Thursday, June 11, 2015

Eurotrip 2015 Episode 1 - Genesis


Background


The idea of a Europe trip was the result of an offer from a friend to join him. The estimated expenditure for a 15 day trip through a travel agency was Rs 7.5 Lakhs per family. I openly laughed at the absurdity of spending such a huge amount and asked him to count me out. However, he persisted to try and convince me. So, to put an end to the pointless discussion, I told him that even if I wanted to go, it would never be with a tour company. This of course led to the question, why? The answer was, obviously, because I could do a much better job planning it, and be cheaper to boot.

As an ongoing discount scheme was ending in a week, I agreed to work out a rough itinerary and cost to help him take a decision. So thinking that it was an interesting diversion, I began preliminary planning for an itinerary for the classic tour of Europe. Within a few days, I had a basic plan ready and an estimate of around 5L per family.

When we discussed this rough plan along with the various reasons to avoid a Tours and Travel company, the battle commenced again. What I should have realised a week prior was that I had just delayed, and not finished, the argument. And now, I was back in the same discussion, but with a weaker will, as I had tasted the allure of travelling across Europe. Everyday, as I sat on the computer and planned the trip, I was looking at these wonderful sights and was wondering 'Why not?'. It was just a matter of time before I succumbed .......and thus was born the Tintin Travel Company.

Rialto Bridge, Venice


In this post, I will tackle the two fundamental decisions we, or any prospective travelers, have to take right at the outset ; "To Go" or "Not to Go". And in case of a Go - "Tours & Travels" or "Do It Yourself"?


To Go or Not To Go


Travelling, especially to exotic foreign locales, is sure to be fun. However, is it worth spending that kind of dough. So here are the main threads of argument, along with the School of Thought they belong to :-


  • Philosophical - What is the point of saving money when life is so unpredictable. Enjoy it while you still can.(Also called YOLO - You Only Live Once - by Generation Next)
  • Reality vs HD - I can see the world, that too in High Definition, right here sitting in my armchair, in the comfort of my living room. Why would I want to waste time, money and effort in going all that way?
  • Patriotic - India has such wonderful places to see. Have you seen even a fraction of them? Don't plan a trip just for the sake of going abroad.
  • Monetary (Against) - 5 Lakhs? That is a lot of money. I can buy a sedan instead of a hatchback or a new car with that kind of money.
  • Monetary (For) - 5 Lakhs? Well, it isn't a huge sum of money in the bigger scheme of things. Why do I need a sedan / second car in any case?


I will not discuss this issue any further as it is a completely personal choice which cannot be dictated or decided by anybody else.


Individual vs Group


The next dilemma - "Tours and Travels" or DIY. Here are my reasons for not joining a tour group. A disclaimer here - this is my personal choice which is shaped by what I want from a holiday. There will be many for whom the tour group would be ideal. So here goes :-

Pros:-
  • They have a lot of experience. They would know the kind of problems you are likely to face and take necessary precautions.
  • Since they are likely to have tie-ups with airlines and hotels, you may get a better deal. The fact that they would be booking in large numbers would add to the discounts. However, this advantage has reduced due to the internet.
  • They can hire buses for large groups thus reducing transport costs.
  • An agent would have bought the tickets in most museums/monuments, minimising the time you waste standing in line for the entry. Again booking over the internet has reduced this advantage.
  • And finally, they would do all the thinking and planning. You just have to go where they ask you to go.

Cons:-
  • Let us start with the main issue I have - You would be following a fixed itinerary, decided largely by the tour organisers. You wouldn't have any flexibility. You may prefer to spend more time at a museum, rather than a shopping area (or vice versa). But it would not be possible as the entire group would have to move together, according to the schedule set by the tour company. Even if you are okay with it, and follow the timings, you may have a straggler in the group who is always late, causing you to wait and waste your time everywhere.
  • Even the specified itinerary may change if there are delays. For example a friend of mine went all the way to the Vatican and could not see the Sistine Chapel as the tour had to move ahead.
  • The tours would generally cover maximum cities in minimum time. So you would get a day or two at most in each city (in fact, just half a day in some). Just as 'Rome wasn't built in a day' , it can't be seen in a day. Rushing through two or three major monuments of a city just cannot give you the feel of the city.
  • You will never come to know the character of a city as you will travel from one tourist spot to another in an AC bus. If on your own, you will use the public transportation, meet the people on the streets, buy stuff from the ordinary shops and malls, and travel through parts of the city which are not on the tourist circuit, getting to know the real city. This is especially important for children as it will give them the confidence to travel independently later in life.
  • All the rest are minor gripes......
  • They would generally put you up in hotels in the outskirts to save money. They may be comfortable but would mean early rising everyday to be in the city in time.
  • A large part of the travel would be by bus, which may not be the most comfortable means of getting around.
  • Many of the itineraries advertised are impossible to do. Further digging revealed the fine print - 'See'  just means watch the monument from across the road as your bus drives past. 'Visit' is when you enter it. In many of the 'See' places, you will not even be allowed to stand and take a photo next to it - there just isn't any time. Places where you will not enter, but stop and take a photo are generally specified. So what is the point of "seeing' just for the sake of seeing?
  • You are likely to be given a branded T Shirt or cap and all of you would be forced to wear it for easy identification by the guide.
In conclusion, if you do not have any great wish list, but just want to see whatever the tour company has to offer, in the most comfortable way possible, without any tension of decision making or errors in planning and execution, the tour group may be your best bet. However, you cannot call yourself a real traveler if all you did was pay money to someone else to dictate your actions and chaperone you through places he has decided for you.

