Some Tour Comments

I've been to both guided tours and free & easy packages. The differences are obvious. I must say that I prefer F&E but considering places where language is a barrier, guidede tour is the best solution. But then, one's satisfaction clings closely to the service of the tour guide.

Nevermind the loud aunties and their children. An experience guide will be able to educate them. In my last 2 trips to Japan, I've experienced 2 extreme guides. One just does his job - do some explanatory at each location; missed a location and was silence about it, disappeared to hot spring after dishing out the room keys. The other - engaged us non-stop, to the point that her voice still rings in our ears after 1 month, sending shivers down the spine at times.

Most of all, I missed my best guide ever, Ronnie. He took us on our trip to Rockies, Canada. Hardworking, engaging, helping, very personal, etc..... Its like, not too hot, not too cold. The best part that I'd always remember - we were on the coach heading to the Glacier, from Canmore. God's blessing, Canmore snowed (in the month of May). That's the first time most of us encountered snow. I was filming with my video cam as the coach moved the snow. In the background, Ronnie said something to the effect, "If you have not seen snow, this is like Christmas..." That's simply lovely. Gotta get those photos uploaded one day for you to see. Hard work ahead.