
Free and easy is a concept of travel which gives vacationers the freedom to design their own itineraries. There are two ways you can make a free and easy holiday possible. The first is to hook up with a tour agent and purchase air tickets, book accommodation and arrange for airport transfers. The second is to do everything online by comparing prices. This involves a lot of research but saves you a lot of money.
Whichever way choose, free and easy travel allows vacationers the freedom to choose the attractions or specific places they want to visit without being subjected to a schedule set by the tour agency and monitored by a tour operator. For example, during my visit to London a few years back, I had the liberty to choose a local agent that conducted tours to the historic university town of Oxford, to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of our world famous writer, William Shakespeare and to Warwick Castle. I had a short but fulfilling stay in England and did not have to succumb to the tight time limit stipulated by the tour guide just so we could move to our next destination. I have stayed away from group tours for a long time now as I didn’t want to be hassled and be part of a herded flock of sheep. No offence to those who favour group tours. Of course both kinds of tours have got their advantages.
Free and easy vacationers will not have to wait to have enough bookings on the same trip and date to start a group tour. Bookings can be made anytime of the year and at any lodging of your choice.
Vacationers can take their time to visit a particular tourist attraction in a free and easy tour. If delayed, the time to tour at the next destination can be adjusted or rescheduled if the period of stay permits. Vacationers can pick and choose their favourite tour sites and focus on sight-seeing instead of shopping which is part of the activity thrown in by tour operators in a packaged tour.
The other benefit is to discover more of the place and the food that it offers. The budget conscious vacationer is free to take a stroll to the nearest market or street from their lodgings to savour the sights, soak in the atmosphere and check out food outlets that offer affordable prices. Alternatively, the vacationer can also purchase the basic ingredients for sandwiches to cut down on food expenses and concentrate on sight-seeing.
For those who go on free and easy tours of their own, 30-40% can be saved as they circumvent commissions paid to the tour agents. Most importantly, there is a liberty of choice based on preference. This is also way cheaper than customised tours conducted by an agent.
Below are some tips on free and easy tours based on my experiences:
1. Plan your itinerary carefully
Spend a little more time doing online research and make a few phone calls to ensure smooth planning. Be realistic when planning your itinerary such that you do not include too many places of interest to visit per day. Three places in a day will be sufficient, taking into consideration the time taken to travel to each destination. If renting a taxi from a reputable company is cheaper for a short period of time, by all means go ahead. Alternatively, a large amount of time will have to be spent in researching on local transport such as the public bus, train or tram and transport routes. Check the operating hours of places of interests so that you can prioritise the order of places to visit. It is also advisable to check entrance fee charges and possible discounted rates for senor citizens or visa card holders.
2. . Learn the basics of the language used by the locals
Get a travel guide that contains some information of the place you are visiting and the basic words and phrases that help you ask for directions, seek medical assistance or order food.
3. Travel in a small group of up to four people
Assign a task to each group member prior to the trip such as hotel and flight research and bookings, research on places of interests and transport. This lifts the burden of having to research on several aspects of the tour by one or two people. Besides, accommodation charges and food expenses can be reduced by up to 50%.
4. Be comfortable and confident of the destination
Ensure that the country of visit is safe for free and easy travel. Don’t risk taking the public transport if you know that there is a high chance you will be robbed or pick-pocketed. Otherwise, it will be safer to engage a tour guide and driver from a local reputable agent.
5. Do not flash your valuables
Avoid carrying backpacks when travelling as this may attract skilful pickpockets in crowded places. I had an awful experience one evening when my camera got stolen from my haversack in downtown human-packed Sydney. Travel pouches or sling bags are safer to carry as the way such bags are carried ensures that they can be seen and felt nestled in front of you or by your side. Avoid carrying too much cash at one time. Use the hotel safe to keep your passport or part of your cash.
Bear in mind that there have been cases in which free and easy vacationers have to end up paying more than those who book packaged tours. This is because the latter comes with accommodation, daily meals and entrance fees to local attractions that cost cheaper for bulk bookings. If you still have your hearts set on a free and easy holiday, ensure that you do your homework thoroughly by comparing prices and strike the best deals on offer.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all readers and happy travelling!