Conducted Tour
@notacinephile I have a confession to make to you. As a college student, one of my (and my wife's, then girlfriend) deepest ambition was to create a business of what back in those days called 'conducted tour'. In its backbone it was not too different from man-made-sightseeing. Out business plan was, we will organize an itinerary in Sikim Himalayas, and will take people to hiking a place called Dzongri and Goecha-La, which I used to frequent a lot those days. It was simple, elegant and effective. I have seen a few of my 'dada's do it during those days. That was my biggest ambition for a long time. It never left the drawing board :)
Fast-forward, nearly two decades later, my wife wanted to go on a solo backpacking trip, without the kids and me of course, so in 2019, she did this 'conducted backpacking trip' with REI (if you don't know REI you should google it) which took clients to the Lost Coast of California. The trail is not particulary difficult, but it requires some complex set of permitting and other logistics, so it is not exactly fun to do all that for a solo traveler. In addition, my wife was seeking bit of company at the time, someone different than her immediate family, so we both thought REI adventure will be a good idea. Mind you, we are both very experienced backpackers, she could have easily done it on her own, but she wanted the company of random fellow humans. You can see the group there, in the picture above, about as random as it gets! There were ex-teachers, fund managers, students, between job professionals, housewives, builders, coffee-growers.... all kinds of people!
It was a five day backpacking trip for her through some of the amazing rugged and secluded coastline that western United States have to offer. There were fun conversations at night over campfire and tent, and helpful friendship and support during the day.
There were vast black sand beaches to enjoy far away from civilization...
Food in the evening was spartan but fulfilling at the same time and was a communal event...
Evening and mornings were peaceful and far away from the crowd, or even another human other than the group of backpackers you are travelling with...
Camfires were simple gas-stove affair, as open fires were banned in California at the time...
And the big reward was at the end of the trip, where I waited with the kids at the strange, secluded town of Shelter Cove for 5 days, so that the kids can meet their mom at the end of her trip right on the beach!
So I hope you enjoyed this conducted tour. Not all have to be the way your described, although I do understand that is the more common occurrence. Recently a friend of mine and her girlfriend went on a conducted trip of Antractica via National Geographic. Currently this is the only way to take this trip. They had an amazing time and memories that will last a lifetime!
Aw man, that is such a terrible shame about the open fires rule. It looks stonking though. I love that black sand beach. You will have to elaborate more on the strange secluded town of Shelter Cove!
https://goo.gl/maps/h75orrkwCa1cFvLh6 Shelter Cove
This is the Town of Shelter Cove. It can be straight from some Hitchcock movie or a Stephen King book. It’s secluded. Can be accessed only by a narrow, extremely steep, 20 mile long road that takes at least 40-50 min to drive (and I am a fairly skilled driver on such roads). When you finally climb out to the highway 101 yours arms are soar doing the steering!! I am not exaggerating!
This single road often has landslides and even snowed on closures during winter. Then the town can get completely cut off from civilization!
There is a public airport for private small airplanes and probably the easiest way to access it, but the approach is scary and has terrible cross winds. So again requires major skills to land a Cessna there!
This photo of the Shelter Cove airport is from the internet and also the place I waited with my kids for 5 days for my wife to return :)
It’s a beautiful town, but can be covered in fog all the time and you always have a feeling that strange things can happen here!
Due to its difficult access it was frequented by Mexican drug cartels as they will fly in their shipment here :) true story. It’s mostly stopped now.
Holy smoke that does look like some mysterious strange place! It also looks awesome although the drive you mention is the kind that gives me the heebies. There are a couple of stretches of roads near mountainous lochs up our way that just wind round and round and are only wide enough for one car at the dogy bits and I know what you mean by your arms being sore hauling at the wheel for a prolonged period of time!
Them cartel members, always getting in early!
I have a habit of making things look poetic and grand in my head dada, and for some reason that last part where you said you waited with the kids to meet didi at the end of her hike feels more alluring than the whole trip 😅
The feeling of someone waiting for you at the end of the road, arms wide open, ready to take you in and say, "You're home." is something else.
That to me, sounds like a perfect ending to any trip.
In reality it was more poetic than that.
There is no cell phone signal at Shelter Cove. Yes such places do exist even in the United States. Kids and I had a rough idea of their Mom's schedule and knew that they are going to arrive at this black sand beach couple of miles north of town in the morning of the 5th day. So we woke up, brush our teeth, ate some breakfast, got the kids ready in their swim suits and drove to that beach in the fog, and we waited. Kids were patient, until they saw their mom walking out of the dense fog.... and they ran and ran...to give her a hug! It was an wonderful day and still a vivid memory.
That sound so adorable!!
Just trying to imagine the smile on didi's face and what she might have felt in that moment is making me happy. It must have been a good day. A memory worth cherishing that's for sure.
It reminded me of my wild days in hill tracts 😐 She is amazing. Damn she is amazing 💜 And this whole family is so home-ful to each other 🤧
Now let's talk business :3 I wanna relate both of you here.
Bangladeshi people wasn’t very cultural minded truth to be told.
However a sudden rise in tourism has surged all of a sudden few years back.
Later on it has become a popular trend to every sphere of people regardless their social class.
Now our majority families are middle class.
So the tourism system right now is convenient for them be it FOR economy, mental acceptance, time efficiency, comfortable environment which adjusting with their daily life.
