Is this trip for you?
“Experiencing” over “seeing.”
• Most tour operators claim higher value by showing you 10 or more locations in 14 days. If you simply desire the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to tons of places, those trips are out there. Instead, if you’d rather focus on your experiences as the main goal, we’re your answer. Dan believes a better experience comes from slowing down, spending more time in fewer places, focusing on quality over quantity. Pause, observe, engage. We only cover 4 or 5 locations on our trips, but we do it well and just long enough to become a “mini-local” in each location. Having coffee at the same shop more than once and having the server remember your name - being able to go back to eat at that tempting eatery you saw the day before but after you’d just eaten. Staying for 2 or 3 days in one place yields memory-building benefits you don’t get when you’re on the move all the time like. Also, reduced transport times getting from A to B means you’ll be spending more time experiencing SE Asia rather than being in transit for a chunk of the day just to get the experience “started.” It’s also nice to be able to unpack your bag for longer than just a few hours and have our hotel do a load of laundry for you.
We are travelers, not tourists:
• Our trips are designed for travelers, not tourists. Whereas tourists are often "led" and "guided" to places referred to as "sights & attractions," travelers instead take a leading role in generating their own rewarding experiences. Travelers assume responsibility for themselves, wisely seek advice from trusted sources and participate in deciding what they see and do each day, whereas tourists follow flags or held-aloft umbrellas and don’t have to think. Travelers recognize opportunity and seize it - tourists are bothered by deviations in expectations. Travelers value the act of travel itself and even see long-distance air travel as a positive component of the overall adventure - tourists see the act of getting from A to B as a hindrance. Travelers are prepared and dependable. They have their own sunscreen handy at the peak of the day and wear appropriate footwear for the occasion. They keep themselves healthy, fed & hydrated. They're reliable and punctual when the group plans to meet up; they don't leave others waiting after an agreed-upon rendezvous time. Travelers observe local customs & are open to new ways of thinking, they are polite & interested in learning appropriate cultural etiquette and don’t push their values or expectations on others. Travelers meet the people and get to know the locals. Does this description of what a traveler is sound like you?, welcome aboard!
What's the Exertion Level?
• While we would like to say that we cater to everybody, travelers really should be moderately able-bodied to fully participate in the trips' itineraries. Travelers should be prepared to deal with a tropical climate and be able to walk for periods of time in humidity and heat. More strenuous activity can accompany visits to ruins or parks as there is significant walking (especially the Vietnam/Cambodia trip!), but those activities can also be optional with each trip as some accommodation can be made for motoring guests separately to our destination (please reach out to discuss with Dan). Walking from place to place for up to 30 minutes on concrete or stone at a leisurely pace is common. Travelers should be able to be in a seat for up to 90 minutes at a time - in a car or on a plane - without discomfort or being able to get up and stretch or use a toilet. While most hotels have elevators, some stairs might be necessary. The Mekong portion of the trips requires stepping on/off boats, which can be tricky. Good knees and ankles combined with reasonable balance should see you through. Surfaces and walkways/roads in all locations can have hazards and good depth perception and eyesight are essential to avoiding them. Some locations have stairs to climb.
Are you right for the group?
• We at Sure Flaneur value having new experiences and trying new things for ourselves and our travelers. We also believe in travelers having fun and enjoying their holiday the way they see fit. However, if you possess a likelihood of engaging in any activity that contradicts our core values, or intend to engage in any illegal activity, our trips are not for you. Dan's concierge services won't be able to accommodate requests for drugs or sex-trade services, the acquisition of internationally-condemned commodities like ivory or seahorse tea, so please don't ask. If you like to party, that's great - there’s time slotted for that every evening if you’d like. But if you tend to be the type of partier who relies heavily on your friends to get you home at night or to keep you out of fights, our trips are not for you. Dan is not a late-night guy, he's an early-morning guy. Although you’ll still be able to reach him late at night if you have a problem down the street at the bar, he’d much rather get a good night’s sleep and join you for coffee in the alley early in morning as the just-sunlit streets come alive in the neighborhood. If you are likely to stay up late in the bars and if you also have a history of this affecting your commitments come morning, it maybe best to consider traveling with a different group..