Experience the alluring Caribbean Isles of Trinidad & Tobago
Blumenthal/Madigan Rev 1/11/2010
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Experience the alluring Caribbean Isles of Trinidad & Tobago
Leader Ralph Blumenthal
Co-leader Pam Madigan
Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies
12/27/10-1/2/11
Total # of days 7
Hiking
Downhill skiing
Kayaking
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Backpacking
Cultural
Road biking
Nordic ski
Mountain biking
Snorkeling
Other – please describe
Bird watching
Number of participants
(excluding leaders)
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
Do you wish to have your trip
listed online before it is
published in The Outdoors?
Smaller trips and leader
subsidization
Max 16
Min 12
$ 1550
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 550-650
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month (max is one year in
advance of trip)
asap
Is this proposal for a small group trip – i.e., less than 14 participants and 2
leaders or 7 participants and 1 leader? Yes
No
If yes, why is a small group proposed?
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain
why?
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Ralph Blumenthal
41 Stoney Brook Rd. Holmdel NJ 07733
rblumenthal@comcast.net
Home 732-264-8482
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 11/2010 Will recert this fall
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 1/31/11
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Feel free to list additional
trips you have led, particularly if they demonstrate experience related to the trip you
are proposing.
St. John 2009, 2008, 2007 20-25 participants
Hawaii 2009 15 participants
Ireland 2009 16 participants
Has visited T&T previously, led many other trips, and is a MEC member
Co-leader name
Pam Madigan
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training
Prior leading experience

To lead a major excursion you must have current CPR and WFA at the time of your trip (or AWFA for all backcountry
trips). If you do not have the required level of certification at the time you submit your proposal or it will expire before
the date of your trip, you will need to make arrangements to recertify in a timely manner.
Revised October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 5
Experience the alluring Caribbean Isles of Trinidad & Tobago
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training*
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Blumenthal/Madigan Rev 1/11/2010
12 School Street Medfield MA 02052
pmadigan@verizon.net
Home 508-359-6789
Work 508-810-0776
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 5/11
CPR
BLS
Expiration: renewing
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be a major excursions
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application.
Leader St. John 2009
Leader St. John 2008
Leader St. John 2007
Over 15 years leadership experience with the AMC and a MEC member
Scouting
Have either of you led this trip
before or traveled to this
area?
Languages
Does either the co-leader or
leader speak the local
language?
Couples
Do the leader and co-leader
have a significant personal
relationship?
Private trips
Do either of you lead trips that
are private - not sponsored by
the AMC?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
Ralph has visted both Trinidad and Tobago. Ralph has visited Asa Wright Sanctuary,
Caroni Swamps, Tobago & Little Tobago. Ralph has stayed previously at the Blue
Waters Inn and Asa Wright.
Co-leader: Yes
No
Leader: Yes
No
Not applicable:
Executive summary
Please provide a brief
description of the trip and the
activities planned.
Trinidad itinerary to include bird watching at the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, Asa
Wright Nature Centre, and Caroni Swamp Bird Sanctuary. Tobago's activities to include
snorkeling at the Blue Waters Inn beach, Little Tobago Glass Bottom boat tour, and
guided visit to the Bloody Bay Rain Forest. A highlight will be New Years Eve at Blue
Waters Inn: A lovely buffet dinner, steel-drum band, live music, dancing, and a beautiful
midnight fireworks display on the beach while we enjoy a glass of champagne.
On Trinidad, we will be staying at the Pax House Guest house (abutting the 600 acre
Monastery grounds). Rooms will mostly double occupancy with private baths and some
with shared baths. On Tobago we'll stay at The Blue Waters Inn (3 star double
occupancy a/c with private baths)
All meals are included. Pax house to provide meals on Trinidad. At Tobago's Blue
Waters Inn (meals inclusive).
Yes
No
If yes, please list who has agreed to be your back-up in case one or
both of you need to drop out. This is required for approval!
Yes
No
If yes, please note that you cannot advertise AMC and private trips
together unless there is a clear distinction between the two in any marketing
materials you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Accommodations
Please describe your plan for
accommodation(s)
Meals
Please describe your plan for
providing meals
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
Revised October 2009
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
If no, please describe the process you went through to find out that they were not
required:
U.S. Passports must have an expiration date which is at least 3 months after trip end date.
Other passports require at least a 6 month expiration date aftet trip end date. Travelers
from the United States to foreign countries should also register their trip abroad through
the State Department (https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/). This allows the State
Department to have a list of the names of citizens traveling in a country if a natural
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
Experience the alluring Caribbean Isles of Trinidad & Tobago
Blumenthal/Madigan Rev 1/11/2010
disaster or other emergency may occur.
Special equipment
Does the trip require special
equipment?
Special experience
Does the trip require special
skills on the part of the
participant?
Pre-trip activities
Do you plan to get your group
together before the trip for an
activity or social event?
Conservation, education and
recreation
How will this major excursion
meet the mission of the AMC?
www.outdoors.org/about/
mission.cfm
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
will ensure that people know how to use it:
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
This trip is designed for participants to experience the natural history, flora, and fauna of
Trinidad & Tobado through participation in hikes and snorkel trips led by both AMC
leaders and local guides. Our educational visits to the Asa Wright Nature Reserve,
Caroni National Park, and Tobago National Park will serve to give participants a greater
appreciation of nature and the need to protect wildlife areas.
