Good post. I agree with your comments.

No You're not paying not to have an adventure. You're paying to make the best use of restricted time.
If you only have 2 weeks to commit to a trip in a faraway land such as India an organized trip wins hands down for many people. If you have 4 weeks plus to spare a diy trip is probably the better choice.
I would love to fly into India or Thailand with no time limit, hire a bike and just take off. If I've only got 2 weeks available and the poorly prepared bike I organized via the internet turns out to be a pile of crap on the 2nd day I've got a ruined trip and another 12 months before I can look forward to another one. If the same thing happens on a 2 month break it becomes part of the adventure.
An organized tour may not be hard-core adventure travel to many but it sure beats getting a suntan on the Costa del Sol or drinking yourself stupid in an all inclusive resort in Tunisia

I call that BALANCE. It's all a matter of attitude.

I've sytematically avoided anything organized, but I'm not 50, have 3 kids and only a week a year to enjoy a good ride (or paragliding trip or whatever other aim). Maybe you just want to ride, visit some nice places and be sure to find fresh linens and a hot shower at the end of a long day, so that one week later you can still join in shape your family in Costa del Sol. He's not looking for "adventure", which is not all in life, but intentionally avoiding it. And once back, he's just a humble boy who enjoyed a beautiful trip.

Linking with Linzi's point, we may think about an arrogant guy with a shiny and Touratech farkled 1200GS parked in front of a bar and talking loud about his adventure in Southern Africa. It's annoying and you may think "what adventure, an organized adventure? Why didn't you go on you shiny BMW?" Anyone who has read ABR magazine may have seen many of those with a idiotic macho attitude. But I hope that shouldn't discredit the 50 y/o guy who has another approach.

DIGRESSION: I am among the lowest percentile of adventurous people here, so I never use that word, which sounds too big for me. I prefer "the unexpected". I hardly plan, so it does not happen so much, but when it does, I sort of enjoy it, especially at the end since usually things turn up well (it helps that I do not try to reach solo the north Pole in winter). I understand the "adventurous" approach we may share here, but to be honest, most of us work on a desk in front of a screen, so an independent trip, even if a long one, doesn't make us to become Herman Melville on a whaleboat, Jack London in Klondike or Shackelton in Antarctica or many other anonymous ones. Very few took that road.

In the same sense, I'm really annoyed when people say all the time that places are "very touristy". I try to be polite and just forget it, but once I had to say: "I'm also pissed that you are here". Uppss, sorry, Tikal Mayan pyramids are very touristy and I would also love to have them for me alone to see the sunset in total peace, instead of hearing your boring comments. But they are so wonderful that they are opened to everyone, so expect crowds even during the rainy season. Why didn't you take a machete and an Indian guide to take you to other ruins lost in the jungle? Ah, you only have to weeks to visit Yukatan, Belize and Guatemala, so you don't have time, otherwise you would do it... (this thoughts inside me).

All those Red Bull sponsored sports, Go Pro Hero cameras and adrenaline junkies pegged to 9-5 jobs are making things more incongruent to my eyes (looks like I joined the bunch, since I'm considering buying a helmet camera!).

Esteban

Yes, I stand corrected. I always forget that some people are restricted by commitments and then a tour makes sense. But I still feel they lose out on a real adventure, actually there should be no need to say, "real".
Adventure comes from a certain level of risk and being pushed beyond what the rider thinks they can manage. Some people get this from their jobs and don't need to seek it on travel.

Lindsay.

Probably that's a more appropriate definition of "adventure" and mine is unnecesarily restrictive (and tied to literature?). Well, maybe I'm shy to use it when I'm concerned... or hyperbolic or out of place when adventure means taking a chicken bus or a tuk tuk, but then again there are other cases as you pointed. I said balance before, that applies to myself as well.

personally I think adventure is different for everyone , for some and adventure is a trip to the shops whilst for others unless its -30 then its not even starting to be an adventure. I can only do shortish trips 3-4 weeks so to make it an adventure for me i pick a country to head for on my bike and a date to leave and that is the extent of the planning it always turns into an adventure of some sort.

oh and I take a go pro haha

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

Every bodies opinion or person level of Adventure is different. For some people even to visit Africa/India/replace with any third world country or continent etc, is frightening/worrying and an adventure. For others Antartica is a regular destination, but travelling solo on a bike might be a no, no!
We are all different - Horses for courses?

But come on Austin - £170 for a set of diy overalls - you are having a laugh!

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ChrisC

Is it just me ...

to notice the unusual nick name behind the thread?



Gotta be a Polish sense of humor there

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With some of the prices I wonder who is 'pulling' whos?

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'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

The latest Austin Adventure: https://www.facebook.com/mondosahara

Not sure if this is a real 'tour' or paid tour, either way, sounds like great fun!

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Rallying for A Wild Life — THE FILM!
http://igg.me/at/AWildLife

www.LorraineChittock.com
www.facebook.com/lorraine.chittock

I saw an unusually high number of "likes"...

Austin is as we speak on his way to the Sahara, with a few others to day they where in Almiera waiting for a boat
http://corpsesfromhell.blogspot.co.u...do-sahara.html
calling it monduro sahara

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We are the Pilgrims, Master, we shall go Always a little further: it may be beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or that glimmering sea.

Start saving for the talks, books and dvd's.

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'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

we are organising our 3rd annual reunion of the round the world trip we did. This year we are meeting up at the HU meeting in England. So often overlooked is the social side of taking a tour.

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Compass expeditions adventure motorcycle tours