Inexplicably Inadequate
It was clear that something wasn’t right as soon as we met our assigned guide. Unlike all the other tour companies we engaged on our Caribbean odyssey, she was not wearing any tour company branding or lanyard id testifying to her guiding credentials; she didn’t introduce us to the driver and didn’t have any bottled water on board. Despite an extensive exchange of messages with the company boss 10 days before the tour, it was clear that she hadn’t been briefed that we had asked to be taken directly to Soufriere and to discuss our return stops when we had completed the Tet Paul Trail.
As we set off on our 50 minute journey, her complete silence until we came within sight of the Pitons confirmed conclusively that whatever services she was there to provide, commentary on the history, culture and nature of St Lucia was not going to feature much. For most of the journey, she was either checking her phone or using selfie-mode to check her hair. When words were eventually uttered, they were to recite what sounded like the opening paragraph of the respective Wikipedia entry. Needless to say, we sailed by several places en route which would have offered great photo opportunities and which any experienced guide would have suggested for a quick stop.
During the course of our Tet Paul walk, the affable trail guide happened to mention his age which prompted our ‘guide’ to reveal she was, in fact, just 19. At that point we realised the problem wasn’t so much a lack of professionalism rather a profound lack of experience and knowledge. Whilst she was, for the most part, sociable and capable of responding with revealing answers to questions put by us on topics such as the creole language or St Lucian culture, her repeated retort that places such as Soufriere, the Botanic Garden or Anse La Raye were not worth spending time in demonstrated that she simply didn’t understand what interests tourists. We suggested we find somewhere to get a snack in Soufriere but she put effort only into getting something for herself in the supermarket and we went without until a local offered us some lobster legs to munch. We got the distinct impression that her main imperative was to get back to Castries as quickly as possible.
Back in Castries, our guide had nothing to say about the beautiful Basilica and just trailed silently behind us in the market when she could have pointed out the foods and crafts that revealed something about her country.
All told, this tour felt less like a professional package of tourist services than an overpriced taxi from A to B and back with a companion thrown in, something we could have organised ourselves on the ground for half the price and far less disappointment. We don’t doubt that the guide did the job to the best of her abilities and understanding of what was expected. The fault lies with Lucian Explora for setting her up for failure and assuming we would accept such a sub-standard experience without recording a detailed account to warn others not to make the same mistake as us.