My Swansong – my last accompanied Road Trip !

So last week I completed my final “official” multi day road trip ever – this with a couple who I have accompanied no less than six times all over the UK, Ireland and France! If you’d like may like to see the video of our trip around Wales as well as my “goodbyes”…🥲…click on the link at the bottom of this message!

Back in 2005 I started this business as an individual idea based on a bit of inspiration foisted on me when touring the USA some five years earlier, when I was accosted by a guy in McDonalds on route from Atlanta to the Smokey Mountains who said:

“Hey you’re English”

My response being:

“Really, how can you tell”….?

He then complemented me on being “Quite a nice guy” as “English people are usually Stuck up” WTF ?

I must admit to have been a little shaken by this combative description of my kinfolk and it lodged in my mind. Then, later in the same trip we were in Savannah Georgia (lovely town), looking at a map trying to find the Forrest Gump bench and a random guy insisted on walking us there, personally.

It was the experience of these two incidents that inspired me to set up my touring business from scratch, determined that if I ever met an American (or another “foreigner”) in England, that appeared to be “lost”, rather than being “stuck up” I’d be friendly and helpful and from that date my business grew from strength to strength without, a single complaint about anything. I am very proud of all that!

And unlike most tour guides who work parochially, preferring to sleep in their own bed at night, another unusual facet of my business is to take vacationers not only right across the UK but also into Europe thus giving Customers the prospect of consistency of relationship – something that often became a true friendship.

So, today I am in reflective mood having come to realise that “the time is up”! I do have some local one day tours planned for June but business volumes from my main market – the USA – has not picked up sufficiently since covid for it to be worthwhile devoting any more time planning for tours when the people are not yet ready to come back.

So officially, my last tour will end on 20th June and afterwards, as some say:

“I’ll be spending more time with my XXfamilyXX…..ummmm motorcycle”! 😅

Other than for past Customers who have become good friends (and you know how who you are), I will not be doing any more multi day road trips.

However, having been almost everywhere of significance in these islands, and nearby Europe, and preferring to traverse the small country roads than the highways, I know the best places to stay (hotels), which of the towns and villages recommended or rather promoted by Rick Steves are actually worth visiting and those to give a wide berth. And what about those off the beaten track places you might not dare to venture into? England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, I will still be providing a service where I can advise people how to get the very best out of a vacation in the British Isles.

It goes without saying that I really do appreciate the support and encouragement I have been given by Customers over the past 18 years and for many whose acquaintance as Customers has gestated into true friendships. And what a laugh we had together!!

I have met some fascinating, funny, notorious, or just very “different”, people – a few close to celebrity status! I often been asked if I am going to write a book – I really don’t know about a book but maybe a blog or some short YouTube narratives. I’ll need to be careful because I don’t want to be sued but…

Watch this space!

Finally thank you again and bye for now.

Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !