i then took a different tack i checked forums on the internet where the issue had been discussed. On the Fodor's site, a commenter identified as "nytraveler" wrote, "i'm a tourist. i go to all sorts of places independently and want to see how locals live. i go to typical restaurants and cafes -- but i want to see all the major sights (as well as some minor ones). At the end of the day, i want a comfy hotel room with a comfy hotel room with AC, room service, and TV with a gazillion channels -- and a good concierge. i have a friend who is a traveler. She has been up the Amazon (in a canoe, not a river boat), has lived in a yurt in Mongolia, and stayed in a lot of small towns around the world without the amenities (places with limited electricity and hot water) that i expect.