Buy expensive tours with caution
Introduction
Most tour companies are COMPLETELY full of shit since they are working with people that they are never going to see again. The nicer someone selling tours is, the fuller of shit they probably are. To avoid disappointment, you need to know procurement when booking a tour. What is procurement? It’s a fancy word for how businesses buy from other businesses. Procurement sets the business terms of transactions and decides who, how and what they’re buying. (The author of this article may have been a procurement manager at one time as well). Procurement is as boring as it sounds. In any case, you'll enjoy yourself more with a local. We invited our Tuk Tuk driver, whom we had chatted with on the way back from Angkor Wat, to the hotel, where he showed us how to mix native cocktails. He offered us the nicest "tour" of the entire trip the following morning, which included a dawn view over the nearby rice terr aces and a stop at the local market to get food for his family.
Most tour companies are COMPLETELY full of shit since they are working with people that they are never going to see again. The nicer someone selling tours is, the fuller of shit they probably are. To avoid disappointment, you need to know procurement when booking a tour. What is procurement? It’s a fancy word for how businesses buy from other businesses. Procurement sets the business terms of transactions and decides who, how and what they’re buying. (The author of this article may have been a procurement manager at one time as well). Procurement is as boring as it sounds. In any case, you'll enjoy yourself more with a local. We invited our Tuk Tuk driver, whom we had chatted with on the way back from Angkor Wat, to the hotel, where he showed us how to mix native cocktails. He offered us the nicest "tour" of the entire trip the following morning, which included a dawn view over the nearby rice terr aces and a stop at the local market to get food for his family.
How to buy a tour
What is the value of the tour?
The following measures definitely don't need to be followed as strictly if you're going on a $30 alcohol cruise. You might want to work harder if you're on a two person Halong Bay tour that will cost you $600 USD.
What time should you arrive, who is your contact, and just where does the tour begin?
Negotiate: ?
Show courage and engage in negotiations after you have all of this knowledge. Mention that you are going to check out another tour that you saw for $X. Keep an eye on the price drops! When purchasing expensive packages, be sure to check Tripadvisor for reviews of the travel operator first. Wasting your time is worse than wasting a small amount of money.
err on the side of kindness
When you leave your home turf, rules governing how to interact with strangers, personal space, and even how to form a line change drastically. Somewhere along the line you are going to deal with a rude person or two. Breathe deep, show some patience, and most importantly, don’t let one or two people affect your perspective of those people or that place. The world over, at least 98% of people are awesome (see above). Regardless of country, this leaves 2% of people as a vocal minority of raging douche bags. Be prepared to post up and defend your spot in line with your life. You haven't known fear until an 80-year-old Chinese grandma starts throwing elbows.
More expensive food is rarely better food
You can find some of the best food in the world if you eat where the locals eat. The $5 bowl of Pho Bo you purchase at a sit-down restaurant that serves foreigners will, in general, be identical to the $.75 cent bowl you would purchase from a street seller (or worse, if it was left in the kitchen overnight). People frequently give the following justifications for visiting more conventional, pricey sit-down establishments:
Street food is dirty and I don’t want to get sick.
If you think that the restaurant kitchen is any cleaner than the street cart you'd be buying from, you're sorely mistaken. If you're worried about food prep, especially in South East Asia, there is only so much that you can do to limit your risk. At least small restaurants and street food vendors have everything out in the open where you can get good eye at what’s going into the sausage.
I want more than a few choices in what to eat.
A Cheesecake Factory's worth of menu items appear to be available at many tourist-focused, expensive eateries, particularly in Southeast Asia. This implies that they usually store a large amount of expired food in the rear, either frozen or refrigerated. Although there aren't many options for street food and tiny restaurants, they also serve fresh cuisine more consistently every day. Simply stroll to the next food vendor if you want more options. The same variety of food options are available even though they may not all be under one roof.
What is the value of the tour?
