Packaged Tour vs. Backpacking
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Simon
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Todd
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Todd: So, Simon, are you still planning to take trip to Southeast Asia?
Simon: Yeah, I really like Southeast Asia so I would like to go there again.
Todd: Oh, cool. When you go, are you taking a tour, packaged tour or are you just going to go on your own like a backpacker?
Simon: Well, I haven't decided yet. Ah, both have their advantages and their disadvantages. (Mm, yeah!) Um, well, let's say with backpacking, it's cheap, and you can meet a lot of interesting people and you can sometimes stumble upon, really, really cool things or interesting places by chance.
Todd: Hm, it's true, but if you do a packaged tour, they usually have the expertise about the area. You'll have a guide who can speak the language.
Simon: Well, if I go for a short-time, which is probably the case I think packaged tours have, are also good because you're there for a short time. Everything is provided for you and you can just enjoy fun in the sun, or culture. Basically, your mind can relax. When you're a backpacker you always have to think about everything, you know. "Can I find a place to stay?", "Is this place safe?" you know, "Are my belongings safe?" uh, things like that. Packaged tour you just sit back and relax.
Todd: Yeah, I think it's always best to take a packaged tour if you travel with somebody, but it's always best to do backpacking if you're going to travel alone.
Simon: Absolutely, I agree. If you're alone, in, as a backpacker, you can meet people. You're forced to meet people.
Todd: Yeah, that's true.
Simon: Ah, if you took a packaged tour alone you'd probably be one lonely person, sitting on the beach, drinking your glass of lemonade or whatever drank and sitting there reading a book.
Todd: So, on your trip to Southest Asia, are you going alone with somebody?
Simon: Well, we'll see won't we.
packaged tour
When you go, are you taking a packaged tour or are you
going on your own like a backpacker?
When you go on a 'packaged tour' it means that everything is included in price you pay. This would mean transportation, accommodation and maybe food. Notice the following:
- What is the price for a 4-day packaged tour?
- The packaged tour was cheap, but it didn't really give
us the freedom that we wanted.
advantages, disadvantages
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, so I haven't
decided yet.
An 'advantage' is a positive benefit or something you gain from doing something a certain way. A 'disadvantage' is a negative outcome for doing something a certain way. Notice the following:
- One of the big advantages of this camera is that it's so
small that it can just fit in my pocket.
- One of the disadvantages of reading long books is that
you have to carry it around with you.
backpacking
Backpacking is cheap and you can meet a lot of interesting
people.
'Backpacking' is a word to describe an inexpensive method of travel. It includes traveling by bus or train and staying in shared hotel rooms. It is called backpacking because the people who travel like this put all of their belongings in a big backpack. Notice the following:
- I spent so much time backpacking that it seems strange
to stay in a real hotel now.
- Many young people go backpacking through Europe now.
stumble upon
When backpacking, you can sometimes stumble upon really
cool things by chance.
When you 'stumble upon something' it means that you discover it by chance. It is not something that you knew about before arriving there. Notice the following:
- She always seems to stumble upon interesting buildings.
- I stumbled upon the cutest little bakery today.
expertise
But if you do a packaged tour, they usually have the
expertise about the area.
If someone has 'expertise' about something it means that he is very knowledgeable about the subject. It is a like a specialty. Notice the following:
- I would say that his expertise is learning how to get
out of difficult situations.
- Well, that isn't really my area of expertise, but I will
try to help you.
Vocabulary Quiz
backpacking • stumble • expertise
