Merve’s Musings Explained

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking what on earth has a subject like Merve’s Musings, or humorous observations got to do with Tourist Guiding.  On the surface, absolutely nothing at all.

However, apart from providing the opportunity for overtaxed brain cells to spend a few welcome moments just cruising in neutral, a bit like sneaking off to watch your favourite Soapie that you think nobody knows about, I have found that trivial observations on life scores pretty high on the discussion topics list when in relaxed mode with visitors.

No great surprise really as everyday subjects tend not only to be a great leveller but are also an indication that the nuts and bolts of life are pretty much common to all of us. Unless of course, one has origins from a different planet in a different solar system.

Let me provide a memorable example. I never thought the day would come when a Tour Group in my care consisted inter alia of a Nobel Prize winner, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and an assortment of Rocket Scientists. If nothing else the experience proved that the latter do actually exist. What an intelligent, unassuming, and self-deprecatory group of individuals to engage in conversation with.

Subjects that could easily have been intellectually off the scale proved to be anything but. It was more like the Sunday Braai where a combination of fire, beer and wine acts as a catalyst for solving all the trivia of life’s daily irritations. Being part of a conversation on the frustrations of Call Centres with Rocket Scientists who had their own creative take on the subject, was both highly amusing and quite bizarre.

A strong indicator that those ordinary observations we may have on ordinary life are so often universally recognised, that they can occasionally dominate the conversation when least expected and from the most unexpected quarters.

It would be great to build on “Merve’s Musings”, or humorous observations with similar contributions from yourselves on whatever subject, no matter how seemingly trivial.  Wouldn’t be at all surprised if these sort of observations didn’t naturally crop up at the informal Awareness Sessions. If nothing else it might help to relieve some personal stresses, whilst increasing the Tourist Guide’s selection of informal discussion topics.