Caitie...

Q: How many pairs of shoes will you take to France this time?

You need a different pair for each day! Right?

Cat's

quote:

Caitie...

Q: How many pairs of shoes will you take to France this time?

You need a different pair for each day! Right?

Cat's

Now, Cat's...How you do malign me! You know that's not true at all. I'm reformed! I take only one pair of shoes besides the ones I'm traveling in, two maximum if I have spare room.

I agree that tour companies need to be more realistic & explicit about how they rate tours, but I do also think onus is on the individual to be honest in their evaluation of their fitness level. We toured with a couple in their mid 80's, she could not manage stairs & he was too frail to be of much help, she often sat things out & stayed on the coach. Both told me that they were glad they were fit enough to do tours.

quote:

Originally posted by Dimpz:
I agree that tour companies need to be more realistic & explicit about how they rate tours, but I do also think onus is on the individual to be honest in their evaluation of their fitness level. We toured with a couple in their mid 80's, she could not manage stairs & he was too frail to be of much help, she often sat things out & stayed on the coach. Both told me that they were glad they were fit enough to do tours.

It would also help sort tours into categories so there would be limited impact on the others in the same tour - e.g. the pace when walking, or the type of optionals offered may be different depending on the rating.

quote:

Originally posted by Dimpz:
I agree that tour companies need to be more realistic & explicit about how they rate tours, but I do also think onus is on the individual to be honest in their evaluation of their fitness level. We toured with a couple in their mid 80's, she could not manage stairs & he was too frail to be of much help, she often sat things out & stayed on the coach. Both told me that they were glad they were fit enough to do tours.

Shows you the mindset of what "fit" means to different people. Granted they were just thrilled to be where they were, and as long as their special needs did not negatively impact the progress or enjoyment of their tourmates and the TD, it was right for them. I have also encountered similar travelers and don't know if I consider them brave, foolish or tempting the hands of fate.

quote:

Originally posted by Dimpz:
I agree that tour companies need to be more realistic & explicit about how they rate tours, but I do also think onus is on the individual to be honest in their evaluation of their fitness level. We toured with a couple in their mid 80's, she could not manage stairs & he was too frail to be of much help, she often sat things out & stayed on the coach. Both told me that they were glad they were fit enough to do tours.

Isn't it amazing how people see things only through their own eyes. To go on a tour and not get off the bus--well, what's the point? You might as well stay home and look at photos of the world. Anyway, the advice to keep fit by walking is sound and I wish for everyone's sake, that more would do it.

Of course, a confession: my husband says there's also no need to run ahead as I always do frantically beckoning everyone to hurry--as if the country will disappear like Brigadoon into the mists. I'm sure my own tour mates had a few words to say about this.

Brenda

quote:

It would also help sort tours into categories so there would be limited impact on the others in the same tour - e.g. the pace when walking,

I'm trying to imagine how this would work, FK. So long as there are tours with mixed age levels, I think it would be near impossible to conceive of a rating that would take everything you mention into account.

What I don't agree with are the ratings tour companies presently use--when you use the word, leisurely, it should mean just that, the tour will be run at a leisurely pace and in comparison with trying to do the same on a one-night stop--well, at least that should be explained. Best of Italy was rated as leisurely but we didn't stop for a minute--not that, in my book, there's anything wrong with that--but we, not being spring chickies, were exhausted at the end of a day with feet and ankles badly swollen. Would we have gone if we had known--probably.

Brenda

quote:

Originally posted by BrendaC:

Of course, a confession: my husband says there's also no need to run ahead as I always do frantically beckoning everyone to hurry--as if the country will disappear like Brigadoon into the mists. I'm sure my own tour mates had a few words to say about this.

Brenda

Brenda, I am like you and will join you in rushing ahead. DH tends to stay behind to look at things so I have to slow down to make sure he hasn't lost the group.
On my solo trip to Turkey, I did just like you and they must have thought it odd. I was afraid I would be viewed as pushy, however I was one of a few who knew what we were looking at, most had not done their homework or did not care.
There were a few with mobility problems but they seemed to manage but sat out a few sites at a cafe, uphill uneven ground or caves where you had to bend in half. One lady was 82 had problems with her legs but her attitude was very positive and she had a great time. Another woman was 80 and seemed to be in better shape than me, also very positive and participated in everything.

quote:

Brenda, I am like you and will join you in rushing ahead. DH tends to stay behind to look at things so I have to slow down to make sure he hasn't lost the group.

