The Singapore Refugee aka the Chan Bros Syndrome...

[giantcanopy]

..

Are you the Singapore Refugee?

I was once like that. I think it is probably the case in many other tour operators around the world, where a more impressively stuffed itinerary is percieved to provide better value.

While it was certainly not my cup of tea ( I hate the fleecing in those linzhi jade or dunno what shop traps by these operators ) and I love to laze and spend time drinking kopi and stone a little, but if INDEED your travelling agenda IS to clock as many places as possible, then tour operators are hard to beat. No need to plan, no need to worry about logistics, ( and fits ur annual leave limit ! ) and i can see why they are still so much in vogue. While of course there are still of opportunities for tour trips to screw up, there are much more opportunities for self planned trips to trip over and undermine enjoyment. I have been planning holidays f/e for past few yrs, and there must always be a contingency plan if something fails. ( I have booked an activity before that did not go through because of online glitches on the other end and only find out after an hr drive to the location )

Private tours might offer good balance with catered itinerary with possibly more independent time.

Ryan

 

[sinned79]

i dislike joining tour group also. i prefer to explore on my own.

 

[trd2970]

Depends...i joined a few local tours in China, the guides are students and really knowledgeable, not about shopping but more on culture, history, literature.

 

[dradttg]

For Europe, to have a relaxing tour, you need to go on your own; Almost all the itineraries are at most 2 days at a places before moving to somewhere else.

 

[gohjialong]

Hey guys is it ok to travel from France to London to Spain then Italy and back to France in 12 days? Look at the attractions and feel like life of pple living there... Is it too short of a time?

 

[petetherock]

Hey guys is it ok to travel from France to London to Spain then Italy and back to France in 12 days? Look at the attractions and feel like life of pple living there... Is it too short of a time?

I am afraid that would classic refugee type touring...

It's not about showing off, but you want to be able to sit down and enjoy. Obviously different people have their own styles and time constraints, but two countries will be a better bet and you can slow down to chill.

Unless going helter skelter is your idea of fun.
I have posted a thread in the travel section on Paris and France, and if you want info on Barcelona, I have also posted that.

Cheers.

 

[ed9119]

after my brother-in-law discovered he had 3rd stage cancer of the liver ..... he essentially stopped working to visit the places he always dreamed of going but never did .... he had little choice with an estimated 2 years left then...

so people have different reasons why they travel in different ways or means

 

[gohjialong]

I am afraid that would classic refugee type touring...

It's not about showing off, but you want to be able to sit down and enjoy. Obviously different people have their own styles and time constraints, but two countries will be a better bet and you can slow down to chill.

Unless going helter skelter is your idea of fun.
I have posted a thread in the travel section on Paris and France, and if you want info on Barcelona, I have also posted that.

Cheers.

Thanks, I'll definitely look it up. And thanks too for the suggestion.

 

[theatrecn]

I am afraid that would classic refugee type touring...

It's not about showing off, but you want to be able to sit down and enjoy. Obviously different people have their own styles and time constraints, but two countries will be a better bet and you can slow down to chill.

Unless going helter skelter is your idea of fun.
I have posted a thread in the travel section on Paris and France, and if you want info on Barcelona, I have also posted that.

Cheers.

hehe i'm planning to go France & Italy in a month, and worrying that it's too much squeezed into too little time. i guess i'm not a singapore refugee.

 

[kkgoxplore]

I have never travel on a goup tour. It's insanity to rush from place to place jostling places with fellow tourists. This brought to memory of a S'porean man I met at the check-in counter at LA Airport. Making small talk while waiting to check in, he was very surprised to hear that I self-drive on my holiday and commented that "you are very brave". OMG, that guy never know how to enjoy life. So are many ppl out there.

 

[nicZnap]

Seriously though, there are places with good guides. I would have gotten a recommendation from a friend instead of going in blind. I have enjoyed myself immensely in Bali with the local guides. Of course I planned and gave them my desired destinations, but it's nice to sit back and relax knowing that you won't get lost.

I travelled quite a bit on backpacking when i was a student in UK, and then that caught on since. After a disastrous first trip with a renowned tour operator in sg to Goldcoast/brisbane, i stopped going with tour groups. In recent years, I also travelled quite a bit on my own to various countries.

As I grow older, I started to get lazy. These days i planned a bit, but usually look for somewhere where I have friends - free accommodation plus free guide :X One thing i found useful doing so, I followed my friends around on their daily lives, and observed them and their community in doing so, something that going to tourist attractions wont allow u to do so. For instance, in beijing, I've been to quite a few local residences in various forms, including old courtyards where my friend's relatives live.

but like edutilos said.. as a female who frequently travel alone, i found using local tours very useful. It lifts a load off in terms of safety and logistics is concerned.

Following tour groups has its place - especially if you have the young and the old going with you on the trip. The peace of mind that things are taken care of is sometimes worth paying for it.

