On Tour
On tour Safety
Safety should be your number one goal on tour. I always tell my students that I want them to have a good time, but if they have a horrible time, but come home alive, I have done my job! :)
Safety should be your number one goal on tour. I always tell my students that I want them to have a good time, but if they have a horrible time, but come home alive, I have done my job! :)
- I have found that groups of four are always the best. Remind the students that they cannot go anywhere in a group less than four.
- Tell students not to give out your hotel information to any one they happen to meet on tour.
- Remind them about pick pockets, not to engage in a conversation with strangers, or take anything that has been offered to you.
- Do frequent headcount/group checks. See my method below.
The Infamous “Day 2” (first day on tour)
Day one of your tour is your overnight flight (depending on your destination). Day two is the first day "on the ground." This is the most difficult day of tour because your group has been traveling for many hours, and most people don't sleep well (or at all) on planes. If you have a European Destination, you will most likely arrive early in the morning, and then do a whole day of touring. It is typical for hotels all over the world that you cannot check in until about 3pm. When your flight arrives at 8am, you obviously can't check in for a while. Plus, you don't want to miss a second of your tour. If you went straight to the hotel, the students would just fall asleep and then their sleeping patterns would be off, and that makes the rest of the tour difficult. So here is the key: Prepare your group for "day 2," and keep them moving until bed time. They will all sleep well the first night on tour, and wake up ready and refreshed for day three. Here are some tips for things that you should do on day two:
Day one of your tour is your overnight flight (depending on your destination). Day two is the first day "on the ground." This is the most difficult day of tour because your group has been traveling for many hours, and most people don't sleep well (or at all) on planes. If you have a European Destination, you will most likely arrive early in the morning, and then do a whole day of touring. It is typical for hotels all over the world that you cannot check in until about 3pm. When your flight arrives at 8am, you obviously can't check in for a while. Plus, you don't want to miss a second of your tour. If you went straight to the hotel, the students would just fall asleep and then their sleeping patterns would be off, and that makes the rest of the tour difficult. So here is the key: Prepare your group for "day 2," and keep them moving until bed time. They will all sleep well the first night on tour, and wake up ready and refreshed for day three. Here are some tips for things that you should do on day two:
- Keep students and adults positive…remind them that this is the most difficult day!
- Be ready for bus tour or walking tour
- Communicate with other group leaders
- Make sure the students get to bed early for a good night’s rest
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Protect passports
Decide if you will collect and keep, or if your students will keep their passports while on tour. Personally, I take the passports up for the students , and divide them among my chaperones. I always remind the chaperones to keep them in the hotel safe, and not have them in their bag when we are out touring the city. No one ever wants (or expects) it to happen, but educate yourself on what it takes to replace a passport, in case one is lost on tour. If this does happen, your TD is your best resource, but your students and their parents have no clue the cost and time involved of replacing a passport while overseas. |
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Pairs 'n' Squares.
As a group leader, I am always silently counting people...I have a fear of leaving someone behind. However, I am not a fan of stopping the group and doing a verbal head count everywhere we go. So, I devised a little system of "travel buddies" that I like to call Pairs 'n' Squares. I found that it was easier to have a system of eye-contact, instead of having everyone line up and count. Think of this as a system of self-check, and then double check to make sure that we aren't missing anyone. Here is how it works:
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Room Checks
Decide how you are going to assure your student's safety on tour. I tell my groups long before we ever leave that there will be a curfew and I will be checking rooms at night and the next morning. Some group leaders are more laid back when it comes to this, but I cannot imagine the feeling of not knowing where one of my students are when they don't show up for breakfast the next morning. I set a time each evening, and tell them that they have to be in the room by that time, so I can check them in. I personally choose to use tape on the outside of the doors, so the next morning, I can tell if the door has been opened. I get a lot of feed back from parents that they REALLY appreciate this method, and it gives them piece of mind while their child is on tour.
Decide how you are going to assure your student's safety on tour. I tell my groups long before we ever leave that there will be a curfew and I will be checking rooms at night and the next morning. Some group leaders are more laid back when it comes to this, but I cannot imagine the feeling of not knowing where one of my students are when they don't show up for breakfast the next morning. I set a time each evening, and tell them that they have to be in the room by that time, so I can check them in. I personally choose to use tape on the outside of the doors, so the next morning, I can tell if the door has been opened. I get a lot of feed back from parents that they REALLY appreciate this method, and it gives them piece of mind while their child is on tour.
Free Time
Check your tour itinerary so see how much free time there will be on your tour. Free time can be a blessing and a curse, depending on the interests of your group. I always try to go on tour with a plan in mind to tackle free time. Before tour, e-mail your TD and ask about possible options for free time. They often know the area, and can make some suggestions. Your TD will not be accompanying you on free time activities. I like to do some research, have a few ideas in mind, and then present the options to my students. Another tip: have your students budget extra money for free time. They often choose to do activities that will cost money. Many times my groups want a "chill day" for free time, and like to shop and eat at their leisure. Sometimes I have adventurous students who want to find a local attraction, or explore more of the city.
Check your tour itinerary so see how much free time there will be on your tour. Free time can be a blessing and a curse, depending on the interests of your group. I always try to go on tour with a plan in mind to tackle free time. Before tour, e-mail your TD and ask about possible options for free time. They often know the area, and can make some suggestions. Your TD will not be accompanying you on free time activities. I like to do some research, have a few ideas in mind, and then present the options to my students. Another tip: have your students budget extra money for free time. They often choose to do activities that will cost money. Many times my groups want a "chill day" for free time, and like to shop and eat at their leisure. Sometimes I have adventurous students who want to find a local attraction, or explore more of the city.
What to pack
Check out my blog post Group Leader Took Kit for more ideas on what to pack.
As a group leader, I go on tour prepared with a few extra items for those "what ifs":
Check out my blog post Group Leader Took Kit for more ideas on what to pack.
As a group leader, I go on tour prepared with a few extra items for those "what ifs":
- A small first aid kit
- A small sampling of over the counter meds (ibuprofen, pepto bismal, anti diarrhea, benedryl). I look for the small "one time use" packets so that they take up less room in my bag.
- Extra electrical adapters
- Extra cash
