The course concludes with some Exodus-specific training and a lot of photocopying for me!
Exodus guide training
Today's course for the trainees was specific to the provider Exodus and involved a lot of looking at how to best implement procedures, meeting clients' needs and setting expectations. This meant that I had some paperwork, reviewing and photocopying to do, along with a brief break period - phew!
Amazing thing of the day: I walked past an 11,000 volt substation, all caged off, with a guy sleeping on a bench inside it, leaning up against the transformers! Buzzing wasn’t the word!
Riding skills and double dosa orders at breakfast made a great combination.
Double Dosa Day
With last night's requests for breakfast choices resulting in a few of the Sri Lankan contingent putting both their left and right hands up, there were extra Masala Dosas for breakfast - a double dosa day - for some, to great amusement of the more diet volume restrained of the group.
Starting with loads of examples of leading, managing the group and dealing with incidents out on the road set the group up to practise these options and get feedback. All great fun and really positive learning.
Examples of leading day
Reached the Chinese fishing nets and the main square of Fort Cochin. Looked out to the sea and in the 400m gap between us and the mainland were a pod of dolphins feeding. Swimming gently against the tide they were hardly moving relative to us. The pod was pretty big - and spread almost from side to side. After a short while of watching, a few popped up only about 50m from us curving over as they dived. Quite a special sight.
Hot hot hot! Preparation for the CTC Bike Tour Leader course in India, meeting the trainees and the course starts, all in 36 degrees and 95% humidity.
Wednesday
Route finding and prep
The traffic in any foreign city always has its own culture, and of course India's is definitely something to experience. My recollection of previous visits was of higher noise levels and utter chaos. Maybe further travelling and riding solo through places like Rome since my last trip to India have extended my capacity to appreciate the nuances of local conditions?
It's time to meet the team and start the learning on the Bike Tour Leader course. With 14 on the course, the trainers, Olly and I, were keen to find out about the experiences and desires of the trainees.
Thursday
Intro and group riding day
Today is all about setting the course out and providing great examples that the guides can use. It's always great to hear their opinions and experiences - what works for them and why. Of course, it's also good to hear about why things don't quite go as expected too!
Working with partners Exodus Travels, CTC recently delivered a course for fourteen tour guides. Dan Cook describes his experiences of the trip.
CTC developed a specific international Bike Tour Leader qualification over 2012 due a request from Exodus Travels and interest from other providers within the adventure travel sector. The aim of the course and qualification is to upskill and extend the knowledge and abilities of local and/or international guides.
Fully tested and delivered to 14 Cuban guides in September 2012, this trip was developed as a result of the additional positive feedback from bike tour customers, the tour guides themselves, and Exodus.
Although cycling is the third most popular activity amongst children and a crucial life skill, only half of all children have access to good quality Bikeability cycle training. CTC members have urging that all schools provide cycle training as part of the National Curriculum.
CTC has urged the Department for Education to change the National Curriculum to include provision for child cycle training as part of Key Stages 2-4.
Currently the physical education section mandates that swimming is taught, with the requirement that children learn to swim 25 metres.
Whatever the weather or the season, CTC Senior Cycle Training Officer Greg Woodford commutes by bike 25 miles each way from Reading to Guildford.
It was a beautiful evening last night riding home, the sky was clear a beautiful crescent moon picked out by the dark of the sky and the air was cold and crisp.
I do find it a little cathartic cycling in the dark, there is something about not being able to see the houses, people and the fields that is soothing. When you do see things they look different, your route seems different too. I think this is why so many people go on night rides.
CTC Senior Off-road Officer Dan Cook went to Cuba to develop a cycling qualification and course for cycle holiday guides. He piloted the new cycling course for Exodus Travel.
Dan Cook and Olly Townsend of Exodus Travel went to Cuba to pilot a new course that they had created specifically for cycle tour guides.
The tour guides were all qualified through the Cuban education system in the areas relevant to tourism and tour guiding, but they had only their own experiences in cycling prior to this course.
Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC): A company limited by guarantee, registered in England no.25185. Registered as a charity in England and Wales No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541
CTC Charitable Trust: A company limited by guarantee, registered in England no.5125969. Registered as a charity in England and Wales No 1104324 and Scotland No SC038626
With last night's requests for breakfast choices resulting in a few of the Sri Lankan contingent putting both their left and right hands up, there were extra Masala Dosas for breakfast - a double dosa day - for some, to great amusement of the more diet volume restrained of the group.
