Photo by Austin-Lehman Adventures
A great guide actually knows what he is talking about and can convey his enthusiasm to all ages.
Over the years I have had some wonderful tour guides, and I have had some wretched ones. Why the difference? Some of the traits, such as dedication to, and passion for, the job are obvious. But Dan Austin, co-founder and director of Austin-Lehman Adventures, cites a few traits than can make a guide not merely good but great. For instance:
Having ESP. No, really. The best guides are naturally intuitive, with the innate ability to foretell what a guest is thinking or wanting.
Handling the unexpected. They have a Plan B ready in case of such things as sudden weather changes, lodging snafus and road delays.
Multi-tasking.They can quickly switch from chauffeur, coach,and doctor, to teacher, culinary wizard, athlete, mechanic, social worker and psychologist.
Having a sense of humor. They can help even the most bashful particpants break out of their shells , thus creating bonds among strangers.
Yes, there are times when even independent travelers wish they had a good guide around when confusion crops up. Everyone can use a guardian angel now and then.
Fascinating fact
New York's Central Park, consisting of 843 acres, is almost twice as big as the country of Monaco, with 485 acres. In 56 minutes, the average person can walk across the width of Monaco, which is the second smallest country in the world, after Vatican City, which has 108 acres.
See Cirque du Soleil in Toronto, for free
As part of Toronto's Luminato Festival, Cirque du Soleil will give free performances on the city's waterfront, June 12-14. That, of course, is just one of many events during the festival, June 5-14.
For festival details, including other free events and money-saving packages, go to www.luminato.com.
Worth quoting
The wise traveler learns not to repeat successes but tries new places all the time.
-- Paul Fussell
An online magazine all about Hawaii
Some say that one day we may real all of our magazines electronically. In any event, you can now read about Hawaii in that manner. The Magazine is published by the vacation-planning website Hawaii.com, with breezy page-turning technology. The first issue contains features about what you don't know about our 50th state, Father Damien, the whales of Maui, Kualoa Ranch, and the isle of Lanai.
Visit www.hawaii.com/magazine.
Summer savings on cruises in France
France Cruises, which conducts luxury canal and river sailings, has cut prices for July and August. One example: A $2,000-per-couple discount is available on July 25 and Aug. 15 departures of the 16-day rand Exploration of France. Cruisegoers spend a week in Southern France aboard the MV Princesse de Provence, embarking and disembarking in Lyon. After an included TGV transfer to Paris halfway through the trip, they board the MV Cezanne for a week-long cruise, embarking and disembarking in Paris. Eleven guided land excursions are included. Prices start at $2,925 per person.
For details, click here. For information on all trips, visit www.francecruises.com.
Trivial question
By area (not population), what is the largest municipality in the United States? (Answer Tuesday.)
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