Can't believe I'm considering a tour.
Sep 13th, 2006, 06:38 AM
#42
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MissZiegfeld
Don't know your budget but I would recommend Adventures Abroad that others have already talked about.
I have done 7 tours (solo) with this company and because it is a small group it is easy to find someone to talk to and hang out with if you want that.
The people are mainly Canadian( I'm from Florida) and there are a wide range of ages, like you say your friends are, so I think you would be very comfortable with this tour group.
Check out their website and see what you think.
Cimbrone,
you only have to be alone if you want too. I always solo on tours and there are always couples who ask if I want to eat lunch with them or even go to museums etc.
Don't know your budget but I would recommend Adventures Abroad that others have already talked about.
I have done 7 tours (solo) with this company and because it is a small group it is easy to find someone to talk to and hang out with if you want that.
The people are mainly Canadian( I'm from Florida) and there are a wide range of ages, like you say your friends are, so I think you would be very comfortable with this tour group.
Check out their website and see what you think.
Cimbrone,
you only have to be alone if you want too. I always solo on tours and there are always couples who ask if I want to eat lunch with them or even go to museums etc.
Sep 13th, 2006, 06:42 AM
#43
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Of course the one thing you cannot control when booking a tour with companies such as Trafalgar, Globus, Cosmos, Insight is who will be touring with you whether it be nationalities age group marital status or whatever...we can talk about average age, average nationality break down etc. and a particular tour could be completely different and yes could lead to an uncomfortable distribution of fellow travellers and make one feel uncomfortable and sear off tours forever; it happens but not all that often.
Let me give you an analogous situation. In my younger and single days, I used to like going to a restaurant chain known as Benihana. For those of you unfamiliar this is an American steakhouse (steak, shrimp and lobster are the main dishes) done in a traditional Japanese style of cooking known as teppanyaki...communal tables of 8 are seated around a grill and the chef, usually Japansese but not always, comes out shakes and stirs and cooks your food before your very eyes. What makes it work is that tables of 8 are filled so as to try to utilize every seat for every performance by the chefs.
As a solo, the two types of tables that made me squirm were when for example there was a group of 6 or 7 and to fill the last seat they put me...I never accepted that...I told them I would wait to sit with groups of 2 or 3...often they mumbled and said I would have to wait and I would temm them that's alright but to remember my money is just as good as anybody else's.
The other thing that would make me squirm, and it would happen especially if I got to the restaurant early, was when as a single I was seated at my own table with my own chef with everybody else gaping at me...happened every so often.
At least when you go to Benihana and something like that happens, it's only for one night and for a few hours at that. If something should happen on a tour of 14 days, it can be (but not necessarily) uncomfortable but that's not a reason to kiss off tours completely.
Let me give you an analogous situation. In my younger and single days, I used to like going to a restaurant chain known as Benihana. For those of you unfamiliar this is an American steakhouse (steak, shrimp and lobster are the main dishes) done in a traditional Japanese style of cooking known as teppanyaki...communal tables of 8 are seated around a grill and the chef, usually Japansese but not always, comes out shakes and stirs and cooks your food before your very eyes. What makes it work is that tables of 8 are filled so as to try to utilize every seat for every performance by the chefs.
As a solo, the two types of tables that made me squirm were when for example there was a group of 6 or 7 and to fill the last seat they put me...I never accepted that...I told them I would wait to sit with groups of 2 or 3...often they mumbled and said I would have to wait and I would temm them that's alright but to remember my money is just as good as anybody else's.
The other thing that would make me squirm, and it would happen especially if I got to the restaurant early, was when as a single I was seated at my own table with my own chef with everybody else gaping at me...happened every so often.
At least when you go to Benihana and something like that happens, it's only for one night and for a few hours at that. If something should happen on a tour of 14 days, it can be (but not necessarily) uncomfortable but that's not a reason to kiss off tours completely.
