Joy

Dear AB,<BR>Would you tell me the names of the tours that you found that were so loosely structured? (one meal each day--lots of free time).Most tours I have looked into have every minute scheduled.<BR>Thanks

Sharon

Alia: I just came back from a Cosmos to Spain and Portugal. I chose the share and cannot tell you how relieved I was when I was lucky enough to get the room to myself. The tour itself was really fun. There were quite a few single women on the tour. We bonded. I also liked it because I was able to go off on my own when I wanted, i.e. going to the Prado in Madrid by city bus. <BR><BR>I had taken a tour with a share to China and the woman was over 70, which is fine, but she was a nightowl and stayed up reading with the light on until 1:00am. when I asked her if we could turn out the lights a little earlier she replied "I can't sleep in the dark". So, after having my own room on this tour, I will pay single supplement next time.<BR><BR>Take a tour. Pay the supplement. Have fun.<BR><BR> So, <BR><BR>I did a

AB

Thank you to everyone that has responded. After I do the math if the supplement amounts to less than $40 per night, I think that I will opt for paying the single occupancy supplement and look forward to my privacy and a bathroom that I won't have to share. If the supplement amounts to more than $40 per night, then I will probably make this trip independently. The hardest part is really deciding where to go.<BR><BR>I've looked at about 10 different tour brochures (many more than that online) and get more in the mail each day, but I seem to recall that Globus and Trafalgar have the tours with the most leisure time. I've also got a brochure for Paul Laifer Tours that is really the most flexible, but that is really limited to Central Europe.<BR><BR>I haven't seen any tours for villa stays, but wouldn't those be organized tours outside of the major cities?

Rex

My reference to a villa stay was in regards to forming a private group, something I have some experience with. And it can be "reasonably" close to a city - - at least some cities: Nice, Milan, Venice, Florence or Rome, for example, just to cite some of my experience.<BR><BR>But you're right, it means NOT staying IN a city for 5-7 days. Of course, it makes a nice mix to combine some time IN one or more bigger cities.<BR>

AB

What is the advantage of staying at a villa compared to staying at an inn or a paradore? Wouldn't it be more expensive to stay at a villa for 3 nights, and isn't that more of an independent-type stay, without daily maid service? Are the prices fixed like the tour companies are?<BR><BR>Do you arrange for the city tours, optional excursions and guides? Also, are you insured?

Rex

In response to your questions:<BR><BR>What is the advantage of staying at a villa compared to staying at an inn or a paradore? <BR><BR>The advantages are all the features of a house - - a kitchen, and the aqbility to have breakfast, fix dinner, eat what you want when you want - - not all the time of course, but at times - - a living room, a yard, maybe a pool. It's advantageous primarily if spending time with the other people outside of "tourist time" has appeal.<BR><BR>Wouldn't it be more expensive to stay at a villa for 3 nights, and isn't that more of an independent-type stay, without daily maid service? <BR><BR>Yes and yes. A villa is almost always for 7 nights. sometimes it is affordable enough to "throw away one or two nights. And yes, no maid service - - in fact, you will likely want to do "some" clean-up before you leave - - or you pay by the hour to have someone do it.<BR><BR>Are the prices fixed like the tour companies are?<BR><BR>No. This is both a benefit, and could be a drawback, depending on how important certainty is to you. There are "group dynamics" which determine things like whether to go to expensive restaurants or not, what to buy at the grocery, where day trips go, etc. Leaves room for individual decisions, but there can be a "follow-the-herd" mentality, hopefully made pleasant by all getting along well.<BR><BR>Do you arrange for the city tours, optional excursions and guides? <BR><BR>In general yes. Decisions made, more or less as a group - - some on the fly, and some before hand.<BR><BR>Also, are you insured?<BR><BR>Against auto accidents (as I drive), yes. Otherwise no.<BR><BR>Final comment: the whole idea of self-assembled small group trips va internet communication is an experiment still in progress, with a little bit of experience behind it.<BR><BR>Almost certainly NOT destined to become a common phenomenon.<BR><BR>

AB

Renting a villa and joining a trip such as your doesn't appeal to me as described. I'm really looking for the flexibility to go off on my own to see the things that I want to see at my own pace. Yours sounds more like an organized tour with everyone going together to each venue. The most I want to commit to is a 1/2 day or 1 day tour with my fellow traveling companions. Staying in a villa commits me to joining in activities and more meals than just breakfast. Also, when I go on vacation I enjoy having maid service. The last thing I want to do is clean, go grocery shopping, and make dinner. If that was the case, I would rent a place with my friends and plan activities with them.<BR><BR>The benefits of paying a private company with a tour director, are many. Some that I can think of are overcoming the language barriers, having someone that is familiar with the area(s) that can give recommendations, someone to assist with medical emergencies, porterage, a qualified, licensed bus driver that knows how to get from point to point, and a company that has insurance.

