rsb99

Here's a comment to illustrate that an "eclectic" background may indeed get you hired. This man will be a guide on an upcoming tour in Tuscany, and here is his bio from a guidebook he contributed to:

"________ is an actor and writer. In the late 70's his career was launched when his rock band achieved some success. After this he wrote and performed humorous one-man shows. But, while on stage, he was secretly thinking about travel, forests and mountains. He researched and wrote up the walks for..."

I guess if you find something you want to do, you make it happen!

GoTravel

I cannot think of anything more exhausting than to have to play 'fetch' to a complete stranger in another country.

I'd rather save and pay my own way.

The most difficult trip I've ever taken was escorting my entire family on a trip to NYC and it sucked the life out of me.

Out of curiousity, you said you were a golf pro at one time. Most of the golf pros I know spent years getting to this position and getting their Q card. How did you manage this in such a short time?

Robespierre

Not to belabor my point (that drive and ambition account for most of the formula for success), but kindly peruse the following list of basketball stars under 6 feet tall:

<b>http://www.homeschoolbasketball.net/TallMyths.html</b>

<i>It's not what you've got - it's what you do with it.</i>

ncgrrl

Mugsy Bouges, about 5'4&quot; played in the NBA for many years. Great clip of him blocking Patrick Ewing (easily a foot and half taller). Spud Webb was shorter than average. Don't give up the basketball dream.

coccinelle

I say go for it!!

thursdaynigh

I wouldn't say you have absolutely no chance, but I think it?s going to be hard because:

What you can provide:
Drive, take photographs, go wherever the &quot;employer&quot; wishes to go at the time they wish to go, and basically be a personal assistant ?.

When traveling, if PAYING for someone, people mostly will want

1. Drive:
--- Not just drive. You are worthy being paid for if you have already been somewhere previously; know the road insight out already. Or at least, you speak the language and know how to ask for directions when going somewhere. Or maybe, in a country where it?s hard/expensive for someone to get a driver?s license, you already have it.

2. Take photographs:
--- Not just take photographs when one is ready to pose. Think about it, is it worth it for someone to pay for your airplane ticket and food just so he/she can have you take a picture of them? You are worthy being paid for if you know the special beautiful spot that no ordinary tourists know (I assume you can do some research) or you are a good photographer (if you can prove to your employer, maybe taking a class or so)so the picture you take is better than someone else. Anyway, you have to offer more than the person standing right next to your employer at that sightseeing spot for them to be willing to pay for your trip.

3. Go wherever the employer wishes to go at the time they wish to go:
--- Well. If you are just going wherever the employers go, then why would they pay for your trip and food instead of getting a taxi to drive them to a place? Again, you have to offer something valuable to your employer that they can?t otherwise get. And I do not see that.

4. Be a personal assistant:
--- For a personal assistant that you pay for airplane ticket and food, I would think you either (depend on your employer?s tast) know where to shop (the most hip place for cloth, the best antique finding market, the most authentic local place to eat, the most romantic place that you shouldn?t miss?), or know the history/local story about the town, the church, the best night club in town? again, not too many people would just pay for your plane ticket and food to hear you talk or talk to you. It?s about what you know that they do not and can?t get it somewhere else cheaper than your combined cost.

Anyway, my two cents. Again, I am not saying it?s absolutely impossible. You never know what people need and are willing to pay for. I say you can still advertise, there is nothing to loose, is there? Just be realistic.

thursdaynigh

To Songnatrices2: I think what you can offere is great and it all depends on how much you charge. My friends and my family travel a lot, and we love to talk to people during our trips. My impression is people/tourists are very price consious. And especially in Europe, there are so many services offered at all different level for different prices, people have a lot of choices. You have to analyze the market well if you want to make some money. But I would think you have better chances than spootiskerry if you also just want a free trip to places.

Robespierre

I have <i>no doubt</i> that there are people with more money than they need who would consider it good value for money to pay the airfare, room and board of a friendly helper who can drive, navigate, negotiate, and generally be their guardian angel.

Your job, spootiskerry, is to find him/her and convince him/her that you're worth it.

Just do it.

scorpiokilhorne

The same ideas struck me yesterday about paid travelling companion...
But having read the comments so far I would say its a non starter...

Gordon_R

"the comments so far"??? The last comment before yours was from nine years ago. I never understand why people seek out and regurgitate these ancient threads like this.

sparkchaser

LOL

grandmere

Seems as though there are lots of old threads being brought up recently; don't people look at date before responding?

Gordon_R

What's even more strange is how they manage to find them in the first place (the search function being as iffy as it is)...

annesherrod

I think it is fun to read old threads and see words from our faithfully departed.

I don't have the time to go looking for old ones but I usually get a kick out of it when I see them!

TDudette

scorpiokilhorne, did you search for traveling companions and this came up?

grandmere, I usually forget to look at the date and often ignore the poster's name. Expect that's normal?

Cathinjoetown

It is old but fun. Just the other day a blatant ad for a photographer wanting to travel along to record your trip for you was posted. It was triangled.

As long as I don't have to wash out anyone else's knickers, or I guess "smalls" is more genteel, I'm game.

First thought was the heroine of "Rebecca", she meets Maxim on the Riveria while she's a paid companion for some ghastly old bag.

Sue_xx_yy

Cathyjoeintown..

..and she and Maxim end up getting targeted by the housekeeper of Manderley, thus proving the importance of getting only bonded employees, and maybe even sane ones.

Imagine Mrs. Danvers as one's paid travel companion...