Yesterday I went under a waterfall for the first time, in a swerving and dipping Zodiac along with the other members of a small Peregrine group touring in South America.

Argentina’s Iguazu Falls are spectacular, approached through jungle trails and viewable from platforms high above the river. If I’d been travelling alone, I’d have seen this magnificent prospect from above – but from below, wearing a life vest and getting drenched in a leaping boat? Like some of the other members of this group I’m not wildly adventurous, but travelling with Peregrine has made it possible to discard a few inhibitions and to have an unforgettable cultural experience.

I’ve always been apprehensive about group travel and venturing outside my (mainly European) comfort zone, but the last two weeks have changed some old perspectives. It’s been fun to travel in Peru, Argentina and Chile with a small group of like-minded people, assisted by ever-helpful and superbly informed local tour guides. More than fun, though – enriching too, because it’s a shared adventure and hence especially memorable. At the end of a long and strenuous day we’ve all enjoyed the sociable pleasure of reflecting on visiting the glories of Machu Picchu or seeing the wonder of an Amazon sunrise.

There’s been a lot of lively conversation over some wonderful meals about what travel means to each of us – we often see people and places in different ways, and this range of experiences heightens what is already a rich and varied adventure.