Rex

Thanks for the eloquently stated arguments against what I aspire to put together - - cogent, sound and civil.<BR><BR>You are in the majority. The trips I have led and hope to lead again will appeal only to a few.<BR><BR>I hope you find the trip you seek and have great travels in Europe.<BR><BR>Sincerely,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Pam

When you stay in a small room without air conditioning with a stranger who passes gas all night, you will see why the extra money is worth it to stay in a room alone. Take my word for it.

up

LOL!! This experience is, of course, entirely tolerable when the person passing the gas is your spouse, parent, sibling or child!!<BR>

Are you a victim type or not

I shared a mini-cabin on a tiny live-aboard dive boat for a week with a stranger. We switched upper and lower bunks! every other day. Some people are just victim types and everything bad always happens to them. Other people are just lucky types. You alone know which group you fall in to. If you are a victim type, by all means stay alone. If you are basically lucky, go for the roomie!

Ann

xxx, that is too general of a statement, no one is lucky or a victim all of the time. If you unwittingly choose to have a stranger as a roommate on a tour to save money, who knows who you will get? <BR>I have been on Euro River Cruises and have met some women who shared rooms, some lucked out on their roommates, and others were appalled. It is a chance you have to take if you are on a budget, and may be better than not booking at all.

Elizabeth

I think the tour idea sounds good. I have travelled alone some, though only to English-speaking places. I like the idea of a group of people you can get to know over a week or two, and connect with as individuals or not, but they're available as a kind of base.<BR>I didn't know about these ones where there isn't too much organized activity, they sound good. <BR><BR> If it were I I'd look for tours that drew a European clientele rather than an American one, as I'd love the opportunity to make new European friends. British companies, I guess. <BR>

Christina

I wonder if AB is still reading this, but I remembered that I had located some good information recently for someone else looking for small group tours, and I checked their single supplements out of curiosity. They look pretty reasonable (about US$35 per day), and the company is British and limits themselves to 20 or so, I think. The lodging is 3-star but they have a lot of interesting itineraries and look better than many of the bland, large chain hotel-type offerings. <BR><BR>Of course they specialize in Scotland, Ireland and England, but also have some in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, etc. Their tours look fairly ambitious in itinerary to me, but you see a lot--maybe not a lot of free time, but I've only looked at a couple. Most of them seem to be about $2500-2600 for a two-week tour with a $475-500 single supplement (which is $35 per day). I think it might be fun to go with a group from other countries, also. I accidentally got thrown into a compartment on a train in Poland with a small group of Austrians going on a tour, and we had a great time talking on the trip. They were a lot of fun.<BR><BR>That company is http://www.backroadstouring.co.uk

ToulaFan

Curious if you ever decided on how to solve your quandary, AB?<BR><BR>Similar situation. I had been thinking about a trip to Italy with my sister for next year, but that isn't going to work out now.<BR><BR>And I don't think that John Corbett is going to come walking into my life anytime soon.<BR><BR>Leary about travelchums, etc.<BR>

carol

If you absolutely cannot afford to pay the single supplement, then take a chance. I've done both and if there's any way you can afford the supplement, &quot;pay the $2&quot;--there's no substitute for privacy! I've been lucky with the roommates the tour supplied for me, but the one &quot;roommate from Hell&quot; I was saddled with convinced me to get my own room from then on.

Marla

Read the posting &quot;Disappointed&quot; in the Travel Forum online at the Trafalgar Tours website. I would never share a room if I had too after reading these messages.

Jane

I've took 4 tours when I didn't have a travel companion and wanted to see Europe, and was a little overwhelmed doing it on my own. <BR><BR>Remember that the single rooms are pretty tiny, they're not a double room at all so in effect you're paying more money for less space.<BR><BR>As previously mentioned, it really depends on your personality, if you're easygoing, go for the roommate, if not go for the single supplement. Remember, you don't spend alot of time in the room, it's sleeping and getting ready in the morning. <BR><BR>Some simple rules when meeting your roommate are that she is a stranger, and no assumptions should be made. Does she get up really early? Then she has the shower first, etc. Basic respect nad politeness go along way.<BR><BR>If you can do this, then save yourself some money and go for a roommate.

kavey

I did a couple of tours when I was travelling solo at about 19.<BR><BR>Both times I shared the room.<BR><BR>First time I was put with a lovely girl from Oxford and we had a blast, she was in her twenties or early thirties.<BR><BR>Second time I shared with a much older lady, in her 60s and I also had a blast.<BR><BR>But it really depends on how gregarious you are, how much you need privacy, how much you are attached to your own routine versus flexibility of sharing with a stranger...

Tahl

I've only taken an organized tour once, and I'm very glad I paid the single supplement for a private room. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the other tour participants -- only 4, all women -- but I enjoyed the privacy and quiet time at the end of the day. <BR><BR>Three of the nights were in tents in the Moroccan desert -- and I can't *imagine* how cramped I would have felt sharing that thing with somebody else!