancing at me.
"Oh, we have to," I said. "It's our duty to take that picture!" We explained to Nuno that we wanted to stage a photo with the cart. He wasn't too keen on the idea.
"If that cart is parked here, you can bet that the farmer is nearby," he explained. "I don't think he would be too happy if he caught us playing with his farm equipment."
We made a half-hearted attempt to talk him into it, but he remained reluctant. I was a bit disappointed, but willing to defer to his judgment. I could understand that he was responsible for us and, in part, for our actions on this trip. Cavorting through the countryside, trespassing and commandeering local farm equipment for his client's entertainment might not be the best image to project. So I just took a photo of the cart, remounted my bike and began pedaling away. I hadn't gone far when they called out.
"Tammy, come back!" Deanna shouted. Evidently Nuno had changed his mind. He was waging an inner battle between keeping his customers happy and not causing alarm to the locals. He would take the photo for us while keeping an eye out for the missing farmer. He urged us to be quick, so we took our places and he snapped this photo...
"One more," we begged. From a slightly different angle in order to include more of the rock fence. This is the one they used in the brochure...
"Ok, Tammy, but look like you're really pulling hard..." Nuno instructed. He was beginning to warm up to this idea...
"Ok, now Deanna, you get in front, and Tammy, you lie down, just taking it easy..." Nuno was quickly getting into his director's role. The mystery farmer was becoming a distant memory.
"Ok, now we'll do one with all of us," he decided. Now he was director and actor! He set the camera up, instructed us on proper form, and jumped into the photo. I was laughing so hard I could barely sit upright! I think this one should have been in the brochure! This is classic Nuno!!
If anyone is thinking of a tour anywhere in the world, I would check out A2Z Adventures before anyone else. And if you happen to end up with Nuno and Felipe, consider yourself very lucky indeed!! : )
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