This week I have had to do a lot of reading. I find this to be a hugely difficult task and my brain and body feel completely drained by the end of the day. The trickiest part is comparing documents and making sure there are no contradictions and that all the sentences are concise, clear and meaningful…
It’s amazing how something can be used time and time again and it all seems so fabulous and then suddenly there is a hiccup and you really wonder how you didn’t pick it up before.
In amongst a hundred other pages we have updated our kiddies’ info handout. On this little piece of paper we describe the top 12 things to do with children. Be a Cavern Crusader and pick up a passport and get points for hiking or enjoy pony rides or maybe head off to the dams for a little picnic. We also encourage kiddies to head into the Fern Forest to paddle in the steam and race stick boats over the rapids.
So after about 3 years of this document being referred to, a family pick up a couple of life jackets and paddles from the desk and head off to the Forest only to discover that no, there are no canoes… paddle your toes in the icy stream, and definitely no boats above the waterfall! Most absurd was that a staff member thought they were all on track too… oops! So a little bit of training and a change of wording and hopefully it’s all fabulous once more!
But English is a funny language and my hat it has challenged us all! I suppose a great gift is just to have a chuckle and then to move on…
And having a chuckle brings yet another story to mind. When we were tweens a gentleman named Doug appeared in the valley and planted potatoes. We all knew who Doug was because he had a pet baboon which one afternoon ate his entire steering wheel! To go with the great potato crop, a big steel shed was erected. This shed became known as Doug’s Shed and its always been a great landmark in the valley. A 4km jog down the road and you’re at the shed.
Our horse rides head down the valley and it’s always been an excellent space for a smooth canter. On one outing to Doug’s Shed a guest enquiry about the name of the ride and our brilliant guide replied… Duck’s shed because the ducks fly over here! Got to love quick thinking and the ability to tell a good story!
That’s definitely hospitality. An industry filled with stories and a great space for us all to perform!
Megan Bedingham