Open Minds

Posted By : Josh Knutson/ 150 0

“We welcome the open-minded traveler to join our tours!” It may be funny to see a tour company state such a thing, but it has a lot to do with how we tour. Our tours are designed to get you out of your comfort zone and to become a “local”.

Monk and elephant Thailand
Monk and elephant Thailand

I think back to the first time I left the United States, it was 2005, a young college kid who grew up in Montana looking to experience the World. I grew up traveling around the United States and had visited 35 states by this point, but never experienced anything that didn’t take me out of my comfort zone.

When thinking of open mindfulness the first thing I think about is how different the greeting of another country truly is versus our own. Greetings are different across the globe, some countries shake hands, some kiss on the cheek, while others bow. The bow is most common in Asian countries in which we tour and often times the further you bow, the more respect you are showing the person you are greeting.

Sikh prayer Golden Temple Amritsar India
Sikh in a prayer at the Golden Temple

The next “culture shock” when visiting another country may be cleanliness. It’s common for people visiting other countries to notice some of the things Westerners take for granted, most notably, trash on the ground and bathroom facilities. While I won’t touch on the first item as it needs to be addressed across the globe, I will discuss the second. Bathroom facilities in various countries range from holes in the ground to regular Western toilets, but the Asia bathrooms have one thing in common, water cleansers. In Thailand, it’s the water hose a Westerner would typically see on their kitchen sink, Japan it’s a fancy toilet seat, while India has a bucket or cup. (I’m not encouraging you to partake in anything related to these items, simply noting something I see on my travels.)

As with all of our tours, we hope our guests connect with the local culture! You can see the various buildings, statues, & temples on your own, so join us on a tour to experience something different… the people (along with the buildings, statues, & temples)! Experience Culture. Experience Tours. #AsiaExperienced

Let’s go tour!

Josh Knutson – President