Visitors to Tokyo can take open-top bus tours of two areas of the city with VIP View (www.vipview.jp/en): the Bay Course along Tokyo Bay and the City Course through the central city, each lasting about 70 minutes.
During the drive, and using GPS to pinpoint the bus’ location, recorded commentary in English is piped through the bus’ sound system. Headphones with a 3.5mm jack are required and can be purchased for ¥100 on location.
Mazel Pernell of Rockville, Maryland, wrote, “I’ve enjoyed international travel with group tours. In planning my sixth trip to Africa for the fall of 2018, I didn’t find a set tour that I liked, so I’m working directly with a Ghana-based company to customize a 3-week guided tour that includes Ghana, Benin and Togo. I will be going solo.”
“I would appreciate hearing from any traveler who has been on an extended solo tour. Specifically, did you eat all or some meals with the chaperone/driver/guide? Did you pay for his or her meals? What would be a reasonable amount to tip the chaperone for a tour of nearly three weeks? (If a percentage of the total tour cost, what percentage? If a set amount per day of touring, how much? Another option?) What else do I need to consider?”
We printed a couple of subscribers’ responses last month. Here are a few more.
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In my opinion, custom travel requires more responsibility and specificity on your part. You have to be totally honest up front about your interests and the things you want nothing to do with, and you must be realistic and forthcoming about your physical abilities and limitations, including foot problems, your tiny bladder and food preferences and allergies.
We hear back from travelers who have been on an extended solo tour.
I would appreciate hearing from any traveler who has been on an extended solo tour. Specifically...
“I would appreciate hearing from any traveler who has been on an extended solo tour."
Iceland (First of three parts)
My friend and I departed San Francisco International Airport on March 15, 2016, so excited to be finally going to Japan, a trip we had been planning for about a year. During our planning, we discovered that few people we knew had been to this wonderful country.
My month-long trip to Greece, June 6-July 6, 2015, began with a short visit to Sparta, located in the southeast of the Peloponnese peninsula. The bus ride there from Athens took less than 3½ hours and cost less than $20 (in euros).