A true traveller goes through the pain of planning the entire journey, watch the plan go completely awry, face the consequences of the failed plan (probably in a place he never thought of visiting) and yet, thoroughly enjoy the ride. 

Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna

Edit (On 15 Jun 15, Thanks to gkorula at https://nonsensegirl.wordpress.com/) :-

We, at times, tend to defend our decisions to ridiculous lengths. I, hopefully, did not do that with my defence of the DIY trip. But I certainly missed, or conveniently forgot, some good aspects of group travel. Thanks to gkorula for reminding me. After all, you can't have an entire business vertical thriving unless they provide good value. So here are a few additions to the 'Pros' :-


  • It is a great way to meet like minded people and make new friends. It is especially good to opt for such tours if you are going solo or just your family. Please remember, there is a limit to the number of days your spouse and child can endure just your company :-). However, it is important to pick the right tour group in such a case. If you are keen on experiencing the local culture, including food, a group providing Indian food everyday may not have your kind of travellers. It may also be a great idea to reach the place and tie up with a local tour group (as suggested by nonsensegirl). This would give you the opportunity to meet new friends from different countries.

  • As part of a tour group, the guide can give you a lot of insight and information on the places you are visiting. The same is of course available in guidebooks, through the internet or using audio guides on your mobile. But using these, as you are walking around, distracts and diminishes the overall experience. A good tour guide can make it a seamless, pleasurable and enlightening experience. However all tour guides are not made equal. Please ensure that the tour company you choose provides an engaging and knowledgable guide for your visits.
  • And finally, being part of a group provides security of numbers when travelling alone.
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Other posts in this series......

Eurotrip 2015 - Our Grand Tour

Plan a European Holiday in 5 Easy Steps
How to Fly to Europe on a Budget

Hassle-free Bookings to Stay Within Budget

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - How to Travel Across Europe on the Cheap

Low Cost Airlines in Europe : A Budget Travelers Guide

Places to Visit - A Guide to Creating your Own Local Itinerary

How to Move Around Town Like a Local

Visa - The Key to the Beckoning Gates

Golden Tickets, Magic Passes and Hidden Entrances
Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

6 comments:

  1. As a 14 year I've been with my parents to europe and we linked up with tour companies in greece and italy for a few days of our stay there. It was only fun because you meet lots of people from different countries, and the tour guides have so much knowledge. This was before the days of the Great Internet. I've been to europe on my own or with friends, with no plan, no agenda, a guide book bought at the airport and just had a blast. Not said no to anything, any food, drink, or alleyway. There's immense freedom to immerse oneself in the culture of another country when u travel without a group. An australian roommate of mine in London would work like crazy, save up money and take off on guided tours around europe every 3 months or so - she always went alone and loved the safety of it, being a pretty absent minded pretty young thing. She was quickly able to spot the tours that were packed with oldies and the ones with young good looking guys! She always came back in a twister of romance! Look forward to future installments of Tintin Travels.

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    1. Gayatri, thanks for the inputs. Have added them to the post. Unfortunately beyond the age of travelling for romance. Wisdom always seems to come when it is too late ;-).

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  2. The 7.5 lakh Europe tour wasnt for 15, but 21 days, to be fair to Mr Thomas C(r)ook. The super discount offer was an utter BS though. Yes the idea of taking local tours is a great one as it gives a local flavour and "seamless integration". I had experienced and thoroughly enjoyed while in Vietnam and Cambodia. And yes, I met a lot of interesting people from all over the world, no romantic liaisons though. This time also the local tour of Vatican (short) and the two bike tours were great experiences.

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  3. I guess we worry a lot about security when travelling with family and hence the tours. Your point about throwing caution to the wind and experiencing travel and giving that experience to kids , has set me thinking. Waiting for the future installments of your travelogue.......

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  4. Good article Sir... Informative

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