Travel Agent Dan
It’s been a while since I’ve written and I have a great excuse. I know that having an excuse doesn’t change anything – but what the hell, I’ve got one anyhow.
I’ve been being our travel agent for next February’s trip to Vietnam, Laos and Sarawak in Malaysia. In the old days setting up a trip like this would have taken many weeks or months with letters or telexes traveling slowly back and forth to and from far off places. Now, with the Internet and email it’s almost easy.
Still, I had something like 18 different plane and hotel reservations to make. This was after the process of deciding exactly where we’ll go and how long we’ll stay in each place was completed. While most of the actual reserving didn’t take too long, discovering and investigating all the various possibilities is time consuming. But fun! It’s like a jigsaw puzzle – making everything come together just the way I want it to. Or, said another way, getting exactly what I want when I want it.
As I went through the process it was clear that the place most behind the curve is Laos. Responses were slow or non-existent. Certainty was harder to come by. As a matter of fact, there is still one incomplete item on my agenda – flying from Vientiane to Luang Prabang and back again. After some searching I managed to get a flight schedule (I hope it’s accurate) but so far I’ve been unable to locate anyone or anyplace where I can book the tickets. I’ll get it done, but it’ll take some more work.
Some people say I’m doing work that I should have a travel agent do. Not so. In my view no travel agent will take care of me like I’ll take care of me. They may have some contacts and access to some resources I don’t, but my thoroughness and zeal for getting it just right far outweigh the travel agent’s expertise.
I’ve been being our travel agent for next February’s trip to Vietnam, Laos and Sarawak in Malaysia. In the old days setting up a trip like this would have taken many weeks or months with letters or telexes traveling slowly back and forth to and from far off places. Now, with the Internet and email it’s almost easy.
Still, I had something like 18 different plane and hotel reservations to make. This was after the process of deciding exactly where we’ll go and how long we’ll stay in each place was completed. While most of the actual reserving didn’t take too long, discovering and investigating all the various possibilities is time consuming. But fun! It’s like a jigsaw puzzle – making everything come together just the way I want it to. Or, said another way, getting exactly what I want when I want it.
As I went through the process it was clear that the place most behind the curve is Laos. Responses were slow or non-existent. Certainty was harder to come by. As a matter of fact, there is still one incomplete item on my agenda – flying from Vientiane to Luang Prabang and back again. After some searching I managed to get a flight schedule (I hope it’s accurate) but so far I’ve been unable to locate anyone or anyplace where I can book the tickets. I’ll get it done, but it’ll take some more work.
Some people say I’m doing work that I should have a travel agent do. Not so. In my view no travel agent will take care of me like I’ll take care of me. They may have some contacts and access to some resources I don’t, but my thoroughness and zeal for getting it just right far outweigh the travel agent’s expertise.
posted by Dan at 3:02 PM
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