so this is tour directing

WOW. 46 people on the bus. Maybe 5 figured out that I dont know everything that is going on and everybody is having a good time. the driver is excellent, the tour goes out 2 times a day for 6 weeks. there is no mapping on my part. There was just no time. I have FOUR step on guides that are on for more than half of four days out of 7, so I just do big introductions then take tedious notes for a few hours while doing a little commentary and making sure things are clarified when they need to be. I pass the candy, carry the trash can, make small talk, learn names (and use them a lot), and make terrible jokes. I get all pumped up in the morning, eat for free during the day and have a drink for free at night. I made friends with another tour director who is running the parallel tour and she hooked me up with notes. its still hard. there is a man with alzheimers on the bus who is travelling by himself. he got lost today with 45 minutes before we needed to board a ferry to get off marthas vineyard. I ran 2 miles in about 11 minutes trying to find him. couldnt do it!!! I boarded another bus from the same company and searched the town for 3 or 4 miun until we found him at which point we went towards the ferry station as I grabbed the mike on that bus and told them all to look out the door side and try to find the woman that he was with who at that point, must have been hiding in the bushes. they roared!I gave him a big hug and he suddenly looked so relieved. The job is really hard, but the next two tours will be so much easier. sorry for the bad editing, but I have soooooooo much work to do...and wanted to write because I was thinking about you all today.

connecticut here we come!!!

greg