With 130 countries (and counting!) under her belt, there is no doubt that Nancy Gray is an avid traveller at heart! Nancy, 79, from Dallas, Texas, recently embarked on the Brazil, Iguazu & Argentina Delights tour in South America with Expat Explore. Over 13 days, she travelled from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, experiencing unforgettable South American destinations along the way!
We recently chatted with Nancy about her love of travel, what seeing more of the world can teach us and the highlights of her most recent trip with Expat Explore. Read on to find out more about Nancy’s adventures!
For the love of travel
Is travelling something you’ve always loved? If so, why?
I most definitely feel I am an explorer at heart. At this point, I have visited 130 countries, some time and time again (like Ireland – I tend to go every summer; and Greece – my heart!), and always new ones to add every year.
I grew up in a small town in western New York and I remember so clearly at age 14 sitting doing my homework and thinking, “I’ve got to get out of here”! I was an avid reader so whenever I read about places, people, different cultures, festivals, history, and saw photos of that, I wanted to be there and experience it for myself.
What interests me most on my travels is meeting the people that live there, sharing time, conversations, and experiences with them; enjoying the stories of their daily lives, and sharing their food, and their culture. In Myanmar, I was in a village with a young woman whose family had lived there for generations and when we passed her mother and grandmother sitting on a step smoking and she asked if we should join them, I enthusiastically said yes! It was a highlight of being there.
What scared you about travelling, if anything?
I would have to say nothing. Even in places I don’t know the language or customs, I can find ways to communicate and certainly now with smartphones and translation apps, it’s almost hard to find places where you can feel alone or a stranger. I have always trusted that we all have far more in common with each other than we realise and it’s that connecting thread that makes me confident instead of scared.
In what ways would you say travel can change people?
Hopefully…it broadens any traveller’s perspective on our planet and its people. The more we understand our similarities, the less our differences will be divisive. And maybe then, peace would be truly attainable. Travel can’t help but open your heart and mind unless you just want to find your own country in someone else’s!
There’s a quote by Einstein, that says something like “…never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” I like that. No one has enough time on the planet to experience it all, so by travelling, we get to share brief glimpses into what someone else’s life is like. Also, my friends and family look forward to my stories when I return from my travels and that’s a way that increases their understanding too.
Experiencing the sights, sounds and sensations of Brazil and Argentina
What do you feel makes South America a bucket-list-worthy destination?
South America offers great diversity in its people, nature, culture, and history that simply can’t be ignored if one wants to “know the world.” I think too many people think all of South America is the same…as an example, many people think Spanish (rather than Portuguese) is the language of Brazil!
Could you summarise your most recent tour in three words?
Diverse, Astonishing, Vibrant.
What were the highlights of the tour?
On this most recent trip, I loved the majority focus on Brazil. The tour was designed to ensure we saw all the iconic “must-sees” in Rio – Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountains, and Selaron Steps, but we also had a Carnavale experience and some great walking and several great Churrasco dinner experiences! Copacabana and Ipanema were also musts if you want to experience the vibrant Rio personality and character. And Samba! Almost forgot that essential!
In addition to Rio, the tour included stays in Paraty (charming and beautiful), energetic Sao Paulo, and the awesome Iguazu Falls’ outstanding nature and wonder – I’ve wanted to visit this for years and was not disappointed. The boat ride close-up to the falls was thrilling and the animal and bird life was amazing.
This tour also includes several days in Buenos Aires, Argentina – after Brazil, it’s easy to see the contrasts between these two countries! To have a tour that includes both Brazil and Argentina, and a day visit to Paraguay, which was also highly informative, is an itinerary that can’t be beaten and offers the traveller exposure to the diversity of South America.
Did you do any optional excursions on the tour and if so, what was your favourite?
Yes, quite a few as I like to maximise my experiences while in a city/country. The Rio+ was very enjoyable; the Carnavale experience was great too, as was the jeep tour in Paraty and I was also surprised to love my day visit to Paraguay much more than I expected – the dam there is an amazing site. But my favourite was probably the Great Adventure boat tour on the Argentinian side of the falls – just pure fun and thrills!
Related: Take a look at the best day trips and experiences you can enjoy on South America tours with Expat Explore.
Is there a funny story or favourite memory of something that happened on the tour?
Every single day was fun, interesting, and challenging sometimes so it would be hard to pick. I laughed and enjoyed every single day and could always count on Zema, our tour leader, to assure it was so by his recommendations, guidance and suggestions. Sipping prosecco and toasting with him on our morning visit to Sugarloaf was a special way to mark the visit.
Do you have any advice for people planning on visiting South America in the near future?
I have a friend who has put off going because she thinks it is too humid! Yes, it certainly is, but I’ve assured her that what she will see and do will be so compelling that even if that’s one of the things you don’t like, you will get over that easily! (I’m thinking of Brazil as I make these comments, since “South America” includes many other interesting places).
