A guide takes on a number of roles for the tourist: teacher, entertainer, ambassador, nurse, and ‘the boss’. As ‘teacher’ the guide is passing on information, as we’ve discussed. Most tour groups are on holiday so they want to enjoy themselves and want to be entertained to a certain extent. People also need looking after, so you sometimes have to be a nurse. Some people are jetlagged or have minor illnesses (sometimes worse!). When we train, we do a basic first-aid course.