The following measures definitely don't need to be followed as strictly if you're going on a $30 alcohol cruise. You might want to work harder if you're on a two person Halong Bay tour that will cost you $600 USD.
What time should you arrive, who is your contact, and just where does the tour begin?
Negotiate: ?
Show courage and engage in negotiations after you have all of this knowledge. Mention that you are going to check out another tour that you saw for $X. Keep an eye on the price drops! When purchasing expensive packages, be sure to check Tripadvisor for reviews of the travel operator first. Wasting your time is worse than wasting a small amount of money.
err on the side of kindness
When you leave your home turf, rules governing how to interact with strangers, personal space, and even how to form a line change drastically. Somewhere along the line you are going to deal with a rude person or two. Breathe deep, show some patience, and most importantly, don’t let one or two people affect your perspective of those people or that place. The world over, at least 98% of people are awesome (see above). Regardless of country, this leaves 2% of people as a vocal minority of raging douche bags. Be prepared to post up and defend your spot in line with your life. You haven't known fear until an 80-year-old Chinese grandma starts throwing elbows.
More expensive food is rarely better food
You can find some of the best food in the world if you eat where the locals eat. The $5 bowl of Pho Bo you purchase at a sit-down restaurant that serves foreigners will, in general, be identical to the $.75 cent bowl you would purchase from a street seller (or worse, if it was left in the kitchen overnight). People frequently give the following justifications for visiting more conventional, pricey sit-down establishments:
Street food is dirty and I don’t want to get sick.
If you think that the restaurant kitchen is any cleaner than the street cart you'd be buying from, you're sorely mistaken. If you're worried about food prep, especially in South East Asia, there is only so much that you can do to limit your risk. At least small restaurants and street food vendors have everything out in the open where you can get good eye at what’s going into the sausage.
I want more than a few choices in what to eat.
A Cheesecake Factory's worth of menu items appear to be available at many tourist-focused, expensive eateries, particularly in Southeast Asia. This implies that they usually store a large amount of expired food in the rear, either frozen or refrigerated. Although there aren't many options for street food and tiny restaurants, they also serve fresh cuisine more consistently every day. Simply stroll to the next food vendor if you want more options. The same variety of food options are available even though they may not all be under one roof.
Plan to spend some time on the potty
Sir, our specials tonight are guaranteed to make you curse the day you were born while you lay in a fetal position on cold bathroom tile." Simply accept that you will spend 48 hours of your life somewhere on your lengthy journey when you are unable to be more than 10 feet from a restroom. The gods will eventually demand penance if you eat or drink something improper. For the sake of your soul, don't try to man up and go out; know that you will owe these 48 hours as a sacrifice to the Travel Gods. When you are most distant from a safe location, disaster will strike. Start reading the book you've been meaning to read. Watch Netflix in one sitting. Or watch a humorous video. Bonus Bathroom Tip- If you see a good bathroom on your travels, use it! You will never be sorry you did
Start with Europe and work East
You may have heard the advice to start with "easy" nations first in order to prevent culture shock. Allow me to explain the reasons behind it before you yell "Lies!" and grab your pitchfork: A.) The farther east you go, the more intriguing things get. After Istanbul, London isn't nearly as fascinating. Bangkok will change your idea of what constitutes normal. B.) Generally speaking, prices decrease as you get further east. You might discover that your money is a little tight near the conclusion of your journey if you don't visit the pricey Nordic or EU countries early on. C.) On a lengthy journey, you will experience travel fatigue. In my opinion, getting the most out of Europe requires more work than in Asia, the Americas, etc. To refresh yourself, you can always take a beach day in the SEA.
It’s ok to indulge in comforts from home.
There will come a day when you want to order pizza to go, put on a sweatshirt, and binge-watch The Office repeats. That probably sounds like a horrible moment to you if you're not an American reading this. That's okay, create a small bubble of [INSERT YOUR COUNTRY HERE] when necessary, and then emerge the following day feeling rejuvenated and prepared to explore once more.
