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In my lifetime, I have been lucky in that I have done a lot of traveling over the past six decades, mostly with escorted tours. For the most part, our tour escorts have been knowledgeable, organized, and able to handle the various crises that inevitably crop up with several dozen people who are experiencing life in a new way in unfamiliar places.
This spring, I had the pleasure of being a part of a tour that was escorted by Sandra. Like her colleagues, she was informative, organized, and at the ready should something unexpected cropped up. But this is not to suggest that she was in any way typical.
Sandra has characteristics on three levels that are rare in my experience. First, her descriptive narratives were never a monologue that she recited. Her genuine enthusiasm and pride in the places she was describing was noticeably different from her colleagues who read or recited their well worn script. Sandra has a glow, an inner joy that radiates when she picks up the microphone, pauses on a walking tour, or interacts with others.
Secondly, she provided us with printed schedules, suggestions, directions, and information. We all were appreciative of her sensitivity to our challenges with electronic devices.
The third way that Sandra Bandera is set apart is her ability to connect with people, and her patience with those who may be a little difficult or need extra attention. And when there was a "crisis," she was unusually attentive, and noticeably went out of her way to resolve the problem. And, unlike other tour leaders, she did not simply drop us off at the end of the day with the names of suggested restaurants or evening activities. Instead, she provided reservations and tickets, accompanying the group to meals and even special programs. This was in contrast to my experience of being on own at the end of the day.
I highly recommend Sandra. Count yourself lucky if you have the opportunity to be an individual or part of a group escorted by this special woman.