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
Will this trip require a tour
operator or guide service
during part, or the entire
trip?
Name of tour operator/guide
service
Yes
No
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
Tour operator website
Safety record
Please provide information
about their safety record.
Insurance
Do they have liability
insurance?
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
response plan in the case of an
emergency.
http://www.newtongeorge.com/ http://www.bluewatersinn.com/
no accidents recorded
For selected 1/2 day trips, we'll be using the following local guides. Newton George
"Rain Forest Tour" and Frank's Glass Bottom Boats 868/660-5438 (arranged by Blue
Waters Inn)
Liability? Yes
No
Are they willing to list AMC as an
additional insured?
n/a
Maximum amt: $
Yes
No
RISK ASSESSMENT
Please assess the risks and hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it may affect your trip.
Devise a plan to prevent each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary. Please be very specific for each section
if applicable.
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
Surf and hiking accidents
Response
Written & verbal instruction will be given to participants stating they must ALWAYS
use the buddy swim system. Leader or co-leader will be present at all scheduled snorkel
trips. Proper footwear will be recommended for day hikes. Extra water and sun lotion
will be brought on all planned outings along with a first aid kit.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
pick pocketing / petty theft
Revised October 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
Experience the alluring Caribbean Isles of Trinidad & Tobago
Response
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Blumenthal/Madigan Rev 1/11/2010
We will always be traveling in a group in arranged transportation. Participants will be
instructed to follow precautions.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
n/a
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Sunburn, bug bites, surf, and footware blisters
Participants will be screened to make sure they are in adequate condition to partipate in
trip activities. Participants will be briefed in writing prior to trip and reminded at first
trip meeting to prepare appropriately for the environment.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Use as much detail as possible, and list any special
communications equipment you may need to ensure the safety of your participants. DO NOT LEAVE THIS SECTION
BLANK
Leaders will carry copies of trip participants medical and emergency contact information
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
which will be distributed to AMC (prior to trip departure) with all participant
documentation, distance from
documentation. Emergencies will be documented and reported immediately to AMC
emergency services
Travel Program Coordinator. Local emergency number is both T&T is 999. Hospitals
are within reasonably close proximity (10-30 minutes).
Both of the hotels have land line phones we can use in emergencies. Pam Madigan will
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
carry a cell phone with local T&T dialing access. One leader will carry a basic first aid
aid or communication
kit for each day of the itinerary.
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
We will not be in any significant backcountry area.
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
Trinidad Hospitals - Port of Spain General Hospital, Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, 868Medical care
Please describe the medical
623-2951 & Mount Hope Hospital (The Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex)
care available in the area(s)
Uriah Butler Highway, Champs Fleurs 868-645-2640. Tobago Hospital - Scarborough
where you will be traveling
Regional Hospital Fort Street Scarborough 868- 639-2551
and list names and telephone
numbers for these facilities.
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
Foreign currencies
For int’l trips list each foreign
currency, the current $US
dollar exchange rate and what
contingencies you have if that
rate changes. If a tour
operator or agent is being
used, what currency is the
agent to be paid in?
Deposits
What deposits will be required
by airlines, hotels, tour
Revised October 2009
TT$6.26 to $1.00(USD). The major bills will be paid in U.S. dollars. For the smaller
amount, the TT exchange rate has averaged between 6.0 to 6.3 in the last 12 months. No
major economic changes are forseen there so we expect the exchange rate to remain
fairly similar.
American Airline Deposit: $1800 ($100 per ticket to hold by 6/1/2010)
Blue Waters:$1500-2000 (depending on number of rooms) when confirming reservation.
Pax Guest House: None required until 9/1/2010.
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
Experience the alluring Caribbean Isles of Trinidad & Tobago
operators, etc., and when?
Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund?
Participant deposit
What are the initial deposit
and your schedule of
payments?
Cancellation policy
What will your cancellation
policy be for the participants?
Minimum numbers
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum
number?
Reference web links:
MEC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
MEC Chair:
Revised October 2009
Blumenthal/Madigan Rev 1/11/2010
Blue Waters Inn, American Airlines, and Pax Guest House deposits are fully refundable
until 9/1/2010.
$300 initial deposit. If participant elects to use the arranged group American Airlines
flights, airfare is due in full by 8/15/2010. Balance of trip fee 8/15/2010.
Cancellations prior to 8/15/10 will be entitled to a refund on money deposited with the
AMC less a minimum administration charge of $100.00 plus the cost of air ticket if
already issued. Economy tickets are non-refundable except for serious illness
substantiated by a doctor’s letter.
Cancellations after 8/15/10 will be subject to a $200.00 cancellation charge, and refunds
will only be refunded to the extent that the cost of the trip for other participants is not
affected. Most domestic airlines no longer give refunds for cancellations; instead, they
issue coupons for a future trip with an administrative charge of $100.00 and an
expiration date. Trip cancellation insurance is advised and policy information is supplied
to all participants. No refund can be granted after the trip has begun.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
Both leaders are willing to contribute to pay their costs if needed.
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/listings
cyout@outdoors.org
mecchair@amcboston.org
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 5