Hi All Members
Many of us travel and join tours, either package or free n easy ones. Some members are very knowledgeable about some countries as they spend years/months there.
I am wondering if Silverhairs can come up with, for a country: recommended sightseeing places to visit, shop, eat and also stay with costs, itineraries etc. With them as the contact persons and even acting, where possible as guides, I think members feel safer (especially travelling single, small group etc) as the contact person is another Silverhairs member.
Can this be handled by a travel coordinator/s in the club who is a keen traveller with time and perhaps even turn it into a business venture for himself/herself/themselves, catering to Silverhairs members?
Just an idea.
Joan (Perth)
Hi Joan,
Many SHCians travel all over Asia and around the world; no doubt about it. I noticed too that many are quite knowledgeable in their country of preference, altho few would raise their hand to be a travel cordinator. Kenneth Tan is someone who shares his knowledge of Chiangmai. Abel Tan shares his knowledge too, from time to time, you definitely know Perth well enough, and share your knowledge and experience from time to time too.
I guess it has to do with time, effort and costs involved with taking up some a role. My experience with travel cordinators, taking up tasks as described, is travel cordinators do expect to be paid for costs, efforts and time. It is not very often that the travel cordinators are organising all the running and time for free. Retirees do need to have their costs covered.
I am supportive of the idea that SHCians and retirees include their costs into organising travel for other SHCians. In some cases, being paid for time and effort is also understandable, if not only expected. There are benefits in using a travel company or a tour guide.
You are a good example. I would support you organising travel to Perth or even other parts of Australia.
Share with us your thoughts. Travel is one of the most sought after activities, once a person retires.
Terence Seah
Hi Joan and Terence
First, it is a great idea! I am all for a travel guide/co-ordinator to help SHCians on their meanderings around the region and the world.
Second, there is Terence’s point that it costs time and money to be a guide. My take is that travel is a personal experience (not the normal tour group thing), and that it is difficult to cater to the differing tastes and preferences; and Singaporeans (meself, too) are a bunch of demanding, fuss pots!
Finally, besides giving our two cents, I’d like to state that I’ve led some groups in Chiang Mai and that Abel has also led SHC members to Johore and some say, Batam.
Actually in the last kopi chat at Singpost Kopitiam this was brought up. The feeling is to travel for a certain period affordable accommodation is important because this is the big cost item and fixed. One idea by SS is to identify certain countries within 4 hours air travel from Singapore and land like Malaysia and identify fixed accommodation for members to book during their free and easy travels. (something like Timesharing ).
An ideal situation will be to use members properties which they may have bought but only used for weekends or holidays. I believe this is one of SS’s mission to ChiangMai
to reckee Let us hope this will be the beginning of an idea that can be germinated and blossomed into a feasible project.
Hi Terence and Kenneth
Thanks for replying to my post. Re: covering costs, time, efforts etc to the coordinator, can this be cut down where the coordinator just recommends to SH members accomodation rentals, sights, eateries etc for the particular country/location? It then up to the member/s to make the necessary contacts eg bookings for flights, accomodation etc based on the info given.
The coordinator can help, if he/she is familiar or living there at the travel period help to meet and act as guide if he/she wants to or just help to do the airport transfers.For those who can arrange own transport before they even arrive eg rent and pick up/drop off a car at the airport, it is easily done.
I don’t mind helping to draw up some things for Perth and certainly both you and others can do for Thailand, Batam, etc. This gives SH travellers members being given reliable info from Silverhairs coordinators.
I am also a volunteer with a travel cooperative for seniors in Singapore where we organise customised tours. Due to my association with Terence and Silverhairs, I read of many members’ travel knowledge and experience and think that these can be better utilised to benefit other members. Maybe the post of a coordinator has to be on a voluntary basis.
Cheers
Joan
Hi Joan,
From time to time, on the forum, many members respond to request on travel. I think this segment has been met, on an adhoc basis.
On a permanent basis, I am not too sure. Peter mentioned about a temporary travel coordinatot. Perhaps Peter, you can give some directions and we can see the response.
Somehow, I have seen the response as luke warm over the years. Having spoken with keen cordinators, I see it has to do with precious time, expenses and effort.
Let’s hear from others too.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence and Joan
It is not so much about the time and effort that discourage the coordinators
from organising the travel. Most of us are not fully employed and can engage
in organising activities.
But to get the attention we need EOs with knowledge and experience.
Then the would-be participants will be convinced to join.
For instance, if Joan were to organise a trip to Perth, she would have no problem in putting up a suitable package to arouse interests.
