Rob Little’s Blog – musings of an English / British Tour Guide where I not only vent about things that “get my goat” but, also, publish lovely photos and eccentric stories about “this Sceptered Isle”!
My Swansong – my last accompanied Road Trip !
Friday, 26th May 2023
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 !
RIP Tina Turner…..
Wednesday, 24th May 2023
Truly she was “Simply the Best”…..
Headline news on BBC Radio 4.
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Cirencester Food Fair
Well…..pleasant as it was to perambulate around Cirencester, the “Capital of the Cotswolds” on Saturday morning, the Food Fair was a bit of a disappointment.
Nice to sit and have a coffee though….
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
A few photos from this morning’s walk…..
Saturday, 20th May 2023
Rape seed and Queen Ann’s Lace
The yellow is all buttercups
Barley – still has some way to go…
Barley Field
Tunnel of trees
Lovely?
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Being a Tour Guide, working away from home, can be lonely…..
Monday, 15th May 2023
i’m lovein’ it!
……it’s nice to have a bit of company over breakfast?
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Caernarfon Castle – my favourite!
Sunday, 14th May 2023
So arrived in Caernarfon yesterday to see my favourite beautiful castle and this (below) is what I found…..
🤬
The environs of the castle has been turned into a veritable theme park complete with ferris wheel, scary rides with screaming girls albeit it was good to see, at last, people dressed for summer as they “enjoyed” the loud music, crowds, ice cream and candy floss.
NOT…..what I had hoped to see.
😳
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
UPDATE: On the most political song contest in the whole wide world…..
The Eurovision Song Contest was held in Liverpool last night, on behalf of Ukraine who won last year.
The result – the UK’s excellent song came 25th out of 26 – second to last thus proving the loathing the UK enjoys amongst its friends in Europe!
We just don’t care!
Hilarious 🤣
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Organisers of Eurovision don’t want the show to be “politicised” by an appearance by President Zelenskyy…..the ARE having a laugh aren’t they…..😆😂😅
Friday, 12th May 2023
So, when President Zelenskyy wanted to make an appearance on the Eurovision Song Contest Final, on Saturday night, the organisers objected, saying that they did not want to politicise the show!
What a laugh! Everyone knows the results of the show are based on how much each country likes eachother with various countries voting for – or indeed against each other based on politics alone; not the quality of the inane ditties madly enacted on stage in such extravagant attire or sometimes lack of it!
For example the UK is hated by all and frequently receives “nil point”.
The reason the President wanted to speak is that Ukraine won last year through the sympathy vote – let’s hope they win again this year!
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Nice to be back in Taffyland…..!
Ahhhh the green valleys, the mountains, funny accents…..yes I’m back in the land of sheep shaggers!
Extraordinarily fortunate with the weather so far we find ourselves in the far southwest in St David’s – the smallest city in the UK.
Not a lot more to say really except this is my very last extended tour when I go away overnight with Customers. All good things come to an end. Enjoy the photos!
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Gorgeous Black Mountains view
Carrig Cennon Castle
The harbour at Tenby
Bluebells growing in the banks of this lane in South-West Wales
Rammed with traffic and with throngs of tourists this is the reality of down town St David’s, the UKs smallest city! 😅
The extraordinary Cathedral at St David’s
Inside the Cathedral
Abereiddi Beach
“The Blue Lagoon” on the Irish Sea Coast next to Abereiddi Beach
Smokey Joe – keep yer snout out of our affairs…..🤬
Thursday, 11th May 2023
Biden you’ve got a bloody nerve.
You say you visited Ireland last month “to support the peace process” (so do we all) and to “make sure the Brits don’t screw around”.
My god what it is to be an American President. An idiot as the incumbent and another idiot as the “pretender”.
Biden – glad you didn’t grace us with your presence at the Coronation – doubt if your eyelids could have coped with a 3 hour church service.
How about dealing with your own gun toting murderers – 30,000 a year – before you try to distract your people by poking your nose into Anglo/Irish affairs?
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
