O’Captain is back and this week he pays tribute to Harry Helliwell, to everyone who has committed their lives to travel, and to the greatest travel book of all time, Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re the first stop to go places!
You’re the “A” in away!
You have stamps in your passport.
You have a badge on your chest
And you are the guy
Who knows which way is best
And soon you’ll help others start their journey
They’ll flock to you in person, email, text, or phone
Because without a travel agent,
They’re on their own
You’ll need to learn a new alphabet
You’ll need to be a walking encyclopaedia
But soon you will realise,
You have November Foxtrot India
At first, things may be difficult
There’s a whole world to be learning
But when you’re as brainy as you are
You’ll soon be turning learning into earning
And there will be a hole in your bucket list
And it will now be faster filling
But when you go like you go
It’s even faster spilling
Work hard, Play hard is how you’ll go
Not the beaten path, but the road less travelled
A path that will leave you equally ruffled and revelled
But unrivalled when all is unravelled.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL SELL!
But, I’m sorry to say so
But, sadly, it’s true
That negatives
And complaints can happen to you
You’ll come to a place where your claims are denied
A place where he said she said and somebody lied
Where mind maker uppers can’t make up their mind
And after a four hour consultation, they then go and book online
Is it time to change careers, is this a sign?
You can get all hung up when a TTL is missed
Or when an PNR should have been Mr. instead of a Miss
When you booked Kosher when you should have booked Halal
And now both you and your client are going straight to hell
You’ll forget a visa, a vaccine, or final payment for some poor fellow
You’ll accidentally book a family of four into a Spanish Bordello
You’ll find out the hard way that Antigua the island isn’t Antigua the city
You’ll be filled with the most doubtful of doubt, and the most pitiful of pity
There will be mistakes to be made
And negatives that will need to be paid
But like you, an acorn can’t grow in the safety of shade
You both need to fall before you can rise
And get exposed to the elements before you reach the skies
And get crapped on and dirty and burned and wet
And only then can a go getter go get what a go getter should get
You will feel yourself physically starting to get old
whilst connected to a third world call centre waiting on hold
Por favor, comentar con la palabra ” ornitorrinco”
And your time will be at stop instead of at go
Your head will feel like it’s chock full of boulders
With the weight of a wait list heavy on your shoulders
You’ll lose all concept of time and space
And wind up in the most useless place
The Waiting Place…
For people just waiting
Waiting for the waivers to be favoured
And favours to be waivered
Or a payment to clear or visa to approve
Or a passport to turn up, or a cabin to move
Sitting around whilst you stand by waiting for the last seat
Those who sit on de-arse will wind up in de-feat
Everyone is just waiting
NO!
That’s not for you!
You’re the high flyer
You’ll get upgrades, lounge passes, and elite status on every cruise
And mornings starting with free coffee and nights fuelled by free booze
And free trips to New York, France, Rio and Egypt
And you’ll pinch yourself and think, “I can’t believe I’m getting paid for this shit.”
On you will sell
though the dollar may be low
On you will sell
though the ski fields have no snow
On you will sell
though ash clouds may create crisis
On you will sell
despite the likes of bird flu, liquidations and Isis
Just remember life’s great balancing act
Don’t allow your health and relationships to get bushwhacked
Your desire for success will indeed take its toll
There will be times when all is half empty, and not half full
If you don’t find balance, you’ll sacrifice your mind, body and soul
Lunch is more than a two shot espresso and a Vodka Red Bull
For those that have just started, and to those who have departed
But mostly for the most of us whose destiny is uncharted
If you are the first step in the journey of 1000 miles
And your measure of success is in the number of smiles
You always will succeed
98 and ¾% Guaranteed
KID, YOU’LL SELL MOUNTAINS!
AND OCEANS, DESERTS, CITIES AND VALLEYS
YOU’LL SELL FIJIS, HAWAIIS, HAMILTONS AND BALIS
AND CRUISES, AND COACH TOURS AND RAIL
AND TREKS THROUGH THE ANNAPURNA AND UP THE INCA TRAIL
YOU’LL GET SO GOOD AT SELLING, THERE WILL BE NOBODY THAT CAN SAY, “NO”
AND YOU’LL SELL ANTARCTICA TO ALASKANS, WHICH IS LIKE SELLING ICE TO ESKIMOS
So…
be your name Rainbird or Hoffman or May
or Pagotto, Castell, Van Schmal or Atay,
You’re selling Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your client is waiting.
Show them the way!
What do you think bout O’Captain’s take on Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”?