By: Margyle
How many times have you found yourself on the open road thinking: ‘I know someone who would love this!’? Chances are if you have friends or interests aside from gazing at yourself in a mirror, this thought has crossed your mind. It’s amazing how often we travellers put the enjoyment of others ahead of our own needs, forsaking insurance for the selfless act of travel scouting. Noble globetrotters, we are.
How wicked would it be if our job was to give recommendations to other travellers? Instead of scrimping and saving, someone else could foot the bill! (Note: If this is your job or if you are the beneficiary of some sort of trust fund and find the concept of payment for goods/services to be foreign, you have my loathing contempt). Of course it could get tedious like any other job, or you could become depressed by the notion of solely serving the whims of your patrons… but on the other hand, free trips! Wee!
I have never been fortunate enough to be sent somewhere solely to enjoy it and report back, but I have done a little scouting of my own. During my last trip abroad, I was doing some recon for my mom and grandparents – they were hoping to use my judgment to gauge whether the hot spots of Italy were suited to older travellers with reduced mobility.
This may put off some people but I found it added a whole new element to my sightseeing. Things I may have only given a cursory glance to before, such as the narrow corridors/confined spaces of the route to the Sistine Chapel or the relative ease of passage on the Via dell’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola in Cinque Terre jumped out at me. Much like studying a novel in school makes you aware of certain ideas and details, travel became better with purpose.
After returning home, I applied this methodology to my previous trips and realized there’s a whole new side to travelling that I really enjoy. It’s great to get out there and see things just for the sake of seeing them, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Sure, it can be a bit tricky when you’re looking for people with very different interests than yourself or out of your age group, but so long as you try new things and ensure your grandparents get travel insurance over 65 years of age (even if you skip it), you can be a great travel scout without doing anything extravagant.
And think of the karma!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I think we should start a business where people give us their interests, etc. and we charge to go around the world finding places off-the-beaten-path we think they would like. Lucrative? Doubt it. Fun? Heck yeah.
I’d be game for that!
and they pay us a GAZZILLIIOONNN DOLLARS?????
Interesting,
That’s a good idea, and I can see beneficial uses for someone to be hired to scout ahead for them but with information at their fingertips he information is already there (although probably hard to find). Two things come to mind and this is kind of neat I am not the only one thinking of similar ideas.
1. I saw an article awhile back about how people pay for a stuffed animal to travel with a traveler and photos get taken with the stuffed animal they purchased in the photos and they get to view them online and this caters to people who can’t afford to travel but they can afford to live through the photos/stuffed animals to take a dream vacation for them.
2. I have a umber of disabilities but I am quite independent and its nice to know whether a particular facility has elevators, wide corridors a place I want to visit has lots of hills or none(but I can see pictures of that). Also being able to get pictures of what things look like (such as signage, buses, trams, street signs) all of this is beneficial as it will tell a traveler how to identify what type of signage it is, how they are positioned. I am sure anyone can figure this out sooner or later (assuming they can?).
I booked a stay at a hostel I have no idea if there are elevators but I could email and ask (and I will) I already requested an adjustment to my sleeping accommodations and they are fully aware of it but what if I had photos showing me narrow stairways or wide stairways or possibly a sign indicating a lift/elevator I would be able to better understand/know what to do although again it can be figured out I suppose?
So I’d say your ideas are possible but to what end?
I would love to go find out if it would be easy for a blind person to get around or figure out a way for them to get around easier (even with a sighted guide). Or someone wheelchair bound, how would they get to the attraction? Are there any options? If not, would they be satisfied seeing it from the least accessible point?
It’s tough when you factor all those things into it. Can it be done? Absolutely. Will it cost you? Oh you better believe it. Unfortunately there are just some places that aren’t accessible for those with certain disabilities due to older architecture or the physical requirements, but once again, if money is no object there is probably a way around it.
@Alanperlman on twitter has job where he does just that but a bit different. His work sends him places to figure out the cost of living for other employees that they may move to that location. AMAZING.
Lucky bastard!
Yeah that hardly seems fair… but good on him!