this is the best job in the world!My first tour is over, I am at a hotel at JFK until I return to the airport to meet my second group.
Said goodbye to the first group last night at 7:30. We had a great tour and they were very happy with their "holiday" and their tour director and their bus driver, as evidenced not only by their words but by the fact that what I earned for the tour was exactly doubled by their gratuities.
I made some wonderful new friends, and learned some funny new phrases to add to my vocabulary, for instance, a lady was telling me about a hotel she once stayed at where the pillows were so thin that she had to "stuff her jumpers" into the pillowcase. This phrase so tickled my funnybone that it became one of the themes of our group. Someone was always threatening to "stuff their jumpers" or someone else's for whatever transgressions, real or imagined. We had a lot of laughs about that.
The group was very warm and good-humored and verbally appreciative of my efforts, which made my job even more rewarding. I never did tell them it was my first tour, and they seemed to think it wasn't so I let that be.
The tour went relatively smoothly, as far as they were concerned anyway. I had a few, shall we say trial-by-fire "learning experiences", but that can only make the next trip more successful.
I took pictures through-out the tour and every night at my hotel I would put the day's pictures into a slide show and show it on the coach the next day. Many people asked me for copies of pictures they were in and I took email addresses to send them. Then I offered to send anyone a cd with all the pictures if they would pay the postage and many of them did that too.
I played music about each state we visited as we drove thru it, (google "songs about..."). And I also bought cd's at local gift shops to add local color to our travel time. I played games, "the first person who can remember..." whatever about what we had seen, or the name of a song or anything else that occurred to me. I gave prizes to the winners, a keychain from the state we were in, or a small trinket from a gift shop. Who doesn't love to win something, no matter how small it may be?
If you would like more details about the tour, visit my blog, it's all there.
I never did bump into Greg, although I looked for him everywhere.
I hope everyone is doing well and can't wait to meet again, in Texas, to share our experiences and have new ones!
Alice
4 comments:
you're going to be our "go to girl" with all this experience under your belt. I'm happy for you. You sound like a seasoned veteran with all the games, etc. Looking forward to seeing you in Texas and hearing more firsthand.
Loved it..I am sure you were laughing at the English sayings we are a little weird !! I am enjoying the trip along with you Thanks for taking the time to blog . The photos are spectacular ! I too would love to ride along... Joan
Hi all.. oh alice, i love living through your blogs.. although im not yet on the road, iv have my tours mentally planned thanks to you and greg.. did u get the 'alert' from ITMI about the dc licensing seminar being offered for $250?? if anyone is interested I have all the materials and copies of the tests DC has given over the past six years.. and Im happy to welcome any of our classmates who would like to use my guest room!! best regards.. mike..
You blow me away! I always knew you would be great at Tour Directing. I have a question. Has anyone gone through the DC license B process? It seems to be rather long.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Megan
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