Brenda Kammin (68) lives in Willow Field, Gloomville with partner Mark Oaksdale and their two teen daughters Tilla and Lilly (16). Brenda worked as a Tour Guide for Way To Go Travels since many years, but it was just recently they started touring Selvadorada.
Read her report below:
- Hello! I work as a Tour Guide, you know the one wishing you welcome at your vacation destination, taking the group to various sights, and who knows the locals that you don't know at all! I love my job! Visiting Selvadorada is still pretty new to me. We started group trips only one year ago, and now I'm taking a quick trip alone in order to prepare for this year's tours. If anything changed since my last stay, I'd like to know before my group will arrive later this Spring!
Most of our tourists are visiting Selvadorada for the very first time. They don't mind simple accommodation, and we try to make the stop not so expensive. The local vibes are the most important to my guests! The group stays at Belomisia Field Station in the jungle. It's simple yet practical. Nobody should expect privacy, as all sleep in the same room.
Kitchen facilities are decent for serving a group, and well - cooking is not my favorite activity, so I always invite one or two from the group to assist preparing the meals. They enjoy shopping, harvesting and preparing local food, it actually adds to the overall jungle experience. After all, food traditions are very important in Selvadoradian culture. I just need to ask the right persons to make it work.
We normally eat outdoors, nights are warm and cozy, and the silent noise from the jungle next door is fascinating to most, although a bit scary to some. With some luck we will avoid rain most days. When the rain starts it can go on for days, Summer is rather dry but way too hot for this kind of tours. Winter often gets too wet. Tropical rain might be exotic to some, though. Our tours go Spring and Fall.
While my main focus is the upcoming tour, I might also look for souvenirs and relics at the Puerto Llamante Marketplace. I serve Way To Go Travels' office at Old Salt House Shopping Mall in San Myshuno, and I'm always looking for a few new items to display there. Showing off some Selvadoradian culture might result in more tourists to join our next trip.
My main business at the marketplace is always to talk with the locals - they are gold! Aarón Durán is my local supervisor, I think he knows everything there is to know! If anything of interest happened since my previous tour, they will know! If a tree fell down blocking a trail, or if fishing is good or bad, or if weather forecast can be trusted, perhaps their gods have other plans...
I also learn Selvadoradian culture from the locals, especially in the Cantina where the elders often gather. They always tell me impressive stories of the past, myths or prophecies for the future, involving locals, animals, plants, rumors or religious matters. It gives me many stories to tell my tourist group in the long nights by a fireplace or bonfire.
The Cantina offers a secluded room that is perfect for my group to hang on the final night. This room is a sight in itself!
My least favorite is to check the toilets. Even if Aarón insists they are fine, the current standard might not please my group. If so, I will have time to find a solution. Avoiding just one toilet is no problem though, as long as I'm prepared. There are other ways.
It's always great to be back in Selvadorada! Looking around is fun even on a rainy day like this.
Alam Museum of Archaeology is a natural stop on every tour. Most of our guests will never ever get into the deep jungle, and they will probably never dig up their own relic, either. So, visiting the museum is the closest they get, and I try to plot it on a rainy day when we will need to stay indoor anyway.
But I also include outdoor activities to the program. Fishing in this tropical lake is a must. In the future we might arrange for swimming in this lake, if it's safe concerning the alligators, of course. I must remember to ask Aarón who owns these boats and if they can be rented. It would be great to take the group out on open waters.
I never waste time on digging for relics myself, it's so time saving simply to buy them from the marketplace stands. Most of them will be copies, but I'm not searching real values anyway, it's more for bringing home a memory. But I do some digging occasionally, my group will expect me to know a little about this activity. Now I can tell them exactly how dirty you get...
On my last day I asked Aarón Durán to join me at Belomisia Trailhead, the national park. It's a beautiful spot near the gate to the real jungle, where I normally bring the group for a late night BBQ. I never lead the group into the jungle in the past, so now I took some advice from Aarón. He suggested me to bring the group no farther than to the bridge. It's a good place for selfies, but walking beyond will be like asking for trouble when the participants are not trained. I do trust him! Perhaps I can offer the selfie location to half the group, while the rest enjoy Belomisia Trailhead alone.
On my last night I just stayed at the Field Station writing down what I found and planning adjustments to the tour program. Then I finally called home, Mark had not heard from me since I left Gloomville, and of course I've been missing him. I've just been too busy.
Back home I had many photos to show him. He suggested something smart, to take a couple big photos to hang on the walls in the Shopping Mall. Good advertising! Why didn't I think of that! I must remember to bring a better camera when I go with the group this Spring!
Well, if you read this and have questions or would like information on how to join the upcoming trip with Way To Go Travels, please drop me a note!
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