About the Group: If you love to get out and see the world like I do, whether it's a weekend camping trip to the Catskills or a week long vacation to Italy or a visit to one of our many great National Parks, this group is a great place to meet some friends and plan your next Awesome Adventure! How about a fall camping trip to see the foliage and hike up to Old Rag in Shenandoah or a summer trip to visit the granite bluffs along the coast of Acadia and have some lobster? What about a sailing live aboard in the Bahamas or a scuba trip to The Great Barrier Reef? Perhaps running with the bulls in Spain or an African safari are on your bucket list? Maybe a snorkel and rain forest adventure in Belize to see the world famous Blue Hole? These are a few ideas for some Awesome Adventures that are on my bucket list. I look forward to making some new friends and sharing some great ideas you might have about planning our next Awesome Adventure!
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About the Organizer: My name is Mark and I’m an adventurous spirit and I really love spending time outdoors with others who feel the same way. I really get excited when I think about all the awesome places I hope to discover someday. With the assistance of the internet, it’s not all that difficult to pull up an outdoor adventure tour or trip to pretty much anywhere you can imagine. I’m not a travel agent or a professional tour guide. I’m really just like you, an adventurous spirit who is excited to see what’s out there. I have a great group of friends and family who have given me loads of ideas on great places that, in their words, “You just have to go see”. I started this group with the hope that I could share some of those ideas with folks who felt the same way. I work full time for a pharmaceutical company and live in Central NJ and I started an Adventure Travel Meetup group in August of 2013. Awesome Adventurers Travel Network initially started as a few hiking and camping friends and has become a great group of over 600 fabulous friends who enjoy traveling and the great outdoors. The group now includes members from NY, NJ, PA and the surrounding tri-state areas. However anyone is welcome to join the group free of charge, no matter where you live. I host planning meetings remotely to discuss and plan trips to it's easy for anyone to participate.
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How much does it cost to join?: $0! It's totally free for you to join the Meetup group where members communicate and where you can RSVP for trips. The costs for the trips vary and I usually negotiate discounts based on group bookings. I often go on the trips myself but in some cases I plan trips that I don't attend. The various costs to run the group are included in the cost of the trips so there are no additional fees. For example, I can often negotiate a free spot for every 10 bookings and this free spot could be retained to pay for some of the group fees. The trip costs are typically very reasonable and the accommodations are usually very comfortable, varying from 3 to 5 stars. In some cases I will post a day trip or a camping weekend where the members are required to make there own reservations, again no fees.
Group Member Participation: So you signed up for this adventure travel group…….now what!? As a group member I urge you to attend meetings and listen to the dialogue about different trips that interest you. Meet with the group and see if you feel comfortable spending a week and/or thousands of dollars on a vacation with us! I’m sure we all have certain nuances and personality types that we align with. Your active participation in the selection and planning process is your vote and your voice, and I strongly encourage you to use it. If you sit back and say you’re ok with whatever selections or decisions the group makes, we have to assume you’re in total agreement with the plan. Group members are fully accountable for any and all of their individual travel plans, regardless of who booked them.
