Donnita,
I had a couple with me yesterday from Melbourne who booked a four day tour over the Internet. She commented that she did it herself because "No Australian travel agent will take bookings for Arizona in November".
All I can guess is that she didn't "click through" the entire four-day itinerary. She didn't know she had paid for a horseback ride in Sedona as part of her "Cowboy Experience". Cowboys ride horses you see.
When Kathryn called Tuesday to tell me about my tour she directed me to remind them to take appropriate clothes and shoes from their bags before dropping the bags at the hotel. Kathryn also made a note on the manifest directing me again to remind them.
I was surprised when they arrived for a four-day tour with bags that were about the size of a lady's large handbag --- but then Australians travel light. She was wearing cotton slacks, a pink t-shirt , and open toe sandals. At our restroom break, I reminded her to take the things out of her bag that she would need for her horseback ride.
"What horseback ride"? It deteriorated from there. Among the things she said:
"I have never been on a horse in my life".
"No one told me I would be riding a horse".
"I don't want to ride a horse".
"Kathryn assured me my pickup time would be 7:30 a.m. - not 6:00 a.m. - and when she talked to me she said nothing about needing special clothes."
"Why did no one tell me I would be riding a horse?".
"I paid for a 'Cowboy Dinner', but nothing I paid for said I would have to ride a horse to get it".
"There is nothing in any of my paperwork that mentions a horse".
"We don't 'STUFF' people like this in Australia. (I'm not too keen on Australian idioms but I can guess what she meant."
Among the husbands comments:
"I guess the horse will have an easy day today as he will have no rider".
"I suppose we'll find dinner elsewhere".
Among my comments:
"Yes, you paid for a horseback ride".
"Here, in your itinerary are the words, 'horseback ride'"
"You are not wearing proper shoes or clothes for a horseback ride".
"Then don't get on the horse."
Donnita, they were adamant about not wanting a horseback ride. They were not properly clothed or prepared for a horseback ride. They are not young people. I expect they're close to 60 years old. They have never been on a horse.
I called Kathryn and explained the situation. She called "A Day in the West" and was able to re-schedule something for this couple. She called me back and explained that she had changed their booking to a two-hour jeep tour. The jeep tour obviously wouldn't include the "Cowboy Dinner" unless they could make arrangements other than a horseback ride to get there.
When I left them in Sedona, it was my understanding they were taking a two-hour jeep ride.
Donnita, NO ONE in THIS company told them they were required to ride a horse. We informed them that they had PAID for a horseback ride. Kathryn and I worked together with " A Day in the West" to give them an alternative to the horseback ride that they adamantly said they did not want.
I am informed that AFTER I left them in Sedona, they went to "A Day in the West" and demanded their horseback ride. I am informed that within ten minutes of climbing onto the horse the husband fell off the horse and may have hurt his back. I sincerely hope he didn't hurt himself too badly by the choices he made.
Of course, if I can answer any other questions or be helpful in any way please let me know.
Paul
I had a couple with me yesterday from Melbourne who booked a four day tour over the Internet. She commented that she did it herself because "No Australian travel agent will take bookings for Arizona in November".
All I can guess is that she didn't "click through" the entire four-day itinerary. She didn't know she had paid for a horseback ride in Sedona as part of her "Cowboy Experience". Cowboys ride horses you see.
When Kathryn called Tuesday to tell me about my tour she directed me to remind them to take appropriate clothes and shoes from their bags before dropping the bags at the hotel. Kathryn also made a note on the manifest directing me again to remind them.
I was surprised when they arrived for a four-day tour with bags that were about the size of a lady's large handbag --- but then Australians travel light. She was wearing cotton slacks, a pink t-shirt , and open toe sandals. At our restroom break, I reminded her to take the things out of her bag that she would need for her horseback ride.
"What horseback ride"? It deteriorated from there. Among the things she said:
"I have never been on a horse in my life".
"No one told me I would be riding a horse".
"I don't want to ride a horse".
"Kathryn assured me my pickup time would be 7:30 a.m. - not 6:00 a.m. - and when she talked to me she said nothing about needing special clothes."
