Hi Julia
In the brochure there is an item headed "Don't miss a word with Vox radio guides", which then goes on to give a nice little write up saying how they are "brand new" and how handy these devices are.
And yes, they are a handy little gadget, I was given one of these for the very first time when I went to Apulia earlier last year for use when we had a local guide. I thought it was great because I always find myself torn between straining to listen to what the local guide is saying, especially in noisy locations, (I don't have a hearing problem), or wandering off to take a photo opportunity. With these radios you can do both, but we weren't given them when I went to Uzbekistan later in the year. As there was 33 or us in the Uzbek group it would have been ideal to have had radios as, with such a large group, there was no way everyone could hear what was being said unless you were able to get to the front of the group.
I appreciate that not everyone may want to use one of these radios, but when I am spending a great deal of money for a holiday I want to learn as much as I can about the country I am visiting, that's the whole point of me going somewhere, so I want to be able to hear what is being said and
not all local guides voices carry over the group, lets face it, it's the local guides with all the knowledge we want to listen to, the TMs always seem well practised in shouting out their instructions.
How widely used are these radios now? It says "Many Tour Managers now use this handy system........", does that mean the TM has a choice as to whether they use them or not? And are they meant for the use of TMs only? I'm not quite sure what I am reading there, I can't recall a TM "delivering" any talks apart from on the coach or in the hotel reception when radios are not needed, or is that because I usually go long haul where local guides are used? I would like to be given the choice to use Vox radios on all my holidays so we can hear what the guide is saying all the time.
Avocet
