Most tours will leave from the gateway
hotel lobby at the time and date printed on your trek
ticket. (Normally 0730). Make sure you have your bags
packed, eaten breakfast and have checked out of your
room before meeting your trek leader in the hotel
lobby. You will spend a few minutes filling out paperwork
and meeting your fellow trekkers before departing
the hotel.
If you are late and miss the departure-don't
panic! Ring the Footloose contact number shown in
the section below and we will be able to advise you
how to catch up with the trek (at your own expense).
We camp mostly in public campgrounds.
Campsites are selected either for their scenic beauty,
their convenience to places of interest or their environment,
as well as facilities, and we aim for a selection
of different campsite types on each trek. Only two
people share each tent, so there's lots of room. It's
up to you whom you wish to share with.
Previous camping experience is useful
but not at all essential as your Tour Leader will
help you. Our tents are easy to set up and you will
soon learn how to use our compact yet efficient camp
kitchen equipment. You will be assigned a specific
tent, so it's best to look after it. Camping is a
group activity, and everyone is expected to help clean
and take care of all equipment during the tour. The
company supplies all cooking equipment, cutlery and
dinnerware is supplied by the company.
All campsites have a quiet time
from 10 p.m. after which quietness must be maintained.
Please respect these quiet times, as campsites are
for everyone, and disturbances after 10 o'clock will
bring complaints and unnecessary unpleasantness.
The food kitty system is organised
to lower the cost of camp meals.
Each passenger and the tour leader will contribute
US$9 per day to this fund. The tour leader will organise
the collection of the kitty, while one of the passengers
will control the shopping receipts. The kitty must
be paid in US dollars even if you are travelling in
Canada. At the end of the tour, any left-over money
can be redistributed, or used for a farewell party
or dinner, according to the wishes of the group.
Tour members shop in local supermarkets.
The evening meal will be a cooked one. Lunch is usually
a roadside picnic or at a place of interest, while
breakfast is a varied continental-style meal. At times
you will want to enjoy a meal at a local restaurant
along the way, which will not be covered by the food
kitty. Also remember that when you are in cities,
eating out becomes the norm and that the food kitty
relates only to the camping portion of the tour.
Your tour group will be divided
into smaller work groups which will take turns shopping,
cooking and washing-up. The leader will clearly explain
on the first day how this is organised and how it
functions.
On our lodging tours all meals are
taken in local restaurants/diners where each passenger
pays individually for their food and drink consumed.
Mexico has
an amazing variety of regional and national dishes
that will tantalise even the most selective palate.
Corn, usually in the form of tortillas, chilli (over
60 types) and beans (frijoles) are the basics and
are mixed and matched in a variety of forms, with
just about everything, to produce tacos, enchiladas,
flautas etc. By all means taste, sample, experiment
and enjoy this rich culinary tradition.
The most common travellers affliction
in Mexico has many names...most often referred to
as "La Turista” or "Montezuma's Revenge.”
The medical term is “travellers diarrhea”
and usually does not require any medication. Such
problems can usually be avoided by observing a few
precautions before consuming any food or water:
Wash fruits and vegetables
with treated water to disinfect. Peel fruits. Some
of the best food is sold on the street. However if
the food looks greasy or old and/or the salesman looks
dirty, beware! Drink bottled or purified water only.
Although
you may not be used to leaving a tip in your home
country tipping for service is common practice throughout
North America. Basic wage for waiters, bar staff,
taxi drivers, etc are low so they depend on your tips.
Most restaurants and hotels do not include this on
the bill. Remember, the additional percentage on your
food and drink bills is not a service charge, but
a local sales tax.
As a general rule, tip as follows:
Taxi drivers.........................................................20%
of the fare
Waiters, waitresses..........................................15-20%
of the bill
Barbers, hairdressers......................................15-20%
of the bill
Hotel reception clerks, theatre ushers..........No
tip required
Don't forget to Tip your
Tour Leader
There is no gratuity to your
leader included in the tour price, and there is no
obligation to pay one. However, your trek leader will
work long and hard to ensure you have the best holiday
ever. He or she will become your close friend during
the trek, but they also need to pay the bills. If
your tour leader's performance meets or exceeds your
expectations we recommend you budget a tip of US$3
per person per day.
Not everyone is as honest as we'd
like; therefore some precautions must be taken to
safeguard your valuables. The best place to keep cameras,
passport and money is on your person wherever you
go, but this is obviously impractical at times. Campgrounds
are almost always in safe locations, and those in
cities are fenced or patrolled, so the best place
to leave things is in your tent, preferably out of
sight. The vehicle is occasionally parked on dark
city streets at night, and break-ins are an unpleasant
but real possibility.
In Mexico the image of the "Mexican
banditos" is generally not true. In fact, with
basic precautions and common sense, Mexico is quite
safe. As in most countries, larger cities require
extra caution. Keep your money and your passport with
you at all times. Ask the hotel manager or taxi drivers
about specific areas, especially at night.
There is no black market! You get
the best exchange rate in the bank, thus do not change
money on the street.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR MEXICO
Women are generally safe, but remember, women's liberation
has been slower to come to this Latin country where
machismo is still alive and well. Overly adventurous
women, especially foreigners, who are very friendly
or aggressive, are often perceived as 'available'
and treated as such. Simply use common sense. If you
walk into a cantina with only male patrons, buy your
drink elsewhere. Dress appropriately.
