Let's try to stop traffic on a Main Street in Penang.
We did.
Very patient tourists waiting for the bus to show up.
On tour. Guess which guide came up with these poses?
Mr.Lai, Malaysian Tour Guide lecturer, together with Clement and Mr Yeap, are Penang's outstanding Tour Guides extrodinaire. They volunteered their time as Tour Guides (Ministry licensed tour guides) to the local and foreign delegates. I am deeply appreciative of their services. I can never thank them enough for volunteering, especially being Penang's best guides, and also giving up other assignments to serve our delegates.
I really see and experience a 'tour crisis', and see how these seasoned tour guides showed up as best example of sacrificing themselves to make sure 'tourist comes first' Never once did they complain about the non-information on the tour bus and drivers*, and the late arrival of the buses.
The buses sent to us were 31 seater buses. Most tourist buses are 44 seaters. So with last minute and extra people who joined the Tour without signing up, we did not have enough seats for all who wanted to go on Tour B. And Clement was firm about not overloading the bus, for passenger safety.
After several frantic phonecalls, an extra bus was on its way. But that was after we had called back Bus No. 1 and Tour Guide Mr.Lai. Mr. Lai have unloaded a full bus of delegates at Pinang Peranakan Mansion, boarded the empty bus to rescue the leftover passengers.
When Bus No. 1 arrives, Bus No. 4, newly last minute ordered, is also here. So Mr Lai jumped up Bus No. 4 to lead the tourists for the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Colonial Penang Tour. Then Bus No. 4 sent the tourists to Pinang Peranakan Mansion.
At Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Mr Lai got his original group up Bus.No. 1 for the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Colonial Penang Tour (which he has just finished with Bus No. 1).
Then he had to send 2 groups back to their hotelsss . . . I don't know how he manage to do this, but he did!
All this time, Penang's best tour guides lived up to their name and reputation. With a cheerful disposition, care and concern for the tourists, healthy attitude, no complaint, they carried out their duty above board, inspite of the mismanagement on the organiser's part. We salute you guys!!!