"Why did no one tell me I would be riding a horse?".
"I paid for a 'Cowboy Dinner', but nothing I paid for said I would have to ride a horse to get it".
"There is nothing in any of my paperwork that mentions a horse".
"We don't 'STUFF' people like this in Australia. (I'm not too keen on Australian idioms but I can guess what she meant."
Among the husbands comments:
"I guess the horse will have an easy day today as he will have no rider".
"I suppose we'll find dinner elsewhere".
Among my comments:
"Yes, you paid for a horseback ride".
"Here, in your itinerary are the words, 'horseback ride'"
"You are not wearing proper shoes or clothes for a horseback ride".
"Then don't get on the horse."
Donnita, they were adamant about not wanting a horseback ride. They were not properly clothed or prepared for a horseback ride. They are not young people. I expect they're close to 60 years old. They have never been on a horse.
I called Kathryn and explained the situation. She called "A Day in the West" and was able to re-schedule something for this couple. She called me back and explained that she had changed their booking to a two-hour jeep tour. The jeep tour obviously wouldn't include the "Cowboy Dinner" unless they could make arrangements other than a horseback ride to get there.
When I left them in Sedona, it was my understanding they were taking a two-hour jeep ride.
Donnita, NO ONE in THIS company told them they were required to ride a horse. We informed them that they had PAID for a horseback ride. Kathryn and I worked together with " A Day in the West" to give them an alternative to the horseback ride that they adamantly said they did not want.
I am informed that AFTER I left them in Sedona, they went to "A Day in the West" and demanded their horseback ride. I am informed that within ten minutes of climbing onto the horse the husband fell off the horse and may have hurt his back. I sincerely hope he didn't hurt himself too badly by the choices he made.
Of course, if I can answer any other questions or be helpful in any way please let me know.
Paul
****************************************
Was there a "disturbance in the force" that sent me a boatload of dumb-dumbs yesterday? Did I do something to mess up my own Karma?
It should have been a beautiful day:
Notice how I try to take this picture on each tour, so I can show the progression of weather.
Notice how I try to take this picture on each tour, so I can show the progression of weather. I had:
The two above mentioned Australians,
An Argentine sales manager for Starwood Resorts
(YES, the sky IS that blue.)
(YES, the sky IS that blue.) 
A Swede named Anders Johannson
( aren't all Swedes named "Anders Johannson")
A pair of computer science majors from Alabama:
One Swiss - who spoke only French ( so she had an excuse).
A Japanese textile expert who just lost her job in clothing manufacturingin New York.
Some person from Queens - but that's all I learned about her all day. Not even does she have a career or family. She did, however, give me $30 when she got home - so I wish I had her every day!
Two Irish students who live in London:
A retired General Motors assembly worker from Deerborn:
Now that the US Government runs his GM health care, John no longer "qualifies" for vision or dental benefits. He's going for a nine hour Greyhound Bus ride to Las Vegas where he can by generic drugs at a state pharmacy.It should have been a fun day. The weather was perfect: 65 degrees, clear, no wind. Maybe it was too many cultures and languages, too many single travelers, too many shy people - maybe they were all horrified by the Australian Cowboy Wannabes. I don't know. I KNOW I'm talented at peeking curiosity and promoting social interaction.
They all climbed on the bus and sat face-forward, flat affected, zombies. They looked like they were riding a deportation train to their doom.
They bored me to death.
I got two - exactly two questions all day:
John asked, "How do the wild horses find water"?
John asked, "How do the wild horses find water"?
And Victoria, from Buenos Aires, asked, "Why is Route 66 important"?Not even interested in Grand Canyon Wildlife!
That's not the worst of it. The forest was on fire yesterday. Yes, I said, "on fire". It's "managed burns". Tourists always love scream about it. I drove a bus load of people through a fire and --- O ---- of them had the curiousity to ask, "Paul, why are you driving us through a fire?".
After that I gave up.
All the way back to Phoenix I told no stories, gave no commentary. When I got within 50 miles of Phoenix I turned on the radio and waited for this day to end.
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