Every form of travel has its place and appropriateness. I guess it's more important that you achieve the objective that you set out for the trip - be it relaxation trip, shopping trip, spa trip, photography trip.. etc.

 

[edutilos-]

but like edutilos said.. as a female who frequently travel alone, i found using local tours very useful. It lifts a load off in terms of safety and logistics is concerned.

Hahaha, well, I usually have the destinations planned to a T then I just tell the guide and if there are no disputes as to whether it's doable (and it usually is, I allocate 2 hours or so per destination and not more than 3 destinations per day in the vicinity), then we proceed. I haven't really joined any local group tours, but I have heard of very positive feedback for some.

It is more than just "oh, I want to go here" though for photography trips, if there are seascapes then you have to check the tide to make sure it's ok; if it's a landscape you need to check if the view you want is going to be lit up well at the right timing, etc. Loads of homework. Cities are always easier. :bsmilie:

 

[Acmamall]

Never gone on tours before- usually the company of family and friends I travel with would do research on the places we want to go to then wake up any time we want, travel anywhere we want... It's alot more relaxing and chill

 

[giantcanopy]

... It's alot more relaxing and chill

It is in a way stressful as well as you yourself have to do the planning
and come up with contingencies if u cannot reach a destination or some car incident etc. .

But yes, u got more time for urself as planned, with more breathing space per se.

* the other thing is I dun have to eat what/where tour companies planned for me

Ryan

 

[giantcanopy]

Actually I wished I have a lot less chops... I hate it when at an immigration checkpoint, the officer keep flipping and flipping... and when he/she finally chop, I have to flip and flip to find that page. Plus, I am running out of pages... sigh..

lucky the guy didn say " no more space, cannot come in, u go back your country with new book and come back again . "

 

[lancey]

I am glad I caught your attention...

This is what writing is about... it makes you sit up and think.

Sure not everyone can afford to sit down and relax and chill.... BUT WAIT... why the heck are they on vacation then!

I guess to some, sweeping across Europe like a Tsunami in 5 days is their idea of fun... So if Aunty wants to rebut... sure..

BTW in my younger days, I worked as a tour guide, and if you didn't have shopping the trip was a failure... I earned enough tips from my trips to pay for a part of my univeristy fees.... and I saw the world as well.

So to each his own but I rue to have only 10 mins to enjoy the Eiffel tower ....

That's why I got a room 7 minutes from it in June!

What's there to rebut? Everyone travels differently. Just because someone spent 10 hrs on Eiffel tower doesn't mean it's more "travel savvy", or more "travel efficient".

You worked as a tour guide? Redemption time eh?

 

[lancey]

I have never travel on a goup tour. It's insanity to rush from place to place jostling places with fellow tourists. This brought to memory of a S'porean man I met at the check-in counter at LA Airport. Making small talk while waiting to check in, he was very surprised to hear that I self-drive on my holiday and commented that "you are very brave". OMG, that guy never know how to enjoy life. So are many ppl out there.

how do u know he didn't know how to enjoy life? Because he didn't dare to drive while on holiday?

 

[nicZnap]

Hahaha, well, I usually have the destinations planned to a T then I just tell the guide and if there are no disputes as to whether it's doable (and it usually is, I allocate 2 hours or so per destination and not more than 3 destinations per day in the vicinity), then we proceed. I haven't really joined any local group tours, but I have heard of very positive feedback for some.

It is more than just "oh, I want to go here" though for photography trips, if there are seascapes then you have to check the tide to make sure it's ok; if it's a landscape you need to check if the view you want is going to be lit up well at the right timing, etc. Loads of homework. Cities are always easier. :bsmilie:

yeah if i go with local tours, I was usually not the only passenger, so I cant negotiate as such. But I found this works for those I booked a cab for a few hours such as in Kathmandu, and india - I told the cab where I want to go, and they took me to where I want to go.

 

[9V-Orion Images]

..., he was very surprised to hear that I self-drive on my holiday and commented that "you are very brave". OMG, that guy never know how to enjoy life. So are many ppl out there.

You should self-drive through Mumbai to truly enjoy life to the fullest. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[AdyH]

Ways of travelling or how one do it is really up to each individual. The tour group will say to the back packers, why waste so much time worry how to travel from point A to point B wen u can just pay. Back packers to typical working class travellers would say, wah piang u travel to other people's country so short, 2 weeks can see what. Uncle and aunty travellers tell young brave guy, wah u dare to drive? Why dont hire a driver so much easier and safer.

Well everyone has their own reasons how they choose to travel. A will laff at B. B will laff at C. C will laff at A. The cycle continues. Important thing is, how we travel depends on our budget, time and how happy we are doing it. A, B and C are happy with the way they do theirs. So stop looking down at other people way of travelling and enjoy travelling itself. That's why we should always choose our travel companion wisely.