ktyson--we get that reaction from some people, but not from others. Many people we know plan their own trips. Others don't--some not because they couldn't, but because they don't want to. Different strokes for different folks.

We actually took a semi-tour once because we got a great deal through a travel agent friend. And we had a great time.

Of course. Get that all the time. Just returned from 3 weeks to central Europe and MOST people are amazed I not only planned it all but travel ALONE. As if there was a travel monster out there that goes after lone travelers!

I find that people look at me sort of funny when I tell them, "What travel agent?"

I did go with a canned tour in Ireland because I did not want to try driving on the wrong side of the road at my age.

I knew how I had reacted on the streets of London to traffic coming the wrong way, and I was concerned about how I would react in a tight spot while driving. Probably do the perfect wrong maneuver.

Anyhow, the canned tour was not to my liking. The nadir came when we were allowed just a few minutes at the Cliffs of Moher. Ridiculous. I tried to find a commercial bus to Ennis, our night's stop at an abomination of a hotel, but I could not locate the bus ticket seller quickly enough. I figured I could make the connection, but could I do it that day? (Time was fleeting to late afternoon.)

But London, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, no way do I take a multi day tour.

We did take a very good day tour to Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte with a brilliant guide who knew the drill thoroughly and was full of French history which she shared willingly.
The bus did a great job of delivering us to the door and being with a tour facilitated our entrance and wandering through the chateaux.

I did take a small tour of Wales with 4 other people, and it was successful.

I have no problem driving on the right side of the road. The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse was a fun drive and I traversed the pass coming and going.

I plan all our trips now but that has evolved over time and is now so easy with the internet. I just love the researching and knowing exactly what I am getting and how much it's costing. With a travel agent you tend to get a total cost, I'd rather know where my money is going. I find it's cheaper to do it all myself, for example when you book accommodation with a travel agent you have to pay upfront 4-6 weeks before you leave. When I book on the internet we pay once we're leaving the hotel. I often find too that because I am so interested in the places I'm visiting and have read up on it all, I know a lot more than the travel agent anyway.

The funniest reaction I ever had was from a work colleague who had never left the country, when I told her we were visiting America she said, "but haven't you been there?". I was gobsmacked, and yes, 8 visits later there's still a lot left to see.
Happy travels.
Kay

ktyson, I know it seems like a silly question to be asked, "Weren't you scared?" but it happens to me a lot too. The fact is lots of people are too scared to go on their own. I mostly hear this from women, but I'm sure some men feel the same way too. Maybe you've encouraged some other woman that she really can do it on her own.

My husband and I have only ever travelled by ourselves. In the last 12 years we have been to many European countries,Asian ones and around Australia and New Zealand.I do all of the organising and to think before internet,faxes etc I wrote all of the letters and read,read ,read. We pick a country,or two,then buy the Fodors guide and research.We have a nice library of Fodors guides now and have always found them excellent.We tend to spend a month away and everything seems to go well.And wherever we are in the world 5pm is "happy hour" and we talk about our day,with a local beverage and discuss the next!We are about to go away again in 3 weeks to Scotland and Italy. But I am already thinking of the next holiday!

I am having the opposite problem as one who has nearly always travelled independently : I am going on an organised tour in 9 days' time & I am worried about it ! We are going to Berlin with the Friends of Scottish Opera, have operas booked, & there are some included excursions & some optional extra excursions. I certainly won't be going on the extra excursions as they don't give us enough time where we want to go, but I'm wondering if we even ought to go on the included excursions. For example, our first full day involves an introductory bus tour, a visit to the Jewish museum & lunch at the Reichstag. We have already been warned that there probably won't be time for everyone to tour the Reichstag dome as we have to leave in time for the people who are going to the earliest performances that evening, which is pretty rubbish. And I just worry that I'll get annoyed with being herded around and 'organised'. We received a letter yesterday from the travel agent, who said she'll see us at Edinburgh airport when we depart - why ?? Oh dear.

