Pieter Geldenhuys 0832884944
www.pgtops.com
Specializes in fun day tours around Cape Town. Welcome to my life...
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About Me
- Pieter G
- In the ongoing quest to meet interesting people, drink new wines and learn new things, I have decided to open my own tourism company. This is the story of how it goes...
Part 1
ReplyDeleteHello Pieter
Firstly - as a Tourist Guide that has been in the industry for quite some time now, and a prospective new member of CTGA, I take it that this Blog has been established for new guides to get into contact with- and introduce themselves- to the rest of the trade. I have also come to the conclusion, after being able to attend the recent meeting on the to the Tourism Second Amendment Act no. 70, 2000, and being encouraged to become a member, that it is not really necessary to be operating as a "lone ranger", which has been the case for the last twelve years or so, that I've been permanently engaged as a free-lance guide.
I am sure that I am not unique in this regard, and it is most likely, that there are other guides that operate without a network or support base, out there. I have decided that I will, hence forth, take the onus upon myself to promote this feature amongst fellow guides that I come into contact with, and are not aware of its existence.
There are also other pitfalls and potential dangers, like for example the recent spate of ATM-fraud cases and card skimming during the last couple of years, that some of our clients have been subjected to, and which I trust, and believe has been sufficiently addressed by the banking sector. I am aware of tourists that have been targeted in relatively “safe” environments like O.R. Tambo International Airport, for example.
Whilst on that subject – have you ever tried to print any documents at the above mentioned airport? In the past, Post-Net had a comprehensive business service running at the airport, but at the moment, one cannot even print anything from a memory stick or CD, neither, is there even a copying facility at the only existing service of its kind here, namely Telkom. Hopefully Post-Net will return to operate here once more, as the existing service is as useful as a car without wheels.
Another example is for instance, the closure and maintenance being done at the Golden Gate Protea Hotel, which is at present being re-furbished, and which I regularly visit as part of the tours that I conduct, doing the walk up to Holkrans and back. I am not sure of the exact current state of affairs here, but as far as I am aware of, at the moment, it is not possible to make use of the ablution facilities or the parking area for tour coaches. Also the conservation fees needs to be paid at Glen Reenen first, before being able to start the hike up to Holkrans.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteThank you, and well done for taking the initiative to bring about this Blog, which, to my mind; can serve as an important communication tool and platform for members to stay in contact with each other in an open forum, via the Internet. So, it is nice to know, that other than, on the odd occasion that one is lucky enough to bump into each other at the numerous sites around Cape Town and the rest of the country, when the time to really interact is often lacking, that there is a network available to so.
I take it that this is part of the intention of this Blog. If not, it is maybe an idea to start similar Blogs where guides can give up to date feedback on conditions that might affect fellow guides, in the execution of their daily task as Tourist Guides, for example road closures etc. that is not planned as being part of a maintenance programme, like the closure of the Cable Car to Table Mountain for example, next month, that is also being promulgated on the CTGA Website, and that other members are not necessarily aware of.
Looking at my tour schedule for the remainder of the year, I have also come to realise, that last night's meeting was going to be the only opportunity I will have to be able to attend these meetings, except for perhaps, in November. As we all know, in spite of being in the constant company of the groups we are responsible for, it can sometimes be a lonely world out there, and it does not have to be that way. So, in future, whenever possible, depending on the availability of cell phone reception, in some of the more remote areas; which recently has been another subject of constant disagreement between service providers and those of us, trying to make use thereof, I will be back here on a regular basis, to stay in touch.
Looking forward to future chats…
Jaco Joubert.