What's the best way to travel? Buy a tour from a well-known tour operator who has organized everything in advance: flights, transfers, insurance, hotel accommodation, meals, excursions? Or plan your own route, look for cheap tickets, book accommodation and move around a foreign country on your own, relying only on yourself?
Independent travel. pros
With the advent of the Internet, a lot of tools have appeared, using which you can find the cheapest air tickets, book a hotel in advance anywhere in the world, for a trip to any country, or order a transfer from the airport. And all this without leaving home.
When purchasing air tickets for regular flights, you choose a convenient time, departure airport, airline, and fly at the appointed time without delays, which almost always occur with charter flights. If you deal with this issue in advance using Internet resources, which tracks and compares many offers from all the major airlines in the world, you can always find cheap tickets in the desired direction.
Tour operators sell tours to the same hotels, renting a large number of rooms in bulk at once. Therefore, the cost of staying in these hotels when booking on your own is much higher. But not many people know that you can find accommodation on your own that is much cheaper, more comfortable and with a better location than what a tour operator offers.
The volume of housing rental offers is huge and has long been systematized on aggregator sites such as Roomguru. Aggregator sites collect and compare offers from many accommodation booking resources (including booking.com).
With their help, you can choose a hotel or apartment with a kitchen, near the seashore or in the city center, a hut, a guest house, a villa or a two-family house. And if you do this in advance, you can find better and cheaper accommodation than with tour operators.
In all countries there are owners who rent out luxury apartments with several bedrooms and a spacious kitchen. They can be found on the same sites where hotels are booked. Prices for apartments are several times lower than for a similar hotel room.
How to find and book a hotel or condominium? You can find a profitable and convenient housing option on a well-known service Roomguru.ru- the site compares prices of a variety of booking systems and finds the best one.
By purchasing plane tickets in advance and booking accommodation yourself, you do not risk losing money and ruining your vacation due to the bankruptcy of tour operators, which has often happened in recent years even with large companies.
A transfer ordered independently saves a lot of precious time when you want to quickly relax after a long flight, rather than wait until the entire group of tourists who arrived on your flight arrives.
And finally, the most important advantage of independent travel is complete freedom.. You choose the countries and routes yourself, you don’t depend on anyone and you can go where there are no offers from travel companies. When traveling on your own, you are forced to read a lot to learn as much as possible about the countries you are planning to go to, about their history, traditions, and way of life.
First, you take a virtual trip, learn about interesting places you want to visit, and study the route. When you go on a trip, you follow the intended path, and not where the tour operator and the crowd of tourists are taking you. You have to communicate with the local population, study their habits and values, expanding your knowledge and gaining invaluable experience of independent travel.
But of course there are also disadvantages to traveling alone..
First of all, this applies to trips to some countries, such as Egypt or Turkey, where there is absolutely nothing to do outside the hotel territory, and sometimes leaving the tourist area is simply dangerous, for example in the Dominican Republic.
The need to do everything yourself - book tickets and hotel in advance, apply for a visa, buy insurance, organize a transfer. In a word - take responsibility. For some this is a plus, for others, on the contrary, a minus.
Going on your own for two weeks, much less for 5 days, also makes no sense. The shorter the trip, the more profitable it is to buy a tour from a tour operator.
How to find a cheap tour? A convenient search service will help you find a cheap tour in any direction. Travelata.ru- the site compares prices from all tour operators and finds the cheapest tour.
So my legal two-week vacation is over. All that remains is to enjoy your tan that has not yet faded, look through the photos and share your impressions! Perhaps the most vivid impression was that for the first time we were on vacation not as an individual family, but as a large group. That's what came out of it.
7 adults and 6 children
Yes, yes, this is the group we went to Bulgaria this year! Four families with different needs, characters and life principles and different numbers of children from one to 8 years old... The result is not so terrible, in fact, we still managed to relax! With adventures, of course.
pros
When I returned, I naturally began to analyze all the “delights” of such a vacation. That's what I came up with.
First, about the pleasant things.
1. Children don't get bored. The most important advantage is that if there are children in the company (even if they are aged from one to 8 years), they will no longer be bored! Phrases like “Mommy, play...blind...read...catch a bug...” can be forgotten. Our children were happy to race to build sand trenches, eat dubious-looking soup, and even sleep “who is faster.”
2. Mutual assistance. The second plus concerns unfortunate mothers who are forced to drag their children with them to the toilet or take a “Panama hat, some water, and their favorite toy” to their room. After all, there is no one to leave with... Except for the case when you are relaxing with friends and relatives. You can easily leave your little blood for a couple of minutes. The main thing is not to forget that you are not the only one who came to relax, and therefore no one is obliged to babysit someone else’s child for hours while you are lying on the beach or going shopping. 
