As a life long Londoner that travels a lot for work and leisure, I’ve always loved discovering new and interesting places wherever I go. That means either searching online for that vegan restaurant that everyone is raving about or wondering around looking for the hidden places to visit in Paris that most people might just walk by without a second glance. Since I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many a variety of places, I’ve always been acutely aware of how best I can show my gratitude and appreciation for those particularly stand out spots and let others know to look out for them and hopefully have the same or better experiences that I had. Being a fan of modern technology and a wondering spirit, it seemed only natural that I should stumble upon the Local Guides program and find myself making regular use of it. Being a local guide, means when I go outside I’m now constantly trying to explore the world with others around me (even if only through my device) and finding a means to give back to the businesses and people whose services and experience I was lucky enough to come across.
Although I entered the Local Guides program almost entirely by accident, replying to a Location based notification on my phone then getting into the habit of rating and answering questions as prompted. Becoming a local guide has meant that, now when I travel, look to my device and the community contained within, as the first and last thing I check to see where I’ve been or where I should go and what I can contribute either in the way of a rating or through clarifying dietary suitability of a menu or nearby available facilities and other useful information that others might appreciate.
That’s why to me, the Local Guides program means a greater sense of exploration, encouraging me to turn left when I might turn right and allowing me the opportunity to give back to the community and share with the world places that might interest someone else too.