I had been very nervous about taking our kids on a rafting trip. Yet, from my first call to schedule the trip (where I discussed at length with receptive schedulers my anxieties and the type of rapids I was willing to embark on), to final packing the day before we left, M2W help us design a wonderful first rafting trip. The three guides we had were super professional, beyond great with our kids, and very hard workers. And the food was really, really good, and way more than we needed. We did have a challenging trip – with 2 of 6 days pulling 50-70mph winds. I was thankful for the chance to show my kids what real work perseverance looks like: the guides got up at the crack of dawn, handed out breakfast food with a smile, packed, rowed, dealt with lunch food, rowed, unpacked, dealt with dinner food/fun, and slept most nights on their boats. And if they didn’t like us, they never let on! We really enjoyed their company and learned a lot for next time. Lessons learned: if you’re thinking about a longer trip, make sure that you’re able to sit/read/contemplate life on a boat for most of the day. You won’t be able to paddle board/kayak on days when the weather is bad, and the guides have to keep up with their miles. You need fast-drying, long shirts and pants/sun clothes more than a swim suit. There are camps where it’s hard to hang out in the water because the current is too strong (I hadn’t thought of that). Bring wipes to wash down with at night – between the desert and the silt in the water it is nice to “bathe”. And, while you won’t be able to bring a mat better than the rafting mats M2W has for you (almost like a real mattress) if you have great tent at home you might pack it (M2W’s were not the same as what we were used to). Finally, don’t hesitate to bring drinks. I had worried about the weight/space issue – but there was plenty of space, and the weight can actually be helpful.