Travel Article By Norman Morrison:
Your Vacation of A Lifetime
Hello
there!
So you're interested in traveling! It's a fine thing, and you don't
have to wait until you are an old man or old lady to do it. You can
begin right now by saving a portion of your butter and egg money and
before you know it, you'll have enough to go on that power vacation.
It may take 2 or 3 years but that's all there is to it, no kidding.
You simply must want to do it and plan for it.
Here are a few things you need to know to begin:
● You must obtain a passport. You can get the forms at any larger US
Post Office.
● Many countries require an "entry visa." For most, you can visit
their website online and take care of that.
● Unless you plan to go really exotic, you shouldn't have to worry
with special vaccinations.
● You'll need plane tickets. Cruise
the internet travel sites to find your best deal. By the time you
are ready for the big leap, you'll know what to do, if you have done
your homework well.
● You need a plan: If you are not up to it, have the most
expensive travel specialist you can find to tell you where to go and
what to do. Otherwise, do your own research and decide what YOU want
to do, where, and when. At the very least, by doing your own
thinking, you can tell when the expensive travel specialist is
jerking you around. Something to think about.
I believe planning for the Vacation of a Lifetime is almost as
exciting as doing the Vacation of a Lifetime. Here is my argument
for taking the ball into your own hands...
If you are used to having other
people do everything for you, or must have instant gratification, a
top level cookie cutter travel agency is the way to go. They have
already thought everything out for you. The downside is that this
will cost more in more ways than the obvious. That smiling service
is not free, my friend.
By the same token, an independent travel agency may
give you more bang for your buck, but they are probably hooked up in
subtle or not so subtle ways with the big organizations anyway, so
it really boils down to the same thing.
Where you really shine is when you deal directly with
the local companies where you plan to go. It's not as safe, secure,
and dull as the other choices, but by and large, again, if you do
your homework, you'll be able in most cases to see who is legit and
who is not. For example, most travel companies in other countries
are accredited by their country to be in business. They are proud of
this, since they are paying handsomely for it and you'll be able to
check up on them.
Two examples of in-country agencies:
● Incoming Travel Advice: This is a larger in-country company that makes
package tours with...
● Receptive Agencies: A local company in your choice country that conducts local tours.
You want to hook up with an Incoming Operator or if you
are especially adventurous, deal directly with the local receptive.
In the end, it is the receptive that makes your vacation work by
providing local tours, accommodations, and backup.
Here is how you get that bang for your buck...though
you may not necessarily save money. And, since it's your Vacation of
a Lifetime, money should not be your first consideration anyway.
Ok, you decide to go with the "Very Large Vacation
Agency" here in the good old USA. They set up your vacation through
an Incoming Operator or directly with the Receptive. The price for
the ground portion of your vacation, say, is $500. By the time
everybody gets their cut, something must go. Chances are that you,
being a beginner, and not very bright in the process, won't even
notice what you're missing. In this scenario, what happens is that
the Receptive, who offers 10 tour options for say, $100, reduces
your tours to 5 when their cut is only $50. Makes sense, doesn't it?
The point I'm making is that for the money, you can get
much more from that local receptive if you deal directly with
them. Cut out the middleman, as they say. Pay the $100 directly and
get it all.
Through diligent study of your chosen vacation spot,
you can get the most bang for your buck.
The keyword, "travel" is and has been the #1 search
term on the Internet since it began...by far the largest. It's one
area where the net really shines, and by using the vast resources at
your fingertips, email and the like, you can take a hand in your arrangements
yourself and have all the fun doing it...and learn something in the
process. Your vacation will be far far richer for your effort.
A final note. I made references to the helpless among
us. This isn't you, my friend, else you would not be here reading
along. You will do very well in your travels. I'm sure of it!
Mr. Morrison operated
BrazilAmerica.com for four years which was the internet portion of
an incoming tour operator in Brazil.
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