We enjoyed every location we visited. Our guide Rick Stevens knew a lot and shared interesting facts. The hotels were clean and cozy. Our driver was wonderful and made sure we were well taken care of. Experiencing everything for the first time was great and I think it’s something every American should do.
However, we didn’t like starting the tour right after arriving. We landed at the airport at 3am and by the time we got to the hotel at 10pm, we were completely drained. Another thing that bothered me was how short-tempered our guide was. He constantly told the kids to be quiet and would yell at them. The kids tried to be nice, even giving him presents, but he didn’t appreciate it. He actually told the adults to back off, saying the kids were going too far. We tried to cheer him up, but he stayed grumpy, making us feel uncomfortable. The worst part was how Rick treated our driver Manny. He was rude to him, made racist comments, and acted as if Manny was stupid. It was upsetting. For example, Rick told Manny, “Pick us up at quarter past 11.” When Manny asked, “What time is that?” Rick snapped, “I just told you.” It happened so many times. Rick also talked badly about Harlem, saying it was fine until the Blacks moved in. That was disturbing. We also wanted to see more at the sites, but it felt like Rick didn’t want to walk around much. We’d walk a little, then stand still for 15-20 minutes while he talked. It was cold, and we all froze. Staying moving would have kept us warmer. While I’m grateful for the trip with my daughter, it felt rushed. We passed by places without going in, like Trinity Church. I thought we would be seeing the inside, not just the outside. Also, it's important to know your audience when planning a trip. Going to see Harry Potter, the Broadway play, wasn’t really a fit for a Christian school. Plus, we only had 25 minutes in New York’s Times Square. 25 minutes! It felt like we were rushing through the entire trip. We should have spent more time at each place instead of just driving by. Also, fewer chain restaurants would have been nice. The best food we had was from local spots, not from truck stops.
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