Last week Argy and I were on vacation and travelled south as far as Delaware to visit friends and family. We were of course planning Thanksgiving with family from all around the country. Along the way I learned some new things, or had them reinforced.
We took the train into New York City for a day where we planned to visit Ground Zero with a guide and go tot eh Radio City Christmas show. We arrived at Grand Central Station without a hitch but after getting off of the train we were confused about where to go next to catch the subway to lower Manhattan. As we were wandering up a long tiled corridor without a person in sight a woman comes into view. She walks right up to us and says I can see that you are lost can I help? We told her where we were looking to go, and she gave us simple clear directions. The best part though was her telling us about Grand Central and what to look for in the Grand Hall that we might find interesting.
That interaction was memorable as well as helpful and drove home the point that most people want to help and can add so much to your travel. I need to remember to interact positively with vacationers in the summer, and not just my clients.
A couple of days later I fished for stripers on the Jersey Shore with a David Showell marina owner and fellow guide who I went to college with. We also worked together on summer for the US Fish and Wildlife Service almost 50 years ago. When we met that morning, it was cold and everything was covered with frost. When I glanced at the fish finder screen, I noticed that the water temperature was 48 degrees Fahrenheit. One of my long held beliefs is that stripers will not bite in water temperatures lower than 54. As the pictures show that was wrong. My belief about that needs adjustment
when I am guiding!
On our way back to Maine we visited Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts. Both off of our regular routes. At dinner with friends, they suggested a route that we would never have taken. Following that suggestion had us driving backroads in New Jersey in the dark with really no choice but to trust Google Maps. We made it within a few minutes of the predicted time. The payoff came the next day when the drive was simple and beautiful. Different routes can pay nice dividends!
Finally, the point about customer service being the whole game for the travel business was driven home multiple times. Positives were a helpful train conductor on the MTA on the way in to New York City, the staff at Radio City Music Hall overall and the desk folks at the Marriott. Complete misses were the Comfort Inn staff and facility; and our waitress at a German restaurant that Argy had been eager to take me to.
As we enjoyed our meal Argy realized that the experience had been made by the server who was very knowledgeable and had stories about the place and the menu items. That made the experience. I need to remember that my stories are as much of the trip as the fishing.
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