Be it trips with friends or family! Everyone is trying to enjoy "out of home for some days" time and every tour organizer is trying to keep a profit at the same time.
And I would say I am more loner than the most. I jabe lived near tje largest sea beach in the faksking world for many years yet nobody ever would see me to go to beach or shoot amazing pictures or videos.
But yet I accompanied a person from one city to another city just so she wanted to take some good pictures!
Only f*** pictures!
And I think I took around 150 or more photos and some videos of her but in the end I wasn’t annoyed or irritated or bored (which anyone like me should be)
why?
Because I know it’s her way of enjoying trip/travel.
I still don't dare to say I have become an absolute wanderer, but I have achieved, learnt, ganied so much through travelling that I would never ever in my entire life from any Academy or books or profession.
And one of the first thing I have acquired, is keep up my happiness and and let other be happy on their own way even if that way is disturbing my peace sometimes with sincerity.
So be it people spoiling my peace, involving me in the chaos, being stupid or crazy over shits...If these are the people I let them into my life deliberately. Hence, I don’t have right to whine or pissed of their actions I don't like.
there are many ways to make profit, long term vs short term. Have you seen the movie Jerry Maguire?
"Right now, you are a paycheck player. You play with your head, not your heart. In your personal life, heart. But when you get on the field it's all about what you didn't get."
This is what is missing with the tour operators.
When you went all over to take picture (paid or not paid, doesn't matter) you were providing a service in exchange for money or goodwill. There is no shame in that. I would have done that. There are many people who does exactly that professionally, there is nothing wrong with that.
Any business can be grown as an engaging one. But most people don't understand it.
Have you watched প্রাক্তন movie? I wanted to be a tour guide not a organizer though!
Haven't watched that movie, should put my to-watch list.
Well, the places look quite great tbh, even when 'conducted' lol. And I understand that in some places/cases, there'll be no tour with conducted ones. I'm actually fine with that. What I was referring to in my post was actually a very strict and rigid version of what you had in mind.
In Bangladesh, these tours are almost like chores. Like a usual day at the office. I think would get even more stressed if I go again on a trip like that. 🙁
Yes, of course, I understand that. What a marginal business model and can be improved so easily.
This looks like being a great adventure, far from civilisation and not too far from it at the same time. Cool pictures by the way!
Cheers!
Thank you. Was not really my trip per say. I was in the 'supporting role'. But kids and I did many thing in those five days too when my wife was away.
I indeed got this, don't worry.
I remember when my wife went to North America to see her family last November. I stayed here alone with the boys and this was really a great experience :)
I've done some trekking, remote areas and difficult treks, and understand the attraction - that one foot in front of the motion and the adventure of not knowing what's ahead. It's glorious.
That second last picture though...I prefer bigger fires. 😁
Seconded, big fires for the win! :OD
It's fit and proper, is it not?
It is the only acceptable thing
Yeah. Me too! I love bigger fires! But California for the last several years had terrible fire issues in the summer. So fire is banned basically everywhere at virtually all times.
Yep, I get it. Same here Azir. We're coming into the season though, end of April we will be able to have fires on days except for particular ban days if the call them.
Such tours are very interesting and informative!
As for your wife, she's just a hero!
After all, these tours are not easy.
The scenery are just to attractive for me to pass by without a comment...Nice one out there and I guess the tour really made you smile ❤️❤️
It's nice to see your togetherness, this moment becomes the most beautiful in your life, is it your favorite Pat?
"Conducted Tour" seems to be a great idea; never heard of it though. Staying in a secluded tent away from other tourmates at night ought to be thrilling and uneasy at the same time; you know, unknown place, out in the wild— I wouldn't be able to sleep well, dada— that's a guarantee. Anyway, that black sand beach is more like বিট লবণ 😊
Yes, that is correct, but perhaps it is a bit coarser.
I sleep very well actually.
thank you for sharing such a wonderful place, brings me lovely memories of a coastline I love.
This post has been manually curated by @bhattg from Indiaunited community. Join us on our Discord Server.
Do you know that you can earn a passive income by delegating to @indiaunited. We share 100 % of the curation rewards with the delegators.
Here are some handy links for delegations: 100HP, 250HP, 500HP, 1000HP.
Read our latest announcement post to get more information.
Please contribute to the community by upvoting this comment and posts made by @indiaunited.
That would have been a cool business to create but you know, life gets in the way and plans change and all that 🤷♂️
The hike looks cool though. I'm surprised you need a permit to do that in California. I don't know anything about hiking in the US but I wouldn't have thought that you would need a permit to do that. Interesting.
The black sand beaches look cool.
Marshmallows over the small gas fire hahaha funny and awesome!
Yes, there are many restrictions on that partcular hike. Many backpacking trips in National Parks requires permits here.
Huh 🤔. I wouldn't have thought that.
That's good to know.
This sounds and looks like a really awesome trip, not only for your wife. I would love to go on a conducted trip but I'm not sure I could handle it for days, plus the overnight in tents in the wilderness.
Thanks for sharing these beautiful pics!
That looks like such an amazing hike.
So nice, so relaxing and healing to be in such a beautiful nature, away from the city life.
Love the beach.
Looks like a great hike and I think the Lvl of the hike is great for kids as well. OK except for some rocks to climb.
It is great to hear how some passions and ideas are still alive after all that time.
Sure!
Lol.