Читать книгу Start & Run a Tour Guiding Business - Barbara Braidwood Susan Boyce & Richard Cropp - Страница 54

Maps are like hieroglyphics, and learning to read them efficiently and accurately is a survival skill for any tour professional. Here are some of the points to consider.

(a) Learn how scale and direction translate from the printed page to what is in front of you. You must be able to look at a map and know which side of the bus an attraction will be on or how far away the hotel is — even when you are reading the map upside down.

(b) Certain conventions are common to most maps (for example, north is usually at the top). If you are familiar with the conventions, you will adjust more easily to the idiosyncrasies of a particular map.

(c) Cities and even villages sometimes change overnight. Roads are built or built over, and a shopping mall may spring from what was once open countryside. Several years ago, members of a cycling tour made plans to tent overnight in a small town called Farmer. They arrived at what was supposed to be the center of town, but the only buildings in sight were an abandoned gas station and a farmhouse. Since night was approaching, the tour director knocked on the door of the farmhouse to get directions. “Farmer?” said the owner with a laugh. “Heck, Farmer burned down six years ago.” Make sure your map is up-to-date.

(d) Maps can be a source of information about attractions to include in the tour. Watch for historical site markers and information included in sidebars or inserts.