How to choose the perfect travel companion
Haweswater, Lake District
This is going to seem a bit random at first but please, bear with….
I was out for a walk with my son just before Christmas (Haweswater, Lake District - lovely) and he was telling me about finding an outfit for the office Christmas party. Normally he would order an assortment of clothes from Asos and then try and put together something which worked from the items which fitted. Always ending up with something which was ‘ok’ but not brilliant. And then not quite getting round to sending the rest back. With the result that he effectively spent a lot of money on something which was mediocre at best.
Well, apparently the quality has deteriorated considerably and, at 28, he’s got to the point where he’s thinking “is this the best way to go about choosing clothes?” So he went up to Gretna and was drawn in to Moss Bros. Not somewhere he’d shopped before. He was approached by a friendly woman (he thinks the manager) who asked if she could help. He told her what he needed and she asked a few more questions. She then brought out exactly the right outfit in exactly the right colours for him and in exactly the right size. Without measuring, she knew his size more accurately than he did. She also tied it in with something he was already wearing to complete the outfit. So he ended up walking out with two items which, together with things he already had made a complete outfit which was flattering in both shape and colour and made him feel good about wearing. Of course they were more expensive than Asos - but the quality was significantly better. And the customer service was on a totally different level. He bought two quality items which will last and will go with other items for the same price as several items of lesser quality which he won’t wear more than once or twice, if at all.
When he arrived at the Christmas party he felt confident because he was wearing exactly the right level of ‘smart casual’ required in good quality clothes which suited him. Job done.
So, what has this got to do with choosing your travel companion? Well, you will have spent a lot of money on your holiday and, in choosing a guide to help plan part of your holiday and then accompany you for the day (or more) it is false economy to then go for the cheapest option which is ‘ok but not brilliant’. The last thing you want is to spend money on something which is ‘mediocre at best’.
You probably already know that you want a Blue Badge Guide because you know that we are the professionally trained guides who will do a job to the highest standards. But we’re all different….
You know you want the Moss Bros ‘personal shopper’ service my son received rather than the Asos experience. But there are many other brands out there equivalent to (and better) than Moss Bros. So how do you choose between quality brands? Well in many cases it comes down to personal choice, simply what you like and dislike. What resonates with you….
You might want an expert in industrial heritage or railways (not me) or you might be passionate about gardens and want to spend the day with someone equally enthusiastic (very much me!). I might not be Welsh enough or Cumbrian enough for you. You might prefer a guide who is cracking jokes all the time or knows all the local gossip and loves a good natter (probably not a Blue Badge Guide!)
What it comes down to is having the ability to communicate with the person you are thinking of engaging and seeing how responsive they are to your needs and wants. Do they listen to you or just try and impose their idea of a set itinerary on you? Do they want to do something which is within their comfort zone even if it’s not quite what you want? How do you feel about the initial interaction you have with them - is this someone you can spend a day with? Most guides will have more than enough facts for you - how we interpret them for you varies.
Choosing the perfect travel companion probably comes down to this:
Narrow your field by choosing better quality - ie a Blue Badge Guide
Communicate what you are looking for
Trust the professional to translate that into something which works
Enjoy your holiday knowing that everything is being taken care of and that you are in good hands!