OLYMPIC GOLD?
First two Olympic tours last week and I have not felt so relieved for a long time that they both went well. Coach tour on Wednesday with group from U3A (university of third age) Watford. 55 in a school coach with driver who did not know East End but we managed fine with a bit of help from AtoZ and a recce on Tuesday when I met Victoria Herriot who helped out. My pal Steve drove me around only to find that his brakes went just outside Dome - North Greenwich Arena in Olympic speak, rather than old name Dome or new name O2 arena (O2 not Olym sponsors).
Victoria was also there at walking tour on Friday, which was a mixed blessing as she knows the Olympics history, site and stories so well I am bound to look ignorant in comparison with her. However, sometimes a pared down version is better, depending on audience. I had nine in my small group while she had a pre-booked party of about twenty. I set off after her to pick up any stragglers and by the time I reached the first stop at Three Mills ten minutes later I expected her to be finished but she was still merrily talking. After I had exhausted my repertoire I just walked past and took up position at the vieqwpoint overlooking Canary wharf in one direction and sewage works in the other and ploughed on. I extended the walk farther than I orginally thought I would to take up the time and we finished on about and hour and fifty minutes, which was plenty. The group gave modest clap and seemed reasonably pleased, having asked and answered plenty of question.
On both tours I threw in a quiz for people to bring in stories of past Olympics which is where most of the interest lies for people, particularly British ones. Could maybe do with some more information on buildings and architectural devlopments but these are less interesting than triumph against the odds tales.
Incidentally, tried on Thursday to walk all the way around the site - impossible as trail dies out at North end when you come up to motorway. Exhausting anyway. Walking tours hard work and not as lucrative as invoiced coach work as you only earn from each person who shows up.
Olympics touring not exactly a gold mine but could be a useful extra source of cash until 2012. Walk leaves from Bromley by Bow tube station daily, £8 (£5 concessions). See you there...
Victoria was also there at walking tour on Friday, which was a mixed blessing as she knows the Olympics history, site and stories so well I am bound to look ignorant in comparison with her. However, sometimes a pared down version is better, depending on audience. I had nine in my small group while she had a pre-booked party of about twenty. I set off after her to pick up any stragglers and by the time I reached the first stop at Three Mills ten minutes later I expected her to be finished but she was still merrily talking. After I had exhausted my repertoire I just walked past and took up position at the vieqwpoint overlooking Canary wharf in one direction and sewage works in the other and ploughed on. I extended the walk farther than I orginally thought I would to take up the time and we finished on about and hour and fifty minutes, which was plenty. The group gave modest clap and seemed reasonably pleased, having asked and answered plenty of question.
On both tours I threw in a quiz for people to bring in stories of past Olympics which is where most of the interest lies for people, particularly British ones. Could maybe do with some more information on buildings and architectural devlopments but these are less interesting than triumph against the odds tales.
Incidentally, tried on Thursday to walk all the way around the site - impossible as trail dies out at North end when you come up to motorway. Exhausting anyway. Walking tours hard work and not as lucrative as invoiced coach work as you only earn from each person who shows up.
Olympics touring not exactly a gold mine but could be a useful extra source of cash until 2012. Walk leaves from Bromley by Bow tube station daily, £8 (£5 concessions). See you there...
posted by tourguideddie at 2:39 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home