quote:

Originally posted by Joolz:
I always live by "never expect and you're never disappointed". It's never failed yet.

Ah no, Joolz - the excitement of anticipation is wonderful, and I wouldn't want to miss it! How can you plan and research without expectations? And when they aren't met...well, I suppose it depends on how badly they're out of line. You wouldn't ever think that you might fall and smash yourself up in an airport, would you?

However, I've been on only one tour. Maybe the excitement wears off after a few tours.

btw, had I 'expected' to get lost so much, I would (I hope) have done something about it; you know, practised saying "This is my LEFT hand. This is my LEFT foot. Therefore my left is on that side". Or "It doesn't matter on which side of the road people drive, the sun always rises in the EAST"!

Let's face it. Some people are just less competent than others (their talents lie in different areas, perhaps I should say), and to those (like me) the BB is a godsend.

I agree, those things are preparation and knowledge, which I guess I personally look at differently than an expectation. I've had a blast planning and looking up information on my upcoming tour, but I don't have any expectations on how good / bad anything will be.

For example, I'm excited about finding a Segway Tour to go on in Paris and I think it will be a blast, but I'm not invested in it to the degree that if it's full, or raining, or whatever and it doesn't work out, that it will be a huge disappointment and my trip will be awful.

Or that if the hotel room is small, I look at it as 'oh well, I'm on a vacation and I'm not at home working', so something would have to be incredibly, drastically, unbelievably wrong before it would impact my enjoyment of something.

Maybe I'm not explaining it all that well. I just always think even if something is a little off, it will make a great story later!

quote:

Originally posted by Joolz:
I agree, those things are preparation and knowledge, which I guess I personally look at differently than an expectation. I've had a blast planning and looking up information on my upcoming tour, but I don't have any expectations on how good / bad anything will be.

Sorry Joolz - I completely misunderstood you. It would be useful to have a <You are a very wise person and I totally agree with you> icon, wouldn't it!

Maybe we need to write TT about that!

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

quote:

Originally posted by Joolz:
I always live by "never expect and you're never disappointed". It's never failed yet.

Ah no, Joolz - the excitement of anticipation is wonderful, and I wouldn't want to miss it! How can you plan and research without expectations? And when they aren't met...well, I suppose it depends on how badly they're out of line. You wouldn't ever think that you might fall and smash yourself up in an airport, would you?

However, I've been on only one tour. Maybe the excitement wears off after a few tours.

btw, had I 'expected' to get lost so much, I would (I hope) have done something about it; you know, practised saying "This is my LEFT hand. This is my LEFT foot. Therefore my left is on that side". Or "It doesn't matter on which side of the road people drive, the sun always rises in the EAST"!

Are you talking about me with that "fall and smash yourself up in an airport" remark?

Seriously, I read two tour reports about my trip, and that were sooo different. But I also knew that I wasn't going to be staying at The Ritz, and I really had no complaints with any of our rooms. They all were different, but all had a certain charm, and some even had definite character. I would be hard pressed to say which I liked the best, and all of them were adequate for our needs. Some had great amenities, others had a fantastic view, while others were close to shops and restaurants, but none of them made me go "Ugh! No way do I want to sleep HERE!"

quote:

Originally posted by Happy Traveler2:
Yes, some of the Tour Directors are better than others, but so are my friends.

LOL What a great way to express it.

Please do say hello to Elizabeth for me & also William. He & my son share their birth date

quote:

Originally posted by Mallee:

However, I've been on only one tour. Maybe the excitement wears off after a few tours.

No it doesn't! Every tour is different from the other. In fact in that particular instance Joolz is right, best not to expect your next tour to be the same as your last. Mine have all been good, differing but good.

I love the BB, however, I am becoming very disappointed in it. I keep “expecting” that people who use it will contribute something in return (especially tour tales). However, very few do.

That is true, that is true. Some people wait so long to write part two that I forget what part one was about.

quote:

Ah no, Joolz - the excitement of anticipation is wonderful, and I wouldn't want to miss it! How can you plan and research without expectations? And when

Mallee that is how I feel whenever I go away. I even look forward going to Adelaide Market on a Friday. Hot chocolate at Lucias, then a meal at the Asian Hall, then perhaps look at the fruit, shoes, etc,etc.

quote:

Originally posted by jenno:
Mallee that is how I feel whenever I go away. I even look forward going to Adelaide Market on a Friday. Hot chocolate at Lucias, then a meal at the Asian Hall, then perhaps look at the fruit, shoes, etc,etc.

There's a new one, Jenno. I'd never looked at a shopping list in the light of being travel research! Coffee and a yumcha (sp?) - yes! Great fun. Shopping - no. Except for our local farmers' markets out in the north-east, and our neighbourhood shopping centre which is always good for a chat, but that's not 'shopping', is it.

Given that most of us cannot travel as much as we would like maybe we need to start looking with fresh eyes at our local spots and treating them as if we were tourists. After all Adelaide markets would seem very exciting to us if they were in another city! After all for some of us it is a long wait between overseas, or even interstate visits.

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs Toad:

Are you talking about me with that "fall and smash yourself up in an airport" remark?

It's a significant event in the annals of travel, Mrs Toad, up with the likes of the "Take me to the Moon" tour, and the big bag! Something you should warn all the newbies about; Be careful as you walk through airports!

But why are we laughing? It must have been awful at the time, and probably still is. Is it?

quote:

Originally posted by joe d:
I love the BB, however, I am becoming very disappointed in it. I keep “expecting” that people who use it will contribute something in return (especially tour tales). However, very few do.

It's interesting that you feel like that, Joe D. I have the opposite impression. Perhaps someone with plenty of time on his/her hands could file under 'Tour tales' all the stories which currently pop up here there and everywhere (in a most delightful way! (I've recently returned from a Sound of Music tour!)). Oh dear, what can I do with the end of that sentence. Sorry Joe - I don't have time to fix it, because my grapefruit marmalade is boiling.