bograt said:Last time we went down Wookey (a loong time ago!), the guide took one look at us in the queue and said "bugger off, just follow the path, I can do without cavers today"
christine said:Compare it with Clamouse caves in the Herault, where the tour lasts over 2 hours, you get a geology lesson at the start with brilliant graphics and feel like you have earned a degree at the end of it, plus multi-lingual guides who ask your nationalities and then give the same concise spiel in German, English and French....at every turn.
Laurie said:Ask him about the Late Late Breakfast Show, the only live cave dive ever broadcast.
I should have said 'TV broadcast'.Pitlamp said:I doubt Graham Balcombe would have been too impressed by your assertion, given that he did the first ever broadcast from in a sump some considerable time beforehand.Laurie said:Ask him about the Late Late Breakfast Show, the only live cave dive ever broadcast.
tony from suffolk said:Was the cave always here? I mean, before the rock formed around it...
Pitlamp said:Speaking as someone who is employed under the ABIS umbrella, as well as being a caver, can I just suggest that you'll get the best out of your guide if you don't try taking the mickey and perhaps try to articulate your questions in a way which helps them to answer, rather than attempting to leave them stumped. You'll also do the caving community in general a great service by not trying to be a clever dick; it'd not paint cavers in a very good light would it?
This isn't Dragons' Den y'now; that guide may well be knackered from a very hard day dealing with difficult people and just trying to do his / her best. They're probably not very well paid either. Just bear that in mind . . . take it easy on your guide Sid.
There are plenty of very good people who interpret show caves for visitors; don't assume you're in for a poor experience. If necessary, just enjoy the cave - after all, Wookey really is something quite special.
christine said:Just ask them a genuine question about the history of cave diving, or how caves are formed and they will be completely stumped.
Fairly recently I witnessed a tour, midweek, not crowded...when the guide who was very young, simply said "Oh yeh, they do some diving here" in chamber 9, hit the light show button and walked off to talk about cheese.
The quality of the guides talks and knowledge has noticeably plummeted over the years. Compare it with Clamouse caves in the Herault, where the tour lasts over 2 hours, you get a geology lesson at the start with brilliant graphics and feel like you have earned a degree at the end of it, plus multi-lingual guides who ask your nationalities and then give the same concise spiel in German, English and French....at every turn.
And we paid a mere 6 Euros to get in.
christine said:snip
re paying ?18 per adult in Wookey (yes, really..)
snip