Suzanne's review

We set off with 3 bags and 3 sceptical children and returned 3 months later with a load more bags and hopefully a much better understanding of what it takes to get along with each other, with other travellers and with people who live in the countries we visited and having seen an inordinate amount of wildlife.

The Galapagos was our first destination (after the shock of armed guards in every restaurant in Quito) and that was an amazing boat trip. We met some great people, The Gardeners, Soledad and Pete & Bob but after 7 days we did get a little blasé about the marine iguanas and frigate birds.

The trip for real began with our trips in Ecuador and the stay in the cloudforest where Finn must have lost half a stone due to 'inedible' food and we learnt that bird watching is not a pastime that our daughters will be embracing. It was also in the cloudforest that we leant that Finn and Derry are like mountain goats at going downhill and Siena at mountaineering uphill - with no crossover skills between them.

Peru was lots of Inca ruins, lots of alpaca hats and lots of Finn itching to spend his money. Us adults had to compromise in our aspiration to walk the last part of the Inca Way at Macchu Pichu and to climb Huanu Pichu, even though we knew we were unlikely to return, at least at an age where we would be physically able to climb. We quickly realised that this was incompatible with the general consensus and it was tough to argue with the 7 year old perspective of why would you want to see any more Inca stonework - its all the same anyway!

Peru was also where Finn and Derry's affinity with dogs was highlighted and probably where the first comments about getting a dog when we got home were made - although I did think we were going to find a dog smuggled into the luggage in Ollanta.

Every where we went people commented on how wonderful the children were, able to have conversations with adults, interesting, vibrant and polite. This was reassuring to us as we were spending every hour together and so we were inevitably winding each other up at times. I think we all had an intensive course in learning that everyone has their up and down times (no matter their age) and that sometimes what you think is important, isn't necessarily so!

Watching Siena having skiing lessons off the slingshot lift and off piste with Mario Fettucini in Chile was a sight to behold. She showed what she was capable of and banished some of her over cautious ski demons - culminating in the slalom race that she and Finn did at the end of the week.

I'm still in two minds about our decision to take Derry up a slingshot on the last day - probably a once in a lifetime experience (unless she gets to go back to Portillo one day), but I hope it didn't put her off skiing forever because she's a real ski dare-devil and good at it too.

Costa Rica was the adrenalin generating part of the trip where we all did things I was amazed by - and I think we all learned that trying new things, no matter how daunting they seem at first, can be great fun. Most impressive was Siena's inner determination on the tarzan swing ( and that Finn and Derry volunteered to do it before anyone else) , Finn climbing inside the fig tree and Derry paddling like fury on the white water rafting, with a big smile over her face. Costa Rica was where we also had to live with Finn perfecting his bird calls, that whistle will always take me back to my 9 year old boy talking to the birds (and yes they did answer back) and impressing the professional with his knowledge.

The US was back to the consumer driven economy, with bells on. Great RVing, comedy washing up , BBQ's and poo pipe family bonding . We had a fantastic time with the Duncans, Derry became Lily's trainer for the week - and took us one step closer to having a puppy when we got home. Santa Barbara was a shopping fest, a lovely time with Pete and Bob, a true Californian experience - but no swimming training to be had!

I really didn't want our adventure to end, I wish we could have carried on the trip but I wouldn't have missed the opportunity for the world.