This is us to a tee. That's how DH lost the group in Venice on our first tour. I also like to be in the front so that I can focus on the guide and what he/she is saying.

Brenda

quote:

Originally posted by BrendaC:

quote:

Brenda, I am like you and will join you in rushing ahead. DH tends to stay behind to look at things so I have to slow down to make sure he hasn't lost the group.

This is us to a tee. That's how DH lost the group in Venice on our first tour. I also like to be in the front so that I can focus on the guide and what he/she is saying.

Brenda

Me too. I constantly find myself walking on my own without realizing it or, worse, talking to the person behind me who should be my husband but is some stranger,meanwhile he's stopped somewhere further back to look at something. The number of video shots showing me up ahead impatiently tapping my foot and telling him to 'come on' is scary.

quote:

Originally posted by Roxy:

quote:

Originally posted by Dimpz:
I agree that tour companies need to be more realistic & explicit about how they rate tours, but I do also think onus is on the individual to be honest in their evaluation of their fitness level. We toured with a couple in their mid 80's, she could not manage stairs & he was too frail to be of much help, she often sat things out & stayed on the coach. Both told me that they were glad they were fit enough to do tours.

Shows you the mindset of what "fit" means to different people. Granted they were just thrilled to be where they were, and as long as their special needs did not negatively impact the progress or enjoyment of their tourmates and the TD, it was right for them. I have also encountered similar travelers and don't know if I consider them brave, foolish or tempting the hands of fate.

Roxy ~ Yes, they were thrilled to be there, but after the first few days of giving much assistance to the wife many of us were not thrilled to have them. It was after assistance was withdrawn by those that had been 'helping' that she spent a lot of time on the coach For example to get down the steep & dark stairs to the boat for the dinner & river cruise in Budapest, two of the men had to make a chair with their arms for her to sit on to get down. Now this was silly & downright dangerous for all concerned. I really think this couple thought that others would help & that is how they would get through.

It is certainly inconsiderate of that couple, or anyone, to expect strangers to help them.

As I mentioned in my tour tale, our Best of Italy tour (which as Brenda mentioned was by no stretch of the imagination "leisurely") included a 94 year old man. He was rather frail and walked with a cane but he had a friend with him to assist him where needed. I don't feel that he held us up any, or needed additional help. He did need the assistance of the workers when getting on a boat, gondola, chair lift, etc. and so did I. There were always employees there to assist people. There were several of us who were not very agile but we had a very considerate Tour Director and I really don't think we held the tour up in any way.

Somewhere here someone (sorry, forget who--Brenda?) said yes, they would have still taken the tour even if they had known what all it involved. I'm afraid my comment to that would be that Yes, I would have gone had I know what it involved--and actually I did. However, I don't think I would have gone had I known just how much the difficulty was going to affect my enjoyment. I'm not one who can say "well, at least I've seen it"

There are tour companies which cater to the "mature" traveller. Having been on several of this company's tours, some people overestimat their fitness even on a leisurely tour designed for older people. On one such tour there was a lady, travelling alone, who could barely walk...think shuffle, shuffle. As it turned out she tripped on those ubiquitous cobblestones and finished the tour with the TD pushing here in a wheelchair. Clearly, she was unfit to travel but we found out later that her children gave her the tour...probably to get rid of her for a few weeks

Oh please Caitie take me. Ons sal mekaar verstaan. I' "young",loveble,house trained and strong.Iwill wash your feet eat your food.We will drink together,sing together,get thrown off the bus together,but last of all, WE WILL HAVE A WONDERFULL TIME.

quote:

Oh please Caitie take me. Ons sal mekaar verstaan. I' "young",loveble,house trained and strong.Iwill wash your feet eat your food.We will drink together,sing together,get thrown off the bus together,but last of all, WE WILL HAVE A WONDERFULL TIME.

Ahhh, Rex: You sound like a lot of fun - too much fun, maybe! Where do you want to go next?