Sep 13th, 2006, 07:02 AM
#44
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Uncomfortable situations can arise on trips whether you travel solo or in a group. You just have to be flexible and maintain your sense of humor. There are plenty of nice people on tours to make up for occasional grouches or the individual (there is one on every tour) who thinks the entire tour should be adjusted to what he/she wants to do or see.
Sep 13th, 2006, 07:34 AM
#45
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Personally, I think you'd be foolish to go on a tour to Russia. I have visited Moscow several times (albeit for business, but with some free days), and I just spent Memorial Day weekend in St. Petersburg (vacation). Aside from the use of Cyrillic (which you can figure out with the help of a cheat sheet), Russia is as easy as the rest of Europe. Do you really want to be beholden to an itinerary (early mornings, slow travel, spending lengthy periods at sites you have no interest in).
Do yourself a favor -- buy the Lonely Planets to Moscow and St. Petersburg before you commit to a tour. It seems like many who have responded have not been to Russia and have misconceptions about how easy it is to travel in Russia.
I hate group travel -- large groups just ruined my visit to Dubrovnik (they travel in masses and clog the streets, and take over stores). I run when I see someone coming with a raised umbrella!
Do yourself a favor -- buy the Lonely Planets to Moscow and St. Petersburg before you commit to a tour. It seems like many who have responded have not been to Russia and have misconceptions about how easy it is to travel in Russia.
I hate group travel -- large groups just ruined my visit to Dubrovnik (they travel in masses and clog the streets, and take over stores). I run when I see someone coming with a raised umbrella!
Sep 13th, 2006, 07:48 AM
#47
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We were hesitant about tours as we usually do our own thing, but we went once with Insight doing the British Isls. for three weeks...had the time of our lives and still correspond with some of those folks. Wonderful guides, good hotels, learned lots more than we would have on our own, quite a bit of free time. My spouse was recovering from a major illness at the time, so this was a stressless experience..the tour leader was firm, kept discipline, but we were well taken care of and have wonderful memories, and even if folks are older, they can be very informative, and make good friends.
Sep 13th, 2006, 08:54 AM
#48
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A few years ago we came across a really great deal on an Ireland package tour. We had never traveled with a tour group before and had no intention of ever doing so before this particular trip appeared.
The trip included, air, most meals, tours, hotels transport the usual stuff. I think there were 42 people total in the group, we were divided into two motor coaches, pretty much all Americans aged 20-80.
We had a wonderful time, made some really nice friends and kept away from the people that we didn't like.
For lack of a better phrase I would have to say " we owned the trip the trip didn't own us" that is what made the difference. When the tour buses made a shopping stop at some huge Irish glassware place and we had no interest in shopping we would hike around the area, explore, visit a church or go have a drink at the local pub (there always seemed to be one).
Meals were included at the hotel, we would have a drink or an appetizer with the group and then leave to eat and explore locally. Some meals we skipped or missed completely because we were off doing something else. The most important thing was to know when the bus was leaving so if we venture off on our own we knew when to return. I think when we do visit Russia it will be part of a land tour or cruise tour but we will employ the same philosophy, strike out on your own whenever you can but still take advantage of everything that the tour has to offer that will make things easier for you.
The trip included, air, most meals, tours, hotels transport the usual stuff. I think there were 42 people total in the group, we were divided into two motor coaches, pretty much all Americans aged 20-80.
We had a wonderful time, made some really nice friends and kept away from the people that we didn't like.
For lack of a better phrase I would have to say " we owned the trip the trip didn't own us" that is what made the difference. When the tour buses made a shopping stop at some huge Irish glassware place and we had no interest in shopping we would hike around the area, explore, visit a church or go have a drink at the local pub (there always seemed to be one).
Meals were included at the hotel, we would have a drink or an appetizer with the group and then leave to eat and explore locally. Some meals we skipped or missed completely because we were off doing something else. The most important thing was to know when the bus was leaving so if we venture off on our own we knew when to return. I think when we do visit Russia it will be part of a land tour or cruise tour but we will employ the same philosophy, strike out on your own whenever you can but still take advantage of everything that the tour has to offer that will make things easier for you.