So good for you, ktyson, for doing it on your own when those around you don't understand - you had a great time & I bet you saved a lot of money too !

Intrepid1: don't you mean "Most *Americans* here, at one point or another, had never been to Europe on their own I " ? :-)

>We received a letter yesterday from the travel agent, who said she'll see us at Edinburgh airport when we depart - why ??<

It gives her clients a feeling that she is looking after them. I think that that is a nice gesture and good PR.

>....don't we love feeling smugly superior to all those who aren't in the know"!?<

I hope not.

On a slightly related note, how many have had friends/neighbors, etc ask, "who decorated your house for you"?

((I))

Not top mention that I always save money doing it myself, even to Alaska, not to mention my Europe bargains.

My most recent coup is 8 nights in Paris in May, air and apartment for $1100, taxes and all. Also, of course people comment on how can you go to Europe as often as you do. Planning, and more planning.

I am a nurse and work with lots of women. Most of them would not travel to the next state alone but they take people's lives in their hands everyday. I just don't get it.

I'd like to say that just because someone participates in the Fodors BB as a "Fodorite", doesn't necessarily mean that they're independent travelers.

I agree with RufusTFirefly, who said above, "Many people we know plan their own trips. Others don't--some not because they couldn't, but because they DON'T WANT TO (my capitals). Different strokes for different folks."

I've read on other messages how some people are intense travel planners, and in some instances, their traveling companions aren't. They're the ones who show up at the airport, passport in hand, and ask, "so where are we going?" Imagine two non-planners attempting to go on vacation. A good travel agent is the perfect person to assist them.

Having worked in the travel industry forever, doing a variety of jobs, I get somewhat tired of the bashing travel agents take on this website by those enthusiastic independent researchers who feel that their way is the only, best way to do things. The "....don't we love feeling smugly superior to all those who aren't in the know"!?...attitude is annoying at best.

I have absolutely no criticism for those travelers who want to travel on their own, or do all their planning. I'm one of them. I've been to 37 countries, and the first time I went to Europe in 1980, I went for 6 months by myself. But not everyone is like me. Or you. Some people want/need the help. Some people do not want to spend hours pouring over the minutia found on a gazillion travel websites. So I don't understand the mentality that exists sometimes on this board that implies that because one does not plan and travel like a "Fodorite", one is a less superior type of traveler...

My point is this: It's not the way we travel, it's THAT we travel that counts.

((S))((*))

Sometimes I do get questions like...

"Mexico again?" or "Didn't you just go to Europe?" when I announce an upcoming trip... as if since you went once that should be enough!

Kamahinaohoku ~ I agree with much of what you say. Of course, I went to travel school with plans on working as a travel agent, and see their value. I have a supervisor who is a very seasoned traveller and still takes guided tours! She is just a very busy person and really doesn't have the time or inclination to read, research, investigate, etc. She makes sure her passport is up to date, packs her suitcase, and shows up. She likes to be catered to and know that everything is planned out for her. It's just her thing and it works very well for her.

Reading through these posts, makes me sort of sit back in wonderment, though. There was a time when any travel for me outside of the United States automatically meant that I contacted a travel agent and started browsing through tour books. When I decided on going to Spain this fall, I didn't even hesitate in beginning to look up how I could do this on my own! Didn't even consider a travel agent or a tour company - and not because I thought less of either! It came down simply to reading reviews/posts from people here and on other sites who had done it themsleves, and realizing that I could certainly do that as well. It just amazes me!

But travel agents and tour companies do have a part in travel, I agree. Not for everyone, though doing it for oneself is not for everyone. It is good we have choices to make for our travel plans!

Chele60 - I agree with you totally - the optimal word here is choices. Let everyone travel in the manner that best suits them. But let them travel.
((S))((*))

<<On a slightly related note, how many have had friends/neighbors, etc ask, "who decorated your house for you"?>>

On... even more awkward/weird is/was the question... "who are you going to be getting to do your interior decoration work?" (referring to moving to a new home... (is this a comment on what they thought about the decor in our old house?) - - particularly, in our case, when the answer is ummm... nobody? us?

and as for...

....don't we love feeling smugly superior to all those who aren't in the know"!?

I hope not.

............. that was supposed to come across as tongue planted forimly in cheek - - there doesn't seem to be a good icon for that - - is ;) always "good enough"?

I used to get questions like ktyson mentions. But now people who know me better just want to know "where's your NEXT trip? what are you planning now??"

That said, I think its all a matter of degree. I have no problem with planning an independent trip to Europe. But I'm thinking of going to Russia with a group because I don't feel all that confident doing it independently. Some people who are comfortable travelling in the US may feel that way about Europe.

Rex - while I do believe that your tongue was planted firmly in cheek, you must admit that some other contributors to this (and other) travel websites really do feel smug about their experiences and particularly about THEIR way of travel...

I have noticed that too often on this website, when people ask for suggestions about specific escorted or hosted tours, rarely do they get positive responses or suggestions which actually answer the person's question. (And trust me, there are some good tours out there.) Mostly they get something along the lines of: why do you want to do something like THAT? You can do it on your own. And while that's true, it wasn't what the people wanted to know. Isn't that type of answer as bad as someone going to an inferior travel agent and only getting the information the agent wants to tell them?

It's all about choices.
((S))((*))

Where I live, most people head straight to Florida for both spring break and summer vacation (a majority drive rather than fly). A coworker limits her trips to nearby driving destinations because the 12 yr old is afraid to fly (has never even tried it).

I don't feel the least bit like an adventurous traveler but I'm treated like one. When I spent a month in France all I heard was, "Aren't you afraid to fly there?" Even when I go on weekend solo trips or girl weekends in the US people can't believe I'm doing it.

Frankly, I'm too cheap to do a package tour. I know I can get a better price with better accomadations on my own. But I don't begrudge those who do package tours because they don't have the time or inclination to plan trips.

I think it is wonderful that you had the confidence to do the planning on your first trip Bravo!
I have travelled a fair bit in Europe and often in US and have always preferred to do my own research. I like the little touches that only I can put into my itinerary. Some years ago when B&Bs(for example) were less common in North America and I asked a travel agent to book me in (I provided the address ) I was told that they couldn't do it. From that time on -over 30 years ago I have done it myself. Yes people look at me and say aren't you afraid something won't turn out properly? I know that I have have put countless hours into my trips and if something goes wrong for me ---well I just have to accept the glitch and know that it probably would have happened to a travel agent as well.

How many people have rennovated houses and had excellent no problem service from their workers? I feel more trepidation when I need to call a plumber than when I'm planning to travel.
No knocks on plumbers I have 2 in my family LOL

I get immense satisfaction from the searching and the wonderful tips I hear from other people as I am working on a new trip. I look at it as a challenge to be met ~o)

I've always planned my own travel, since my parents always did it that way. My dad started me early when he put me on the phone with a hotel desk clerk when I was 15 and had me change a reservation. :)

Bob Brown, it is criminal that you were only allowed a few minutes at the Cliffs. It's a shame you weren't able to get back there from Ennis. Ennis is a bit of a hike - about 40 miles, I believe. When I was a student, I took the post bus from Ennis to Doolin, and then I hitchhiked back to Ennis. :)

I once took a day tour to the island of Iona off the cost of Scotland. We took a ferry from Oban, drove across the island of Mull and then took another ferry, so the tour package seemed like the way to go. Problem was, we only had about an hour on Iona! And it's a tiny island, so i could have explored the whole thing given the time.

I get the surprised response, particularly from other women, when I mentioned that I frequently drive alone from western Pennsylvania to the Philadelphia area where my sister lives, or last year when I flew to Chicago, once again alone, to visit a friend.

As far as using a travel agent, I planned our whole trip to the U.K. next month but we used a travel agent for our plane tickets because it was through USAir and I was concerned about their stability and thought we'd have some backup if we used a travel agent, rather than just going our own for the flights.