Robert Ong
Hi RobertO and Joan (Perth),
I like your comment, and I find it true for many shc’ians. Many are not fully retired, but they have some time to help with travel cordination, in the country that they like. I believe that most shc’ians will do so for a fee. Following up on this issue for the last 8 years, “free work” usually means “No response”. Unless of course, the person is part of the group and loves to go on the same trip too.
This is the reality.
If a member asks for advice on this forum, he/she likely will have a response to a travel inquiry.
If a member asks another member (travel consultant) to do some checks that require resources and costs, no one will reply.
I think we should have a way to reimburse this type of travel service. Let’s see if we can get a way out, to be this a reality. Perhaps, Joan, you can share what’s in your mind?
Terence Seah
Hi Robert
I’m not considering being a travel coordinator for Perth. I can offer recommendations for Perth travel eg attractions and perhaps can help to arrange airport transfers, golf and fishing activities when I’m in Perth.
However, it’s easy to pick up an airport rental car and with a GPS, you can drive almost anywhere, even to country towns. Re: accommodation I think caravan parks are good places to look at and a website http://www.airbnb.com is pretty good. Or perhaps a Britz campervan can be a good alternative to travel to regional areas -saves on accommodation.
Cheers
Joan
Hi RobertO and Joan (Perth),
I like your comment, and I find it true for many shc’ians. Many are not fully retired, but they have some time to help with travel cordination, in the country that they like. I believe that most shc’ians will do so for a fee. Following up on this issue for the last 8 years, “free work” usually means “No response”. Unless of course, the person is part of the group and loves to go on the same trip too.
This is reality.
If a member asks for advice on this forum, he/she likely will have a response to a travel inquiry.
If a member asks another member (travel consultant) to do some checks or tasks that require resources and costs, no one will reply.
I think we should have a way to reimburse this type of travel service. Let’s see if we can get a way out, to be this a reality. Perhaps, Joan, you can share what’s in your mind? We can develop from there.
Terence Seah
Hello Terence and Robert
If there are interested Shcians who can coordinate tours to places they are familiar, I agree that they should be paid or reimbursed. Robert and Terence have pointed out also. To share –
I’ve stayed at a b n b in Broome when I was holidaying there and the couple who ran their place charged me AUD 160 for 1 night with cooked English b’fast and dropoff from their place to the airport. It was a beautiful home, with pool etc. The host offered to take us around Broome eg pearl farm, fishing etc but we had done that with the group that we went with. Another b n b in Albany charged AUD 50 for 1 night, with continental b’fast. We self drove down from Perth to Albany. It was an annexe to the main house, old but clean and comfortable enough. The host also gave us reliable info as to where to have good affordable meals.
What I think – Coordinators can charge for pickup and dropoff airport to hotel. If they provide bed n b’fast/homestay, that can be chrged daily/weekly/monthly. Some may even do meals and price them accordingly. If the coordinator can act as guide, with own car, that is better as it can be travelling with friends and there should be sharing for petrol, etc.
Travellers can do their own bookings for flights and where possible their own hotel accomodation. This is because it’s difficult to please everyone eg some may like to shop and hence near city, type of accomo (3*, 4*). The coordinator can then meet them and just join in activities that they are interested as a group- by car, public transport eg train , bus etc.
I hope I have given enough views and sharing what I think. Maybe Terence, Robert and Kenneth can be coordinators for a start. As for Perth, someone else can do it as it’s not something I have the time for.
With this, I close my contributions to my post and maybe others can take it up.
Gong Xi FA Cai
Joan
Hi Joan,
It was refreshing of you to start the idea of travel consultants. Keep the idea ongoing.
As for Thailand, any request, Kenneth and myself will be please to offer our suggestions.
We will definitely keep you in mind on Perth and Western Australia.
While we are on this topic, can you suggest a few accommodation for travellers to Perth. Hotels are indeed very expensive.
Terence Seah
How abt travel consultants for other types of accommodation elsewhere? I m wondering what it is like to stay in Monastery at central Milan…….
Hi Terence
Perth hotels start around $100 but may be lower at off peak. The YMCA in Perth offers reasonable accomodation below that and also easy to move around – walking or taking free CAT buses etc. A cheaper alternative is backpackers. You need to check them out as am not familiar.A group of friends came and stayed in a flat for 5, sharing the cost. This is good for family or those who wish to travel together. For B n B, I can ask a couple of friends but will be away from the city. You need to take bus or train.
Freda, if interested in WA, there’s a monastery in New Norcia that you can stay in.
Regards
Joan
Hi, My name is Eileen. I am a new member interested to travel. I would like to be part of any tour that you guys are organising. I heard about your trips to neighbouring countries and how much you enjoyed them.