What’s the most interesting thing you’ve done as a Local Guide?
The most interesting thing I’ve done as a Local Guide is become one by accident.
I caught the travelling bug at 25, on a trip to Turkey with my mum. It was amazing to take in the 3,000 year old caves in Cappadocia, and watch the sun set over the cobalt blue seas in Antalya, breath-taking.
My life changed soon after. I changed gears and started working like a real-life adult and after a solid 6-months of work, I felt like I needed a break, so I booked one. Off to Belgium I went on my first solo trip. I googled cafes to visit in Brussels and boutiques to pop into in Antwerp; it was the best short-break I could’ve asked for. But the penny hadn’t quite dropped yet.
The same would be routine for my latter trips to USA, Singapore, Japan, China, Spain, Greece and so many more in-between. Now it’s important I pause here because I think that’s the only way I can highlight how accidental my becoming a Local Guide was. It wasn’t following my jaw-dropping time as a guest of the Diocese of Singapore touring the amazing botanical indoor Gardens by the Bay. It wasn’t following my celeb-like private walk-through of The Great Wall of China either. It wasn’t even the result of my taking the worst solo trip of my life to Athens, Greece for my birthday (word to the wise: don’t do the same as a single black female in the city centre). No, it was entirely by accident during my time in Rome for work.
I’d searched for a venue we were set to visit for an evening drinks reception, and drew blanks. I was confused…why wasn’t there a description of the venue or photos online? So off we went to the venue, and I guess I had thoughts to share afterwards because before I knew it, I was back on that webpage clicking ‘Add review’. It was that easy. Soon after, I was notified that my review had received a few likes, and people found it useful. In came more prompts from Google to add others. ‘What would it hurt?’ I thought, and soon, I was sharing more thoughts, photos and videos of places I had visited.
I wasn’t regular, and yet, I was moving higher and higher up the ranks. I had somehow become a ‘Local Guide’!
Travelling can be exhilarating but it can also be hugely intimidating if you don’t know where to go or what to expect. Being a Local Guide puts me in the position to be able to help others who were/are none the wiser, like I was once on my first solo trip. To me, that’s exciting.