Page 120 - Microsoft Word - Guiding light final version 1855 1306.doc

a good memory. All the cuddles at the airport and sometimes tears because you would never meet again. And then a card arrives from soandso, and you think: who the heck was that, and you do not have a clue....
‘It must be the favourite part of the job of every guide, that interaction with people. It is the most satisfying part. And if you, as a guide, do not enjoy people anymore and become blasé about your guests, then it is time to give up guiding.
‘People can also be sometimes the most annoying part of the tour, or the most hilarious part of the job. I have had real belly laughs and a sore belly the next morning with all this laughter. Either with the guests, or, sometimes, with the driver about the guest: driving past Dalwhinnie Distillery once I mentioned that this is the highest distillery in Scotland at ca 450m. Then I heard the woman behind me say to her friend: “This is another useless bit of information (ANOTHER??) when you don’t know what the sea level is in Scotland.
‘In the 1990s were quite a few elderly Germans in the group who had been prisoners of war in Scotland. They usually had very good and fond memories of that period and it was a particular delight when I was able to find the family (the prisoners did farmwork) and they were able to visit the farm and the people they knew. Not often, because of course the then young farmers themselves were now elderly as well. One of the most moving moments was the old man, probably late 80ties or early 90ties, who stood in South Queensferry at the pier with tears in his eyes and holding on to the railing. I cautiously asked if everything was ok and he told me: his grandfather was a bridgebuilder and had been involved with building the railway bridge. He vividly remembers that he sat as a four year old on his grandfather’s knees and saw black and white photographs of the bridge getting built, and listened to the stories of his granddad. All his life he wanted to visit... but... there were two wars and no money and now, only now, towards the end of his own life, was he able to fulfill that childhood dream.
My husband had worked part time as a driver for chauffeuring companies for a while, when we decided to buy a vehicle and do this together, he as driver and me as guide. 10 years we did this together, and it was the best part of my guiding career, a brilliant part of our life together. He was responsible for the car, and I was responsible for programming and guiding and the people. We have so many happy memories to share, and so many of our clients became repeat visitors and ultimately our friends. One of the best tours was with a family, who loved it so much they wanted to return the following year. The father phoned and said: “you know what we like, you know what the children like, you know the accommodation we like, you put together a 10 day programme”. This is a dream for a guide of course, and it was all a big surprise for them, they did not want to know anything beforehand. We picked them up at the airport and the girls went first swimming with sharks at Deep Sea World.
It is usually by chance you meet, just leaving the early breakfast when another group arrives for breakfast and you realise that their guide is one of your best friends - you just did not know you spent the night in the same hotel. Meeting other guides by chance was always great fun. This is one of the reasons why the Parliament contract was so good. You met your colleagues regularly for a chat. I loved the four years in Parliament, it was hard and 3-4
tours in a day was very tiring (usually collapsed in Clarindas), but a good experience. And, of course, it changed the STGA forever. For a while I took part in assessing guides, my future colleages, and I may have made enemies then, so sorry. I was quite strict! but hope that advice and feedback was helpful. I liked that part very much, I got to know many guides and got to know them well and it kept me in touch.
I left the best for the end. We have all experienced it, the heavy rain that turns Glenshiel and Skye into one big waterfall...the everchanging clouds... the day when it rains more or less the whole day and the roads are wet except it never rains where you are with the group! The numerous rainbows that have disappeared when you finally stop for the photo and the three weeks of uninterrupted sunshine and heat that is nearly a bit boring. The mountain in bright sun that you never noticed before, the spiderwebs covering all greenery on a foggy morning, and all the birds and squirrels and dolphins and all that. And the basking shark swimming just for you when the group has gone for their lunch.
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