{"id":118640,"date":"2020-09-22T08:24:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T12:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/news\/travel-with-a-private-guide-and-meet-the-locals\/"},"modified":"2024-08-31T04:40:24","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T08:40:24","slug":"travel-with-a-private-guide-and-meet-the-locals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/guide\/destination\/travel-with-a-private-guide-and-meet-the-locals\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel with a private guide and meet the locals"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

What better way to get to know a country than to meet the people who live there? To let them guide us and tell us the story of their nation and involve us in their customs.<\/p>\n

During my travels, I found that my experiences were maximized when I could be invited to the locals and interact with them. To do this, I used my contact network or the site couchsurfing.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, in this article, I was interested in the way oftravelling with a private guide and visiting families, coming from the travels<\/strong> of Andre and Florence<\/strong>, Milesopedians of another generation than mine (they are my parents!) who have already set foot in about sixty countries.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”102608″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_custom_heading el_id=”first_experience_with_a_private_guide” text=”First experience with a private guide” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text]The couple had their first experience as a private guide in Tunisia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They had dealt with an agency in Quebec that had offered them a private trip by providing them with an itinerary that included the guide, hotels, and lunches. Dinners were not included, so the guide suggested that they eat with families of different social classes, which they gladly accepted.<\/p>\n

One by one, they will experience eating in a Berber home, in a troglodytic house and in the home of a wealthy family. A great opportunity to visit the houses, see the layout and understand the customs related to the meal. For example, Berbers sit on the floor and eat their meals from a common dish.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”101354″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]The women and children, sitting in a corner, wait for the men and guests to finish eating and then have their turn at the same dish, with what’s left over.<\/p>\n

We didn’t eat too much… Let’s just say we made sure there were some nice pieces of chicken left.<\/p>\n

Andr\u00e9<\/pre>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The second house that was dug underground offered an unusual experience.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In addition to the meal, they were able to visit the house with a mini-museum that informed them about Tunisian customs and offered them the opportunity to try on traditional wedding clothes.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”101344″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”101346″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_single_image image=”101332″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”101334″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The visit of the well-to-do house was not so exotic compared to the first two. The meal was made as at home, in the dining room with a table and comfortable chairs.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”101330″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”]
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<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading el_id=”how_do_i_find_a_private_guide_” text=”How do I find a private guide?” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=””][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]Satisfied with their first experience, they started again in a few countries (Senegal, Gambia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, etc.).[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”101328″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”101356″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”101326″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]As they gained experience, they realized that by eliminating the middlemen, the price went down. It is important to understand that the guide is hired by a local agency, which in turn does business with an international agency. By doing your research yourself, you can choose :<\/p>\n