tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post3163278591014572776..comments2024-03-11T06:22:36.107+00:00Comments on angloyankophile: Travel Talk: In Defense of Organized ToursAngloyankophilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798135990583648390noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-5365754435008661662015-07-13T12:10:07.402+01:002015-07-13T12:10:07.402+01:00Good post....thanks for sharing.. very useful for ...Good post....thanks for sharing.. very useful for me i will bookmark this for my future needs. Thanks. <br /><a href="http://colorholidays.com/kashmir.php" rel="nofollow">Kashmir Tour Package</a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08489399236797063572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-23305765743481939042015-01-28T11:57:18.855+00:002015-01-28T11:57:18.855+00:00Jessica! Thank you for this fantastic comment. I a...Jessica! Thank you for this fantastic comment. I am *exactly* like the person you described in the first paragraph above. That's me. <br /><br />And I think it's amazing that you're translating a book right now on this topic - you've hit the nail on the head with the class issue observation. And I completely agree that the tourist/traveler dichotomy is unhelpful - quite a few people pointed this out during the chat, actually. I liked seeing that!Angloyankophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13798135990583648390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-14089363659229277362015-01-28T10:25:59.829+00:002015-01-28T10:25:59.829+00:00Thank you for this very empathic piece. As someone...Thank you for this very empathic piece. As someone who travels a lot, I know I've been guilty of inwardly rolling my eyes at package tourists--but at the same time, like you, I'm a nervous traveler/tourist myself, worrying about making connections or figuring out how to buy train tickets or finding someplace to eat when I'm woozy from jet lag and in a strange city. There's a lot to be said for someone taking care of all that for you, and if it gets people out into the world, seeing things they would never otherwise get to see--with other people for company, as Sorcha pointed out--then how is that not a good thing?<br /><br />I'm translating a book right now that touches on this topic, one of the conclusions being that snobbery about tourists is a class issue, i.e., well-off people who have the time and resources to travel independently look down on, and feel threatened by, the less well-off suddenly encroaching on their territory. I think there's some truth in that, and I also think the tourist/traveler dichotomy is imaginary and unhelpful. If you're visiting a place temporarily to experience what it has to offer, then regardless of whether you hiked there over the course of three days subsisting on nothing but the hospitality of the locals or you've just gotten off an air-conditioned tour bus with 40 other people, you are still a tourist. In the opinion of this tourist, anyway. ;-)Jessicahttp://www.wordridden.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-27224857304697586822015-01-27T15:42:37.274+00:002015-01-27T15:42:37.274+00:00Totally agree, Sorcha! Haha, I love "judgey p...Totally agree, Sorcha! Haha, I love "judgey people to the back"!Angloyankophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13798135990583648390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-51546921975608388872015-01-27T15:31:33.604+00:002015-01-27T15:31:33.604+00:00Hurrah! Glad you shared your organized tour experi...Hurrah! Glad you shared your organized tour experience, Angie! Thanks for stopping by xoAngloyankophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13798135990583648390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-71368378447474277112015-01-27T15:29:47.419+00:002015-01-27T15:29:47.419+00:00I actually like organised tours, I've done qui...I actually like organised tours, I've done quite a few...I like the fact that you see all the highlights at once, plus you're with someone knowledgable about the area. Obviously it's nicer to do a private tour but those can be pretty pricey. <br />Lots of love,<br />Angie <br /><br /><i><b><a href="http://www.silverspoonlondon.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">SilverSpoon London</a></b></i><br />Angie SilverSpoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09188385390021003157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-57376867975168741722015-01-27T14:23:00.309+00:002015-01-27T14:23:00.309+00:00I think tour groups can also be really comforting ...I think tour groups can also be really comforting for people who may not have someone to travel with but don't want to travel alone. It might not even be a factor of safety or fear. They might simply want some company on their travels.<br /><br />Also, with a guide, you bypass the terrifying (for some, myself included) notion of trying to navigate a country where you don't know the language at all.<br /><br />I've never been part of a tour group but I do think that snobbery in travel is one of the big reasons that so many people feel nervous to take part in it. I want to travel however I want to travel and I don't want a bunch of people judging my choices just because I may not choose to be as "authentic" as they do.<br /><br />Travel for everyone! Judgey people to the back!<br /><br />Sorcha x <a href="http://www.brightfieldnotes.com" rel="nofollow">Bright Field Notes</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689961700203932778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-47689148692937137582015-01-27T14:06:20.360+00:002015-01-27T14:06:20.360+00:00Haha, as usual, Gianni - I love your comment!!! An...Haha, as usual, Gianni - I love your comment!!! And if you've never thought a bad thought of tour groups (unless they trample you and/or block your path), then you're kinder than most. :) Angloyankophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13798135990583648390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3743876470050160495.post-63110490650223526362015-01-27T12:36:07.040+00:002015-01-27T12:36:07.040+00:00I can't ever think of a time when I've had...I can't ever think of a time when I've had hostile (or any kind of) thoughts toward a tour group... unless I'm trying to get somewhere and a legion of 30 people has completely blocked the path. I will admit to being one of those people who prefers not to travel with a tour group, but that's based on personal preference -- not a feeling of superiority. Like you said, it might be a person/couple's only travel option. I also realized while reading this that if you're coming from a highly populated country on the opposite side of the world, you'd probably enjoy your trip more surrounded by people from home who speak your language and are just as much fish out of water as you are. I say: Do your thing, tour groups, do your thing :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05288533010611643097noreply@blogger.com