But, despite the advice of professional planners who said there wasn’t enough time or resources to put the festival together, the organizers fired the planners and pressed ahead on their own. Needless to say, the festival was a disaster, with attendees stranded in airports, sleeping in parking lots, and begging for food, water, and shelter.

First of all, this was a really unfortunate event for everyone involved. The organizers, attendees, and stars alike all wanted a successful, buzz-worthy festival. No one wanted it to fail, but fail it did. Importantly, as with any complex debacle, there are lessons to take away from it all, but most important is this: when it comes to complex, multinational events requiring the coordination of multiple companies, contractors, and stakeholders, letting a professional handle the nitty-gritty is worth every penny. No matter if it’s a music festival or a top-shelf Asian travel experience, the pros are there for a reason.

“Of course Smiling Albino would say this,” you may think, “that’s what they get paid to do.” Ah, but check some of our past posts on Trunk Lines, you’ll see that we are very much in favor of self-guided travel. Indeed – it’s often how you have the best adventures and return with the most interesting stories! But when you really can’t afford to have anything go wrong, or want to experience things that solo travelers might not have access to, well, that’s where we come in.

The most obvious benefit of hiring a professional travel planner is that you immediately gain a friend on the inside who can give you the secrets, histories, and background of the locations and attractions you’ll be visiting that might be left out of the travel guides. Not only that, but you’ll also have someone handy who will know what to do if something does go wrong. Everything from food allergies to political upset to a sudden storm might make a mockery of your well-laid plans, but having a friend who can switch to plan B, C and if necessary D seamlessly can be a lifesaver.

Another thought that occurs to some is that planning a trip with an agency restricts your flexibility – but the opposite is actually true! Talented guides can adapt the itinerary to suit your needs, often at a moment’s notice. Whether it’s a quick side trip to a craft brewery for beer fans, an impromptu crash course in noodle-making for the kids at a roadside food cart, or entrance to an attraction that would normally be closed, knowing where to go and who to contact to customize all or part of a trip is something no book can teach you.

There are many other reasons why it makes sense to hire a professional to guide your adventure. You will save time because you don’t have to research everything (that’s our job), you can learn about the local culture at your own pace (we’re here to answer your questions!), and you can take advantage of the connections that we have built up over years (being able to cut through the dense layers of red tape in Southeast Asia is a lifesaver).

As the organizers of the Fyre Festival found out the hard way, there’s a difference between price and value. Price is what you pay; value is what you get. And when it comes to creating memories that will last a lifetime, value is what professionals should always be focused on.

The post The Dangers of Not Listening to Professionals first appeared on Smiling Albino.

Time management. Efficiency. Productivity.

You might not realize it, but your holiday has begun the minute you contact Smiling Albino.

Sure, some people like to “do it themselves” and piece together a trip based on information gleaned from old Internet blog postings or out-of-date travel guide books, but the most successful people I know of are relentless in the pursuit of greater efficiency in their lives. Many of them have made careers out of making sure that their lives and organizations are run effectively and those people know when to leave a job to an expert.

We take your time very seriously, whether that is during the planning stages of your trip or once you hit the ground running in the country that you land in.

When someone plans their own trip they end up ticking off boxes on a list of things to do rather than entering a world of authentic experiences.

Smiling Albino has spent years reading local newspapers, asking local friends and wandering the streets in search of the best ways to really have an intimate cultural experience in whatever city you may find yourself in.

We take your ideas, dreams, and desires to customize a personalized experience that we are sure you will remember for a lifetime.

Start your next holiday right this minute – contact us now at info@smilingalbino.com.

Daniel Fraser,
Smiling Albino Adventurer-in-Chief

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Adventure Highlights:

From our Blog: Benefits of Travel with Kids (Plus Tips for Making it Easier) Read more. . .

Travel shows our kids that the world is bigger than they are, and that people are different… and very much the same. Taking our children traveling is an investment into their future, and into the type of person they will become.

Here are two of travel’s major benefits and a couple of tips for making travel with kids easier on you. Read More. . .

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What’s Going On:

Planes, trains, and Pagodas

Dan’s currently in Myanmar finalizing the finishing touches for our newest tour edition “Asia’s Golden Land”. First adventure will happen this November! See full itinerary here.

Contact Smiling Albino for inquiries and questions!

PURE Life Experiences 2014

We will be back at PURE LIfe Experiences 2014, November 10-13 in Marrekech. We look forward to seeing you there at the global marketplace of high-end experiential travel!

Coming Soon!

We are in the process of a rebrand to the Smiling Albino identity. To be released in July! Expect the same caring, detailed attention from Smiling Albino with a new and improved company website!

Good for a laugh!

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

NEW on Google+ and Pinterest: Now even easier to connect and stay up to date with us!

Contact: Get a hold of us any time.

The post Don’t waste your valuable time! – Albino Smiles, July 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.