Life aboard a coach

EVERY coach operator is different, every tour is different, and every group is different.

NZ bus tours

REGULARS of coach touring enjoy the idiosyncrasies that each new escorted tour brings. Every operator is different, every tour is different, and every group is different.

Protocols, routines, and sometimes unwritten rules are established, and also easily abandoned based on the dynamics of a group. It’s all about going with the flow - it is a holiday after all.

Even fluid types need some kind of heads-up to get a sense of how things work, tough. So here’s the definitive, ever -changing, sometimes obvious, guide to ‘Life Aboard a Coach’. (Thanks to AAT Kings and ATP for additional insights.)

Nametags
Before you begin your tour, you need to get kitted out with a nametag. Oh no. Oh yes - nametags have the power to polarise personality types.

But be upbeat about wearing your name tag. It doesn’t have to be for the whole tour - although some will enjoy that too. Wear it for the first few days at least, as it really does help with introductions and getting to know your fellow travellers.

And it helps the driver and tour directors too, who cleverly remember names quickly.
 

Seating
OK, so you’ve got your name tag on, and now your instinct is to bolt to the bus to lock in a window seat. While I’ve certainly employed this ‘survival of the fittest’ tactic myself, you just end up creating a spectacle. This is a classic trap for young players.

That’s because, many tour companies have seating rotation throughout the tour, which usually kicks in on the second day, once window hog shenanigans have settled.

The “rule” allows everyone the opportunity of a window seat and a chance to sit up front at the super-dooper window.

This arrangement also helps on a social level as well - you get to sit next to someone different each day.

Protocol aside, seats are comfortable and reclinable with footrests and seatbelts, and have access to individual air conditioning vents (for heating and cooling) and a handy pouch for storing items such as reading material, drinks and nibbles.

Onboard loo
Hooray for convenience. Most coaches have a toilet facility on board – a windowless section at the back of the bus. And surprisingly it’s not the no-go zone novelty that you may have thought, or for emergency use only.

At the beginning of the tour, you’ll most likely be introduced to the “amenity”, its operation, flushing mechanism and safety guidelines - hold on tight - and encouraged to use it.

There’s no shame in visiting the onboard loo, and there’s little danger in becoming “the one” if you do use it. It’s good to stretch your legs, anyway.

Comfort Stops
Not content with the onboard loo? Then the “comfort stop” might be the thing for you. Comfort stops are usually scheduled at intervals up to 21/2 hours, offering a chance to use a larger, more familiar facility, also known in the game as a “rest station”. Such pleasantries.

The comfort stop, off course, also allows for a chance to stretch your legs, explore a little, and grab a drink and a bite to eat.

New Zealand is a big country, and on some of the longer trips that cover both the North and South Island, you can be on the road for up to half a day. Hello comfort stop.

Entertainment
Onboard entertainment presents itself in many forms, including conversations with fellow passengers, cheery commentary from the tour director, and the electronic distractions of flat screen TVs, CD and DVD players and iPod connectivity in the cabin area.

A couple of TVs screens usually hang from the aisle ceiling, which tour directors can field requests for movies to play on, along with music choices. During a trip to Invercargill, The World's Fastest Indian, a movie about a local speed bike racer played. Very thoughtful.

Along the way, tour directors share stories, tips and insights and work hard for the enjoyment of travellers. But guess what? Tipping isn’t expected - discretionary only. What will the Americans make of it?

And of course, there’s no forgetting the greatest entertainment onboard - the ever changing outside scenery viewed from a panoramic window.

Farewells
Every tour ends with a farewell dinner and drinks, where mutual travel experiences, highlights, anecdotes and laughs are shared. Sometimes a list of email addresses is circulated.

You will have certainly met a motley bunch of passengers - of all ages and travel experience. And you may have been surprised by who you connected with.

Not all farewells are forever though. It’s not uncommon for people to take a future tour with newly formed friends.
And they’ll in turn be happy to share tips with the latest batch of newbies - and quite possibly help shape the new “rules” of coach touring.