3. Pleasant company. The third thing that pleased me was the opportunity to spend a non-boring evening playing games, talking or having a glass of wine. Considering that the weather at the resort was changeable this year, we really had a good time.
Perhaps the pleasant things ended there. Now about what I didn't like.
1. Schedule.
It's different for everyone. Some people sleep during the day, others are used to going to bed closer to one in the morning, etc., etc. If you adapt to everyone, you can seriously spoil your nerves. Therefore, we follow our schedule, and, if interests and opportunities coincide, get together. 2. Waiting.
Sometimes this moment could drive even the calmest person (me) into hysterics. Having just agreed to go to the beach together, on the way half of the company had attacks of sclerosis (I forgot some water) or diarrhea (usually in children). And the entire honest company nervously waited for the “lates.” On the third day, a magic phrase appeared that cured all diseases in one fell swoop: “We don’t wait for those who are late!” Meet me on the beach." Have you ever tried to go shopping with a group of more than 3 people? And don't try! Lost business. In the best case, someone will get lost and will have to return home separately; in the worst case, you, who are absolutely not interested in bed linen, will have to wait for an hour for your comrades in this undoubtedly interesting store. I preferred to get lost!
My vacation had an equal number of pros and cons. To be honest, there were much more fun and funny moments than negative ones. Am I ready to gather a large company again and go on a trip? I will say: yes!
Have you ever had such an experience in your life?
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Greetings! Friends, have you noticed how differently the people around you approach travel? The benefits of traveling are not obvious to everyone. Among my friends, I have identified three groups in which a certain opinion regarding travel dominates. I think that these same trends manifest themselves in a larger circle of people.
First group consists of people who are inclined to travel and travel quite regularly. In general, there is a special type of people who have made travel their main activity and their way of life. But in my surroundings there was not a single such modern wanderer.
The most active position characteristic of my friends is to plan and, accordingly, implement a long trip once or twice a year. This can be a trip with an educational emphasis - that is, visiting new places, seeing the sights. Or a trip combining beach holidays and excursions.
Co. second group You can include people who speak quite positively about traveling, but practically do not travel long distances, arguing that they need money for other more important expenses.
And this position, like a litmus test, indicates the low priority of travel for this category of people. For some, a light mink coat easily outweighs their travel tickets, for others - impressive new furniture))) But, well, to each his own...
IN third group included those who have a negative attitude towards travel, and, in addition, criticize fans of travel. Their arguments: “it’s a waste of money”, “there’s more to see near the house”, “I can’t stand the fees and the travel...”, etc. But one argument I heard struck me on the spot: “There’s a lot of photos on the Internet, movies are also available look, but the sights look worse in real life.”
I would like to know this person’s opinion when he found himself in front of such an architectural masterpiece:
Yes, real views and photographs of famous buildings differ, but definitely in favor of the former. No photograph can convey the grandeur and energy that emanates from centuries-old cathedrals and buildings.
I certainly belong to the first of the designated groups. Otherwise, I would not have made regular trips to Europe and would not have created my own blog on this topic. It is difficult for a traveling person to understand how one can be indifferent to travel. In the same way, opponents cannot understand why they are so drawn to the road...
So I decided to think out loud what benefits of travel stand out to me, and why travel is my #1 priority.
What positive impact does travel have?
1. The most effective benefit for me is a complete change in the environment. It has long been recognized that the best rest is to switch to another activity, to a new environment. And if a switch to something new occurs in almost everything, this results in relaxation, a surge of positive emotions, and impressions. Perhaps this is why I am most interested in traveling abroad, when even the speech around me changes.
2. Emotional fulfillment is something that invariably happens when traveling. Admiration for beautiful architecture is replaced by the pleasure of walking through beautiful, well-kept parks. Active interest is replaced by peace and pleasure from aimlessly wandering through the neat old streets. And all this is nearby:
Probably, it is for this reason that Europe is closest to me, where everything is compact and where everything is imbued with centuries-old history.
3. Travel relieves stress and gets you out of depression. I don’t have a tendency to plunge into depressive states, but, unfortunately, I had to be under the influence of stressful circumstances for a long time... And I will say that traveling is real therapy. Agree, such charm cannot but have a positive impact:
Believe that the combination of several factors - natural beauty, romance, castles - can create a bright and joyful mood, cause delight and fill you with positive emotions for a long period.
4. Travel not only expands the real spatial boundaries of a person, but also clarifies personal vision. New points of view on familiar questions and problems appear, new solutions are suddenly found, and everyday life is rethought. This is extremely important for the individual. We all know how to get stuck on certain moments, and often we invent problems ourselves. We can say that traveling somehow puts the brain in its place)))
5. A separate advantage for me is the opportunity to learn a lot of new things and get in touch with the culture and traditions of other countries. I’m interested in how various theatrical performances with historical content are held in the Czech Republic. It's incredibly spectacular and exciting. The Czechs have plenty of dates and reasons for such events. This year is associated with the 700th anniversary of Charles IV.
