Traveling In Groups
First and foremost, respect the culture and laws of the country you're in.
Enter sacred sites with a respect for the local artifacts, environment and spirit of the site.
It will already be obvious to the locals that you are foreign (especially when there is group of you), so be as polite and aware of customs and regulations as possible. You are welcome in every land. Treat your hosts with respect and you will be in turn treated as an honored guest.
Traveling abroad can be the most rewarding experience imaginable. No matter which country your journey takes you to, customs, rules and regulations, cultural practices, cultural differences, local manners, and mores will most likely vary from those at home. The ideal path when traveling out of your country is to embrace the attitudes of openness and acceptance and using the strategies of observing, listening, and inquiring to develop rapport and understanding with your host culture.
The Ten Commandments of Travel (+1!)
- Thou shalt not expect to find things precisely as they are at home, for thou hast left home to find things different.
- Thou shalt not take anything too seriously, for a carefree mind is the basis for a great journey.
- Thou shalt not let other tour members get on thy nerves, for thou art paying good money to enjoy thyself.
- Thou shalt not worry. The person who worrieth hath little joy and few things are fatal.
- Thou shalt not judge all the people of a country by one person with whom thou had a problem.
- Thou shalt in Rome, do somewhat as the Romans do.
- Thou shalt be on time, for if thou art late thou shalt make thy own way to the next hotel.
- Thou shalt carry thy passport at all times, for a traveler without a passport is one without a country.
- Thou shalt learn to say “Thank You” in any language. Verily, it is worth more than gold.
- Thou shalt acquaint thyself with the currency of the land in which you traverse, and thus thou shalt not be cheated.
- Thou art welcome in every land. Treat thy hosts with respect and thou shalt be an honored guest.
A Few More Tips…
1. Never, ever, pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom! You never know how long it might be before you get the chance again or what the condition of the bathroom will be when you finally find it.
2. Enrich your experience by trying the local cuisine.
3. Take an extra jacket. You can always take it off if it gets too hot. But there is nothing worse than being cold all day when there is nothing you can do about it.
4. Forget fashion when it comes to footwear. No matter what adventures are planned for any given day, we want to ensure the next day's adventure is as enjoyable as today's was. Wear good walking shoes.
5. Never pack everything you need in one bag. In the unfortunate event your luggage is lost, make sure your carry-on bag contains everything you'd need for an overnight stay. Don't pack more than you can carry by yourself as there will be some situations where there will not be porters available.
The more of this amazing world that you see for yourself, the more you will want to see. Being informed about the destination you're visiting will significantly increase your chances of having the adventure of a lifetime.
We look forward to assisting you every step of the way, giving you the opportunity to fully experience the wonders ahead of you!