When we recently went on a tour of Russia, I realized that
some people don’t know about etiquette when taking a tour. Sometimes people are
rude and don’t realize it because no one mentioned the things you should do or
not do so I thought I would bring it up. This works for tours locally or far
away.
When you are given a description about the tour, take it
seriously. If it says there is fast paced walking over distances, think about
your ability. If you don’t think you can keep up, don’t go and hold up the
whole group. There may not be places for you to sit and rest if you get tired. Staying
on the bus might not be an option.
When getting off the bus, let the people in the seats in
front of you off the bus first. Remember which bus and what seat you were on
and return to the same bus and seat when you get back on.
Ask the guide if it is safe for you to leave things on the
bus first before leaving anything. The guide will let you know if the bus
driver is staying with the bus and if the bus will be locked. Never leave
anything valuable like your wallet.
When the guide is speaking, be quiet. Even if you aren’t
interested in what the guide is saying, other people are and may be distracted
if you are talking. They also might not be able to hear the guide over your
speaking.
Keep your eye on the tour guide. Don’t wander away and get
lost. The group doesn’t want to waste valuable time (that they paid for),
looking for you.
If you are given time to wander and given a meeting time,
plan on being at the meeting place five minutes early. Do NOT arrive late. This
is not fair to everyone else and this cuts into the time you can be exploring
other places.
If you are in another country, learn how to say thank you in
the local language. The local people appreciate your effort.
These are just some helpful hints that that I think all
people (including students) need to learn to do when on a tour. It will make
the trip more enjoyable for everyone and keep you from being “those people”
that others talk about after the trip!
Original photo by Pat Hensley
1 comment:
Too bad the people who need this advice won't follow it. Every tour I've been on has a couple idiots! I could never be a guide because I'd wind up dope slapping somebody the first day.
Doug
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