Friends, I think like-minded people will support me that going on a trip is to contribute to your happiness. Yes, you can feel happy without going anywhere (I hear the objections of those who disagree with my opinion)... And you try to travel... I am sure that you will discover a lot of interesting things for yourself.
Your euro guide Tatyana
Traveling by train is a special way of getting to know the world :) . It is romantic, inspiring, interesting and educational. By going somewhere by plane rather than by train, you lose a significant part of your impressions and positive emotions. The best place to travel by train is Europe: a developed railway network, many trains, a high level of comfort. You can go at any time, but the best time is in the summer. And in this article I will tell you what the advantages and disadvantages of traveling by train are.
pros
- You will be taken directly to the city center. Train stations are located in the city centers. You step onto the platform and can immediately go sightseeing or check into a hotel. Having arrived by plane, you will first need to get from the airport to the city itself, sometimes paying a lot of money for transport.
- No inspection. You can enter the train simply by showing your ticket and passport. And at the airport an unpleasant check awaits you.
- Quick login. There is no such registration as at the airport on trains, which means you save a lot of time and nerves.
- There are no restrictions on the weight of luggage. You can take at least three bags with you on the train, if you lift them, of course :) . Moreover, you will not be charged any additional fees.
Minuses
- High price. For many destinations, train tickets are more expensive than plane tickets. You can save big if you buy your tickets in advance (several months in advance).
- It takes a lot of time to travel long distances. By plane you will get to the desired place much faster if this place is located far from the point of departure. Trains save time only over short distances.
- Strikes are possible. In Europe, railway workers go on strike almost every year, as a result of which many flights are canceled and train schedules are disrupted. True, strikes are almost always warned in advance so that passengers are aware of canceled flights and changed schedules.
Everyone needs to travel by train at least once. You can get ready for a trip in a few days, but you will have a lot of impressions and events during the trip, which you will remember for the rest of your life. Travel and enjoy life! All the best!
Speaking about what is better to choose - a vacation abroad or a vacation in your native land - you should first decide how exactly you want to spend your long-awaited free days. Where is the best place to go on vacation depends on your goals, expectations and, of course, financial capabilities. Let's consider in order all the pros and cons of holidays abroad and in Russia.
Holidays abroad
An undoubted advantage of a holiday abroad is its novelty. You can definitely “change the picture outside the window.” On a trip abroad you will find new people, a cultural environment, interesting places and national cuisine. If you have the opportunity to visit several countries at once, you can significantly enrich your inner world.
It is also important that vacationing in another country is much more prestigious - photographs from Europe, America or travel in Asia will arouse admiration among your friends and acquaintances.
The disadvantages of such a trip are also obvious. Firstly, when deciding where you can go on vacation, think about the necessary preparatory procedures, namely a visa. It is now possible to prepare the necessary documents easily and simply, for example, at the Vizovik company, but, nevertheless, this will require certain costs and time. It’s better not to deal with this issue yourself, as there are many important nuances.
Secondly, a significant disadvantage of traveling abroad is its high cost. The plane and tickets alone will require significant expenses from you, not to mention accommodation and excursions in another country.
Thirdly, traveling abroad is somewhat more dangerous than traveling in your native land. You don’t know the language, you don’t understand the culture well, you can become a victim of scammers, and you are also extremely far from the places where you are used to easily solving problem situations. Therefore, if you don’t have a goal to see something special, but just want to relax, you should probably think about a vacation in Russia.
Domestic offer
Our people have some prejudice against Russian holidays, but if the stereotypes took place 10-15 years ago, now the situation on the local tourism market has seriously changed. If you want to spend your non-working days well and inexpensively, in Russia you can find everything you need for this.
The advantages of domestic tours are that, first of all, they are much cheaper than any foreign trips. This way you can save a nice amount and at the same time get no less positive emotions. It’s worth noting right away that it’s better to focus on beach holidays on the Black Sea coast.
The second significant advantage of holidays in Russia is its comfort and tranquility. Everyone around you will speak a language you understand, the menu in the restaurant will not present any surprises, and in the event of an emergency, you will always be able to quickly and reliably get help.
The negative aspects of domestic tourism include the unoriginality of our places. In general, wherever we go, everything will be familiar to the eye. So you are unlikely to find a feeling of extreme sports and surprise at something new here, but abroad there will be no problems with this. It is also worth noting that sometimes the service at domestic resorts suffers greatly, and this at obviously inflated prices. Therefore, choose carefully and thoughtfully so as not to spoil your long-awaited vacation and get exactly what you wanted from it.
