WALK THIS WAY...TALES OF A TOURIST GUIDE
This, my first book, is my take on tourist guiding and tour directing. It is available on Bank house books which is a small digital publisher - ie the book cannot be bought in bookshops but is available over the internet or through the online/telpehone shops attached to Guardian, Telegraph, etc. Or it can be bought for me for £7:50 inc post and packing - cheque to Edwin lerner at 74 Saltoun Road, London SW2 1ER. Fifteen chapters outlining how guiding developed and what is involved with some personal reflections, a few half decent jokes, personal enthusiasms and a few pitfalls. Hazel Docherty, who has taken over the London guide training course, has recommended it to her new intake and so hope to have a few orders.
Take-up from colleagues in guiding a bit disappointing but plentyof tour directors bought it, with help of Margaret in gretna green, and a mention in the Guild of Registered Guides newsletter helped. Book explains difference between APTG/Guild/Institute of Tourist Guiding and between guide and tour director.
I liked Andrew Marr's book called My Trade on journalism (something I have dabbled in) and hope that Walk This Way does the same in a modest way for guiding.
Disappointments were not to proof read the book properly before publication - too many typos (largely my fault) and the silly umbrella on the front cover (I hate the things) but it is eye catching. Also lousy photo of me (my fault again - jsut too ugly)
Generally proud of WTW but hope to improve on it if I can get it reprinted.
Off to airport to greet other half who is returning from almost a month's work in Venezuela tomorrow (Leena also in the business).
E

bACK FROM TOUR

Nearly two and a half thousand miles, twelve days, eleven nights, four countries later - I am back from the first of the Britain and Ireland series on Trafalgar's 2006 programme. Interesting to compare it with the last of the 2005 series which i also did (certain kudos there in taking the first and last tours out - but neither had many people so earning opportunities limited).
The HOTELS generally improved or equal - more central in Cardiff, better hotel (worse location) in Dublin, plenty of Holiday Inns in Uk which are usually quite good but not always in good location. Trafalgar Tours (TT) has cut out the visit to Wedgwood centre and the dinner in Edinburgh which people liked but programme otherwise much the same and optional excursions largely unchanged.
OPTIONALS are important for a tour but some people think more should be included up front. Many people sign for all the excursions but some make a selection. Very few do none - usually those who expected everything to be included in price they paid in Australia, US, Canada, etc. Does give people a chance to fashion their own tour - some prefer to go shopping/exploring, others like to see everything and want choices made for them. Generally not a problem as long as people do not think they are being pushed into buying excursions or abandoned if they do not.
Only major prob on this tour was with driver ... who I normally get along fine with, but I said to some passengers that we would drop them off at hotel in Heathrow which is not an official hotel for company. We had a very easy last day and I did not hink it would take long but Ian was not amused especially when I offered to drop off some at Oxford train station as well! I just hate chucking people onto the street at the end of the tour to get a taxi. Seems silly to look after people for twelve days and then abandon them just for the sake of finishing a few minutes earlier. But atmosphere a bit frosty at end of tour, especially when one of those we dropped off failed to tip! (Major cloud over front of coach after that.)
Schedule changed to do extra (unpaid) prep work on future tours for company - agreed through gritted teeth. In fact, my reaction to this pretty much like that of driver to my extra drop offs - work for nothing without reward. Pot and kettle, I suppose.
E

Off on tour

The day before the tour - all the domestic things which you normally do in your evening/weekend times have to be fitted into one frantic day - as well as packing (just about got it right after twenty years on the road but usually forget something) and preparing excursions, contacting driver, hotels, guides, etc. How did we manage without the mobile phone - the introduction of which I, incidentally, opposed until more or less obliged to get one - and soon found it indispensable.
This is a typical twelve day britain and ireland tour, the itinerary as follows:

Day one; up at five, at work by six, first pick-up at seven, finish pick-ups at eight(?) and then straight to Stonehenge via Windsor and Runnymede for an hour, hour and a half at Salisbury, two (?) hours at Bath and then to Cardiff for overnight stay, welcome drinks, dinner and bed.

Day two, look at cardiff, with an optional visit to castle, maybe visit to wooden spoon make (better fun than it sounds) and on to ferry across irish sea, then drive to Wexford

Day three, drive to Waterford for visit to Crystal centre, off to Blarney to kiss the stone at Bl castle, then to Killarney with ride on jaunting cars weather permitting.

Day four, scenic drive around Ring of Kerry into mountains by Atlantic ocean with photo stops in morning,
then on to Limerick where we go out to Ceili - dinner and informal entertainment. This tour (first of year) will bring us to Limerick on St Patrick's night, which should be fun, but we have to be there early as Dolan's pub expected to be crowded.

Day five, optional visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park followed by lunch in Galway and view of Galway Bay to sound of some irish crooner singing the song, then long punch across Ireland to Dublin for two nights.

Day six - leisure day in Dublin with city tour, possible optional excursion, time to see Book of Kells at Trinity college and night out with music, dinner and Irish coffee for those who want it.

Day seven - early start for fery back over Irish sea to North Wales, maybe photo stop at Conway, possible excursion to Liverpool (Beatles always popular) and overnight in Chester where we have about an hour and half to explore.

Day eight - up to Scotland through Lake District with an hour in Grasmere and lunch at Gtrena Green, will probably do tour of castle and city (included for all) on arrival to leave time for shopping etc on

Day nine - Edinburgh day with free time, excursion to Trossachs (I call it 'A Taste of the Highlands') and Burns night in Stirling - the big shows are not running yet, don't start till April/May - so we have to find small scale dinners with entertainment for those who want something to do in the evenings (I will devote a whole blog to optional excursions later).

Day ten - off to Jedburgh, Hadrian's Wall for photo stop, then York in afternoon, with walking tour and possible visit to York Minster, then dinner in pub on way to Harrogate hotel.

Day eleven - according to itinerary 'free time in Harrogate' - big deal - will probably go to Sherwood Forest after usual early start and then try to make Stratford for lunch instead of Coventry which we will go to in morning of

Day twelve - demob fever makes us want to finish early but people must not feel rushed back to London ("Just hurry, don't rush" I usually say). However, Coventry worth at most an hour in morning then photo stop at Churchill's grave in Bladon and tour and time in Oxford before returning to London to - hopefully - open some bulging envelopes on return (my tips, not my mail, stoopid).

Tour director should always stick to itinerary but you are justified in changing running order a little to give people more time in places of interest. A few extras such as Sherwood forest always go down well.

So, back on the road. Will update on return or earlier if I can get hang of posting by email.

Eddie

tourguideddie post one

Bang goes my virginity - on the internet anyway. I am going to use this blog to stay in touch with clients and colleagues from the tour business, so people can log on if they have been on tour with me, read my book or are just curious about the tour guiding business. I will be sounding off about things that interest or annoy me and plugging my work and writing as well as keeping in touch, something I am not that good at, coming into contact with hundreds of people who I cannot always remember.
I combine freelance blue badge tour guiding in London with round Britain and Ireland tour directing with Trafalgar Tours and enjoy both - but not at the same time. I have also written a book on tour guiding and directing called Walk this Way, available on Bank House Books or through. Respong with email address for more details and free sample chapters.
Off to bed early as I have American student group for Stonehenge and Bath tomorrow and I like eight hours sleep if I am working.