I often feel we are not alone on what we experience in this world. Whether it is sad or joyful, everything is for humans. That’s the reason why I enjoy sharing on Google Maps. It is quite an empowering experience. I believe the reviews are useful to both local businesses and also to the travelers/customers. Local businesses get the chance to improve themselves when the review is poorly. Meanwhile, the good reviews make the businesses more visible on the map. I often read reviews of the restaurants or tourist attractions before I travel. I mostly pay attention if the place is family-friendly as I, myself, have a young family. When I write reviews, I try to judge through this perspective as well. However, I believe being a local guide is not only about finding the best restaurant or cafe. I think we also comfort people by letting them know what to expect whether it be an advice on not to wear sandals when visiting some Roman ruins or putting a small B&B on map, where dogs are allowed.
Recently, when a relative of ours was visiting us, she unfortunately fell and broke her leg. We locally searched for places where we can rent a wheelchair since her mobility was affected. Until this experience, I never searched for such a shop and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Two shops near me that I have located on Google Maps didn’t have long reviews, just star ratings. One of these shops was really helpful, so I immediately wrote a review for them after renting a wheel chair and a ramp. I believe in future anyone with mobility needs could take comfort in knowing that this shop ticks many boxes when it comes to wheelchair rentals. Similar examples can be given for tourist attractions and/or hotels, last thing I would like is a bad surprise while travelling either it is for leisure or business. So, in short I enjoy being a local guide, because it empowers me and others.