Anything you need to buy, you can buy abroad
Half the fun is the shopping experience abroad anyways... even if you don't like shopping! Believe it or not, outside of your home country there are literally billions of people who carry out their daily lives! When you plan long term or RTW travel, everything you pack into that backpack is not coming home with you. Every shirt or pair of pants you bring with you doesn't need to be super-fast dry, tactical, nano particle, 150 degrees- 40 rated apocalypse proof garment. You should have a moderate balance of travel mainstays, but otherwise, lighten up. Your suitcase is going to full of beer brand tank tops from South East Asia soon enough.
Beyond just clothing, you'll be able to get anything else you need almost anywhere you are.
Yes, including prescription medications and pharmaceuticals. If you have more complicated prescription needs, you should consult your doctor in advance so that you may either order enough medications for your trip or know the generic name of your prescription to ask for at a drugstore.
But there are some things you should buy on your home turf
Specifically, costly electronics ought to be bought at home. You should buy laptops, cameras, GoPros, and even inexpensive tablets in your native nation in the West. Why? * You will have credit card protection and be able to make purchases with ease using your credit card. * You can easily communicate with sellers in your local language, whether they are online retailers like Amazon or physical stores like Best Buy.
Assume something will be stolen from you
Nothing says "rob me" more than two Westerners photographing fruit at a crowded marketplace. Invest in travel insurance. Avoid becoming a simple target for pickpockets. Pay attention to your baggage. Don't try to impress that Australian girl by downing eight shots of Jaeger in a row, then stumbling home down a dim alley to get mugged while intoxicated. The likelihood is that a pickpocket will be the one to steal something from you. Why don't we make plans for this if it's the most likely scenario? Pickpockets can be avoided by keeping your wallet in your front pocket. * Invest in shorts or travel pants with a zipped pocket. You shouldn't be a total slob, thus they shouldn't have zippered legs. * Pay close attention in crowded areas, marketplaces, and tourist destinations. * Reduce the damage: Keep as little cash as possible and know the numbers to cancel your cards.
The ultimate backpacking essential
When traveling in a bag, it's important to maintain organization. How did we manage to keep organized the best? Make use of compression cubes. They greatly simplify organization in addition to saving space. No more needing to repack after every move or forgetting items under Airbnb mattresses.
pack and wear real shoes
You though were going to have an easy night of riding the ferry to Athens. Sorry bud-you're showing up at a filthy Athens seaport at 5:30 AM and you're flopping around like a bro at the SigPi Spring Luai while trying to find your Airbnb. When in doubt, skip the flippy floppies and put on your beat to hell, smelling-like-hot-garbage travel shoes. You know the shoes- the Goretex, heavy duty, waterproof, snake bite proof, guaranteed to last through a trek to Mordor shoes you just knew you needed? You were right. Now wear them. No more backpacking blunders Of course, things will go wrong and you will learn lessons, but utilize these ideas to make your journey much more comfortable because we have already experienced the mistakes of backpacking.
Sir, our specials tonight are guaranteed to make you curse the day you were born while you lay in a fetal position on cold bathroom tile." Simply accept that you will spend 48 hours of your life somewhere on your lengthy journey when you are unable to be more than 10 feet from a restroom. The gods will eventually demand penance if you eat or drink something improper. For the sake of your soul, don't try to man up and go out; know that you will owe these 48 hours as a sacrifice to the Travel Gods. When you are most distant from a safe location, disaster will strike. Start reading the book you've been meaning to read. Watch Netflix in one sitting. Or watch a humorous video. Bonus Bathroom Tip- If you see a good bathroom on your travels, use it! You will never be sorry you did
Start with Europe and work East
You may have heard the advice to start with "easy" nations first in order to prevent culture shock. Allow me to explain the reasons behind it before you yell "Lies!" and grab your pitchfork: A.) The farther east you go, the more intriguing things get. After Istanbul, London isn't nearly as fascinating. Bangkok will change your idea of what constitutes normal. B.) Generally speaking, prices decrease as you get further east. You might discover that your money is a little tight near the conclusion of your journey if you don't visit the pricey Nordic or EU countries early on. C.) On a lengthy journey, you will experience travel fatigue. In my opinion, getting the most out of Europe requires more work than in Asia, the Americas, etc. To refresh yourself, you can always take a beach day in the SEA.
