Hi, I’d just like to take the time to appreciate the local guides all around us, and how they make my everyday life easier. I’ve also found a passion for how to do my bit as a contributor in this world wide eco-system.
I travel… a lot! This means that I constantly find myself in new environments. And although the place is new, I do get a familiar and reliable source of rich information with both images and reviews. This is perfect for me when I book hotels, finding a new place to eat, or simply would like to have a stroll around town.
Previously, I was bound to either do proper research, or simply take a bit of a gamble. Both for business and pleasure. Local Guides and Google Maps have revolutionized the way we visit places, but we rarely talk about it. Reviews, pictures and ratings of any place listed, simply gives me the confidence to proceed our not. Not only that, the pictures provide a glimpse of what to expect when I arrive and they bring some excitement to an experience that could’ve been dull and boring.
When taking advantage of such rich content, it spurred me to become an active contributor. Both for fun, and to be able to give back and guide others through my experiences. Let’s not forget about the fun in the challenge of scoring as many views as possible of each picture shared.
My main passion is sharing pictures, with hotels as my primary target. I want each hotel room I stay at properly splashed with images and a concise review to top it off. I want to show others what to expect, in the same way as I look at pictures and reviews when I book a room. I use a phone with an ultra wide angle (LG V40) in order to provide an overall encompassing view of each room.
Actually sharing a picture and a review of an unusual place, (not only hotels) gives me true satisfaction. I see it as a challenge to reach as many views as possible of my pictures and reviews. That means that the pictures will need to stick out a bit, which challenges me to take creative pictures while retaining usefulness. The satisfaction of seeing pictures racking up some serious views 
A huge thank you goes out to all other local guides who simply make life just that little bit easier.
And if you’re not a Local Guide just yet, why not join? It’s fun, challenging, satisfying and makes this planet just a little bit better!
PS. One of my favorite emails of the month is the Local Guide update, highlighting new contributions as well as total views from my pictures,
Over and out
Dave Montanya