But in Brazil people know how to celebrate life. Their beaches, scenery and animal and bird life, Carnavale, the Samba, the fabulous restaurants and food all speak to those who live there and that’s obvious by their friendliness, joy, welcoming attitudes, and all those elements assure that you will have a remarkable visit. Guaranteed!
The wonders of solo travel
Did you travel solo? If so, do you have any advice for other people travelling solo?
I travelled solo, my favourite way to go. For this tour, I thought I had paid the single supplement for my own room which I usually do. But I had not and so I had a roommate and surprise, surprise, it was absolutely wonderful – we will be friends for the rest of our lives. It made me wonder if this was some kind of mystical connection, meant to happen.
Advice:
1. If you’re travelling solo, keep an open mind, open heart and you may have the same experience if you room with someone.
- I would also say be confident and ask to sit with someone else on the tour, or go with them to a restaurant, or share an experience. The answer will no doubt be “yes”. I enjoyed the company of many others on this trip and everyone was friendly and welcoming.
- Know that whether you enjoy your trip or not is largely based on YOUR OWN attitude – smile, let unimportant things or small changes go by the wayside, speak up if you have questions, and ask to join in with others.
- Lastly, I’d say, in actuality, we all travel solo! The experiences we have will not be the same as even a travelling companion would have: because who and how we are, the knowledge and experience we bring with us, our personality and character and values, in the end, affect how we will perceive our trip.
What is it like travelling with a group of strangers?
I look at my fellow travellers as just friends I’ve not yet met! I don’t think of them as strangers because we already have something in common: we are spending our time and money to share a trip together, which is guaranteed to NOT leave us strangers from the minute we start our tour. And that’s always been perhaps why I come away from each trip with many more friends than I had when my tour started!
What did you learn from the other people on your tour?
There were a lot of great travelling companions on this tour. As you might guess, this is probably not likely the location someone would choose for their first trip, so they were all well-travelled, experienced travellers, with many stories, advice, lessons and recommendations on other places and countries to share. It’s one of my pleasures on travels to hear from others, to compare them to my own, to learn, and to be inspired. I hope they learned from me too. As the oldest person on this tour, I hope I surprised some people with my own participation and attitude.
What made you decide to choose Expat Explore as your tour operator?
Certainly the affordable price. I also like that I can make my own airfare arrangements. I like to maximise my flights so I usually add a “before” and “after” visit to nearby countries. And I like the fact that Expat Explore appeals to folks from other countries and not just the US. That adds to my enjoyment with my fellow travellers and I usually meet and make friends, as happened on this tour.
It also appeals to me that excursions are optional. Folks can pick what appeals to them and alternatively, you’re free to spend time doing as you please. It is helpful when you can count on your tour leader to make great suggestions, as Zema did for us. Overall I think the tours are set up to build camaraderie among the group but allow you to get what you want out of the group. Our group was a lot of fun and made up of interesting folks.
Related: Learn more about our expert South American tour leader Zema and his love for travel!
What other tours have you done with Expat Explore?
Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia and Highlights of Southern Italy & Sicily tour booked for May 2023!
How do you think the experience would have been different if you did not go on an organised tour?
I travel a lot on my own, without the benefit of a tour. It takes more effort for me to research, make arrangements for transportation and accommodation, as well as arrange day tours or experiences. And I love it…but…on an organised tour, I benefit from the tour leader’s expertise. They have stories about the country’s culture, history, experiences, and recommendations on things to see and do. They are there to explain and answer questions on anything that comes up. Our guide Zema was so enthusiastic about sharing his love for his country, its culture and customs that it was contagious. Even the simplest stories, just personal anecdotes, added to the trip and that’s harder to access on your own.
Additionally, it’s nice having someone else manage the details of when, how, where and arranging tickets. Particularly if language is an issue.
Advice, inspiration and what’s up next!
What would you say to someone who’s never travelled before?
GO! GO SOMEWHERE AND GO NOW! Life is incomplete if all you know is your own small place in the world. Even if all you do is visit places in your own country, you’ll learn something that can open your mind. I would also say “Don’t wait.” Life is short. We only have the present moment. Putting travel off may mean you never get to see or experience what you think you will do later.
What destinations do you want to see next and why?
I’m lucky I am retired so I can have multiple trips every year. It helps me enjoy both trips to new places as well as return visits to places I’ve enjoyed and loved in the past. I want to see more of Africa, and now that Saudi Arabia has become more accessible, I’d like to visit there, and other Middle Eastern countries, like Qatar and Bahrain. Oh also Madagascar to see the baobab trees and the lemurs…wait, I’m getting carried away! ☺
Interested in a South American adventure of your own? Take a look at our incredible Latin and South American tours here! You could be following in Nancy’s footsteps in Brazil and Argentina, or seeing even more of the region with trips to Peru, Costa Rica and Panama!