It’s ok to indulge in comforts from home.
There will come a day when you want to order pizza to go, put on a sweatshirt, and binge-watch The Office repeats. That probably sounds like a horrible moment to you if you're not an American reading this. That's okay, create a small bubble of [INSERT YOUR COUNTRY HERE] when necessary, and then emerge the following day feeling rejuvenated and prepared to explore once more.
Anything you need to buy, you can buy abroad
Half the fun is the shopping experience abroad anyways... even if you don't like shopping! Believe it or not, outside of your home country there are literally billions of people who carry out their daily lives! When you plan long term or RTW travel, everything you pack into that backpack is not coming home with you. Every shirt or pair of pants you bring with you doesn't need to be super-fast dry, tactical, nano particle, 150 degrees- 40 rated apocalypse proof garment. You should have a moderate balance of travel mainstays, but otherwise, lighten up. Your suitcase is going to full of beer brand tank tops from South East Asia soon enough.
Beyond just clothing, you'll be able to get anything else you need almost anywhere you are.
Yes, including prescription medications and pharmaceuticals. If you have more complicated prescription needs, you should consult your doctor in advance so that you may either order enough medications for your trip or know the generic name of your prescription to ask for at a drugstore.
But there are some things you should buy on your home turf
Specifically, costly electronics ought to be bought at home. You should buy laptops, cameras, GoPros, and even inexpensive tablets in your native nation in the West. Why? * You will have credit card protection and be able to make purchases with ease using your credit card. * You can easily communicate with sellers in your local language, whether they are online retailers like Amazon or physical stores like Best Buy.
Assume something will be stolen from you
Nothing says "rob me" more than two Westerners photographing fruit at a crowded marketplace. Invest in travel insurance. Avoid becoming a simple target for pickpockets. Pay attention to your baggage. Don't try to impress that Australian girl by downing eight shots of Jaeger in a row, then stumbling home down a dim alley to get mugged while intoxicated. The likelihood is that a pickpocket will be the one to steal something from you. Why don't we make plans for this if it's the most likely scenario? Pickpockets can be avoided by keeping your wallet in your front pocket. * Invest in shorts or travel pants with a zipped pocket. You shouldn't be a total slob, thus they shouldn't have zippered legs. * Pay close attention in crowded areas, marketplaces, and tourist destinations. * Reduce the damage: Keep as little cash as possible and know the numbers to cancel your cards.
The ultimate backpacking essential
When traveling in a bag, it's important to maintain organization. How did we manage to keep organized the best? Make use of compression cubes. They greatly simplify organization in addition to saving space. No more needing to repack after every move or forgetting items under Airbnb mattresses.
pack and wear real shoes
You though were going to have an easy night of riding the ferry to Athens. Sorry bud-you're showing up at a filthy Athens seaport at 5:30 AM and you're flopping around like a bro at the SigPi Spring Luai while trying to find your Airbnb. When in doubt, skip the flippy floppies and put on your beat to hell, smelling-like-hot-garbage travel shoes. You know the shoes- the Goretex, heavy duty, waterproof, snake bite proof, guaranteed to last through a trek to Mordor shoes you just knew you needed? You were right. Now wear them. No more backpacking blunders Of course, things will go wrong and you will learn lessons, but utilize these ideas to make your journey much more comfortable because we have already experienced the mistakes of backpacking.
Leave a Comment