My name is Jéssica Cervantes, I am a Local Guide level 7 and I love traveling! The contributions that Local Guides make on the map have helped me so much in the decisions I make in some trips.
When planning a trip and during it, Google Maps is one tool that cannot be missing. I use it mainly for three things:
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To decide where to stay. I search the hotels in the city I’m visiting, I read the reviews that people share about their experience, the pictures they post of the rooms, the bathrooms, pool (when applies), etc. I love the way you can arrange some filters to show, for example, only the places with 4 stars and above. I use that a lot.
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To decide what to visit. I can easily find a place where to have a good traditional plate; a bar with live rock music; a good viewpoint; the nearest national park; a good grocery store; an activity center like skiing for example; a worthy museum, etc. I kind of know what to expect from every place based on the experience people share.
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To decide what roads to take. As any traveler in a new city, we don’t know how to get to some places. Last month I traveled to the East side of Canada. I had to travel from Montréal to Quebec City. There was a snowstorm and it was not going to be an easy trip. We could see in the map that there were some car accidents across the main road. So we could decide to take an alternative road with less traffic and also based on the location of a gas station and unlike others, it was still open (it was getting kind of late and we were running out of gas). Thanks to that help, it was a successful trip.
I know every little contribution I make can help someone make a decision when traveling to my home city, Guadalajara, México (and I have the idea that it can also help the owners of the businesses as a feedback to know what they can improve), so every time I have the chance to help, I do it. Whether it is sharing my experience and some pictures of the place (specially of food), correcting wrong information or adding a missing place.
Sometimes when some friends see that I’m taking pictures to add to the map they ask me if I am paid to do so, I tell them that I do it to help others the way I’ve been helped. And it’s very satisfying when I receive the emails from the Google team about my contributions with the number of people that have seen them, it gives a boost to keep going .