On driving days we like to
be on the road by 8 am. This means a good day's driving,
with time to linger for sightseeing on the way. We
aim to camp at about 6 pm. It is essential that all
trek members are punctual both for morning starts
and for all other rendezvous. Delays caused by waiting
for people who are late cause anguish among the group
and can jeopardize planned sightseeing. A wrist-watch
is essential on tour. On a few days, it is necessary
to cover long distances between points of interest
for the overall enjoyment of the tour. Your trek leader
will forewarn you of these days and do his best to
make them as rewarding as possible.
We have found that most tour members
prefer to explore city sights and en-route places
of interest on their own, rather than be led around
in a group.
The tour leader will familiarize you with the general
area and points of interest, but you will be encouraged
to sightsee at your own pace as you wish. There are
excellent information centres in most cities where
free maps etc. are often available. Please use them.
While our tour leader will
do everything possible to make your holiday one of
the best you've ever had, its full success will depend
to a "real extent on your own enthusiasm and
cooperation." A Footloose tour is a unique holiday,
and much of your enjoyment will come from the team
spirit of your group and the fun you'll have together,
as well as from the local setting. We cannot stress
too strongly the importance of your own positive attitude
- given which even the adversity of a rainstorm can
be good fun!
If there's a problem that your trek
leader can't solve for you, we'd rather you brought
it promptly to our attention than allow it to spoil
the enjoyment of your holiday. You may call the following
Trek offices;
EAST COAST DEPARTURES..................(toll
free) (800) 637 8931
WEST COAST DEPARTURES................(toll free) (800)
345 8777
FROM CANADA...........................................................(800)
345 8777
FROM MEXICO.................................................001
- 800 -345 - 8777
It is important that you and your
fellow Footloose members keep the vehicle, tents and
cooking equipment clean, as they are in regular use.
At most of the campsites there are
hot shower facilities. Please ensure that you keep
yourself and your clothes clean, to avoid offending
others and causing unnecessary friction amongst the
group.
Possession of drugs without a proper
medical prescription will not be tolerated, and if
anyone is found with an illegal drug they will be
instantly excluded from the trek. Should you need
or take any special treatment or medication, please
inform your trek leader at the start of the tour.
Do not even think of carrying illegal
drugs in Mexico. The penalties for carrying such substances
as marijuana are severe, especially for foreigners.
The US government is putting tremendous pressure on
the Mexican government to stop drug trafficking. Thus
there are drug checkpoints throughout Mexico and the
police like to make examples of foreign drug users.
When a Footloose tour visits a city
en route, it is desirable to stay in a hotel. For
example, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago & New
Orleans. Tour members share twin rooms furnished with
two beds. The cost of these en-route hotels are always
included in the Footloose tour price
When additional hotel stops are
necessitated the company's average campsite cost will
be deducted from the overall hotel cost and the balance
will be collected from the trek members.
Laws regarding the purchase and
consumption of liquor in the USA are very strict.
The legal minimum drinking age is 21 (in all states)
and in many cases entrance to clubs, discos and bars
is limited to those 21 years and over. Obviously these
restrictions are not within Footloose's control.
The Tour Leader will endeavour to
find alternative entertainment for those under 21
when the group has an occasion to go out, but this
is not always possible. In some areas of the country
you might even encounter 'dry' counties where you
are not even able to buy alcohol let alone drink it.
Some of the campgrounds Footloose
uses are State or National Parks, where consumption
of alcohol is illegal. Your tour leader will advise
you of US restrictions regarding drinking in these
areas. Keep in mind that you may have neighbours in
camp who retire early, and 'quiet hours' - usually
from 10.00pm to 7.00am - are often rigorously enforced.
So do try to have consideration for other campers
when enjoying a drink around the camp fire!
When going out for the evening to
discos, saloons, bars or restaurants where you might
want to have a drink, be sure to carry some form of
identification with a photograph which states your
date of birth.
Passports, driver's licences or official identification
cards are usually accepted as proof of age. Don't
be offended if asked to produce your 'ID' - it just
means you're keeping yourself youthful!
Although liquor laws have
become more uniform across Canada during the past
10 years, it is still difficult to generalize about
what kind of alcoholic drinks may be sold.
As in the United States,
there are 'dry' towns scattered throughout the country
where no alcohol may be purchased. Except in Quebec,
which has the most liberal drinking laws in the country,
liquor or beer is usually sold through government
operated liquor stores. In many cases liquor or beer
may not be served on Sundays unless with a meal. In
Quebec, the legal drinking age is 18 or over. In all
other provinces the minimum is 19 years.
Mexico's minimum drinking age is
l5 years old. Alcoholic beverages are easily obtainable
and many of you will undoubtedly wish to sample such
Mexican specialities as tequilas, margaritas, mescal,
kahlua or one of Mexico's many fine beers.
Don't over-indulge as Mexicans frown
upon borracheros (drunks).
All tours end on arrival at the
gateway hotel in the terminating city. If you require
accommodation on the last night, it is essential that
you purchase a pre-paid accommodation voucher. Most
tours arrive at our hotel at about 17.00 - 18.00 on
the final day.
If you wish to fly internationally
directly after the tour finishes you should ensure
your flight does not depart before 20:30 hours to
ensure you have time to transfer to the airport and
check-in 2 hours before departure.
