Our drive into the mountains to find the Asa Wright property was quite an adventure. We stopped several times either to clarify directions or to look at our notes and crude map. When we finally left the main road and started our climb up into the mountains, we were amazed by the amount of traffic we encountered on this narrow road, barely wide enough for two small cars to pass In many places the road was only wide enough for one car and we often either waited, or even backed up to let another car pass. After what seemed like hours, we finally spotted the tiny metal sign marking the entrance to the forest preserve and nature center. Once we registered and were settled in , one of the workers asked how we’d gotten there. Her eyes became like saucers when I said “we drove our own car.” “You drove – by yourself? You are certainly very brave,” she said. I suppose it’s something you get used to. 
Our stay at this former plantation was a completely different experience from our normal routine. Total serenity; jungle sounds we’d never heard; thousands of birds; and people who’d come from all over the world to visit this very famous nature center. We had breakfast one day with a couple from Israel, dinner with a very nice couple from the UK, and we had several conversations with a young lady from Trinidad who loved the Asa Wright. It is a very special place, very different from the rush and noise of the city.
