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Dream job: Duck Tour Guide

Written by
Time Out Singapore editors
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James Yong, 26
Guide for DUCK & HiPPO Tours 

How’d you become a tour guide? 

My friends and I were surfing the web and stumbled upon a tour guide course, and I thought, ‘Why not? I like to talk and I’d love to be paid to talk.’ It’s not that easy becoming a tour guide, though – only five out of 20 in my class got certified. 

Take us through a typical day.

Our tours run from 10am to 6pm, with buses leaving every hour. Of course, nothing’s set in stone – everything’s very much impromptu while on the job, since we don’t follow a script. And each tour lasts an hour: 30 minutes on land, and the rest of the time on the river. 

What are the perks of the job?

Being able to interact with people from different countries and cultures whom I wouldn’t have met otherwise. They usually have an interesting first impression of us [Singaporeans] – most assume we’re well-to-do, given Singapore’s an expensive country to live in. And I was once reunited with an estranged relative while guiding a chartered tour! 

Any challenges? 

I handle back-to-back tours during peak season. It isn't easy coming up with varied ways of phrasing myself to a completely different audience each time – all in a day! No matter what, the enthusiasm has to be kept up because that’s what tourists are here for, and I have to rise up to it.

Do you enjoy guided tours when you’re on holiday yourself?

I don’t actually go on tours at all. I’m more of a backpacker myself – I really like nature, which is something guided tours don’t normally include. Honestly, I feel that places like Mount Faber and MacRitchie Reservoir Park deserve more visitors. - Interview by Jeslynn Ong

Book a slot for a DUCK Tour at www.ducktours.com.sg. From $37.

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