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I WISH to share my experience of a ruined vacation in Japan, in the hope that fellow vacationers would pay extra attention when booking their holidays, especially as the Natas Fair is starting soon.
When I made my tour booking with the staff of SA Tours - which is accredited by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) - I inquired and was assured that the tour guide would speak English as I do not speak Mandarin.
But I was surprised when I met the tour guide on the day of travel - he insisted that mine was a 'strictly Mandarin-speaking' tour. When I pointed out that I was assured I would get a guide who could speak English, he replied that I should complain to the tour agency.
This exchange happened at 6.30am at the airport and the SA office was closed. Left with no recourse, I had to proceed with the tour. Consequently, I sat at the back of the bus during the entire tour in Japan, neither understanding nor learning anything much about the places I visited.
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