Dream Job(b)?|吃喝玩乐的梦幻工作？

Photographer as well as experienced travel guide, Huang Ting-sheng says that to be a good tour guide, one must be capable and adaptable. There are plenty of administrative nuisances to contend with. Sometimes there's limited information available on the countries that see few tourists, so even processing a visa can be a confusing assignment. Even if you make it to one of these countries off the beaten path, you could find yourself at the mercy of a dishonest customs official asking for a bribe. In such cases, it's better to pay up than be harassed. The only thing is to see if you can bargain for a lower price. Working with local travel agencies can be a risky affair, too. Huang has heard tales of Taiwanese travel agencies wiring a deposit overseas, only to have the foreign agency claim they never received it and threaten to stop a tour unless the money is rewired.

Fiona Chen has to spend 60 days with her fellow travelers on world tours, which is always a severe test of her patience and stress management skills. There was once an individual who every night insisted on inspecting the rooms of all of the other tour members to make sure theirs were not more luxurious than his. Another time, even though she had been checking continuously throughout the trip, two pieces of luggage went missing when everyone's bags arrived at one of the destinations. The upset owner was ready to abort the tour at that point, but Chen offered timely consolation and encouragement. As she went about tracking down the lost suitcases, she also had to worry about this negative experience poisoning the overall morale of the group. On the surface, leading tour groups looks like a great way to make a living from a pleasurable activity. The reality, however, is far more strenuous.