After more than 20 years in the tourism industry Victor Geale (82), a retired Fish Hoek native, has penned his colourful adventures into a new book.
The book, which is called It takes all kinds to make a world, has recently been published.
“The book is about the different tourists I encountered as a tour guide and all the adventures I’ve had.
“I was in tourism 22 years and before that I used to be in the city council for 37 years.”
It was after his retirement from the city council when Geale decided to start his own tourism business.
“When I retired, I had nothing to do and as a kid I wanted to be a fire engine driver but I chose the next best thing which is tourism.”
Geale completed a six months course in tourism and then started off on a new adventure at the age of 60.
“I’ve met wonderful people and the other day a client from the States called to ask if I was still alive,” he says with a chuckle.
In his book, Geale details his adventures and encounters with tourists from, Russia, Germany, the United States of America (USA), China and Pakistan.
Recalling a humorous moment, Geale said Chinese tourists often took pictures at the strangest places.
“The Chinese tourists would ask to stop at a road sign, everyone would climb out and take a picture of the road sign happily laughing and smiling and then hop back into the vehicle.”
However, his most memorable moment as a tour guide was when he was asked to meet with a Russian couple.
“One day at lunch time I was called to fetch a couple at a restaurant in the Main Road, they offered me lunch.”
The couple toured around Cape Town with Geale.
However after they left South Africa the woman called pleading for a contact number for South African Airways after she had left an important package under the seat.
“Diamonds acquired in Namibia,” she told him.
“I’ve met so many people from different countries and I’m just sharing my experiences.”
