Trip Advisor - Independent holidays

I've just spent days booking hotels for two independent holidays - one in the Inner Hebredes & one in Rome. I use a combination of Trip Advisor & the hotel's own websites if available. When planning an itinerary I cheat & look at the itineraries of tour operators. That gives you a basic idea of the important places to visit.

There is always a tension between doing a trip independently and being completely free to go where you want to & stay as long as you like & doing it with a group tour. I've travelled a lot & done both. I've also booked a cheap holiday with an operator & used the cheap flight & accommodation as a base to do my own thing hiring a car.

On balance I prefer independent travel. I like the freedom & you interact far more with people in the countries you visit. Groups develop a herd mentality & are delivered like a parcel from place to place. You don't have the hassle, but there are constraints & you have to put up with the people in the group come what may. I've also found a huge variation in the quality & price of what tour operators provide. I think I've now reached the age where I do like comfort, both in transport & accommodation.

On the other hand booking 6 different B&B's in the Hebrides took a huge amount of my time, despite modern communications. However organised you are you don't know until you get there whether you will arrive safely & someone will be expecting you.

I've been a member of Trip Advisor for years & think it is a very helpful website. There is a possible issue about the veracity of some reviews, but I think it is often possible to tell if reviews are genuine. The websites tools are helpful. The main problem is sifting through the huge choice.

How fortunate we are to be able to travel the world relatively cheaply and safely. Travel is vital to help us understand different cultures. Seeing places on TV or reading travel books is no substitute. If we are ever to achieve a world where peace reigns & diversity is really valued we need to experience a range of attitudes, beliefs & ways of doing things. There is no short cut.