Planning For Your Tour - Group Dynamic
| Group Dynamic |
 Touring in India brings us into contact with cultures and customs very different from our own western ways. We expect all our Riders to extend the same good will and courtesy that we so often encounter on our journeys.Our Tours involve near constant interaction with local people, some of whom may never have had close contact with a foreigner before. Touring in India brings us into contact with cultures and customs very different from our own western ways. We expect all our Riders to extend the same good will and courtesy that we so often encounter on our journeys.  Bear in mind that some everyday western habits can be quite offensive to an eastern observer. Drinking directly from bottles for example, is seen through eastern eyes as quite disgusting; as foul as we find 'spitting in the street'. Our Tours are as much a motorcycle Tour as a journey through the diverse cultures that we’ll discover as we ride through the sub-continent.We spend time mixing with different cultures, meeting people on the highway, chatting and sharing our experiences and questions. There’s no need to be shy in India, you too can ask, “Are you married?” and “How many children do you have?” ...in a spirit of friendship, courtesy and interest.  We can’t always be comfortable and at times it’s plain uncomfortable. Your stamina and patience will be tested; our Tours are not for the faint hearted. But we do encourage fun! for example pulling yourself across a raging river in a rickerty wooden box!There will be times when changes have to be made to the route or itinerary, such occurrences are well considered and take into account such things as sickness, bike damage to be repaired and road conditions. The Tour Leader asks for your cooperation at such times.  It is our preference to run groups of a size that gives us flexibility should we need or choose to change course, by which we mean either a small group who booked together or 8 to 10 motorcycles from individual or paired Riders and Pillion Passengers.We are hosting Riders from countries worldwide and spend a lot of time communicating with them. Our Riders use Email, Skype, mobile to mobile and sometimes fax to communicate with us. A Forum is planned for the site to enable Riders to discuss Tour details and ask questions. No question goes unanswered nor will there be costly surprises. Additional costs that may be incurred en-route will always be discussed by the group before incurring costs. FreeSpirit will discuss the Tour, share information in the Rider Pages and keep Riders fully informed of Tour plans. Smaller expedition-like groups can tour without Support. Smaller groups offer more route planning options and itinerary-flexibility. Our Tour Guides carry spares and tools to effect most roadside repairs. We are not ageist and the age range of our Riders varies. As a skilled and experienced Rider you should know whether or not you are confident you can deal with the conditions described in these pages - see Ground Realities. We will ask for details of your motorcycle touring and riding experience prior to Riders booking a Tour Place. If we tour with the Mechanic Support Jeep, tools, spares and luggage go by Jeep. If there’s no Support Jeep we carry all we need; the kind of Tour detail we discuss with the group prior to making final Tour plans. If we are touring in more remote places, we sometimes ride with a secondary support Jeep. And whilst Riders may be sick or just exhausted and will want to take a rest in the jeep, generally we expect Riders to ride and their motorcycles and the Mechanic to ride in the jeep. His work begins when our ride is over for the day, we need him as rested as possible. |
