Our wide selection of holidays means that we work with lots of wonderful Tour Leaders. We’d like to introduce you to our Solos customer, turned Tour Leader, Annie, who has led a variety of tours over the last four years. Annie kindly shares her insight into the upcoming Weston-Super-Mare tour which she has hosted ever since it was introduced. Here she talks about how she became a Tour Leader, her favourite destinations and her pre-tour planning ahead of the trips departing in the upcoming weeks.
Meet our Tour Leader Annie
Hi, I’m Annie and I’m very pleased to be putting on my Solos badge again to lead the tours to Weston-Super-Mare in the coming weeks. This tour was introduced in Summer 2019 and I hosted both tours last year!
I have been a Solos Tour Leader since 2017. I travelled with the company as a guest for three years before fellow guests and the Tour Leader on one holiday suggested that I would make a good Tour Leader myself. This idea got me thinking and prompted me to do a Tour Management training course, after which I applied to Solos and was then offered my first tour to Krakow.
Since then I have been a Tour Leader for a variety of holidays, both abroad and in the UK, including walking holidays and dinner dances. During the last four years I have met so many wonderful people, many of whom stay in touch. It is very rare these days to receive my guest list for a tour and not recognise several names.
My favourite tour so far must be Skiathos, where I spent two weeks last September. I loved the first Mama Mia film and to visit places seen in the film was so exciting. Even the climb to the top of the neighbouring island of Skopelos, to the Mama Mia wedding chapel in the midday heat filled me with joy! The Tuscany tour is also a favourite as we spend a day in Florence, a city I adore for the art and architecture. Italy and Greece are definitely my favourite countries – I’m even learning both languages to help me in my work!
I enjoy walking and am pleased that the Ramblers Association have started walks again, as a move to the Cotswolds just before lockdown means that I have lots of new walking territory to explore. La Gomera is my favourite walking tour that I have led with Solos, and whilst the walking can be challenging the scenery is spectacular.
The last tour I led was in March this year. I was accompanying a walking holiday in Fuerteventura when Spain went into lockdown. All my skills as a Tour Leader were needed then to ensure that our guests were looked after and got home safely.
For the tour to Weston-Super-Mare, I have been liaising with the hotel, coach company and tour guide and know that they have COVID protocols in place to keep us safe. Things will be slightly different to last year, so if you are coming, watch the video attached to this blog for more information about what to expect during this tour.
On the second day of this trip we get to visit Bath – which is one of my favourite days. After the coach drops us off in Bath, the day is then yours to enjoy this beautiful city. I recommend checking out visitbath.co.uk to help plan your day as there is so much to see and do. Most attractions and the Hop on Hop off buses require advance booking so make sure you do it in plenty of time so that you aren’t disappointed. If you just want a relaxing day, there are plenty of places to eat and drink while enjoying the atmosphere that the Romans and Jane Austen enjoyed before us.
I look forward to seeing you soon!
