A Prayer for Tourists

Trip Start Jul 20, 2004
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Trip End Jul 20, 2012


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Saturday, September 10, 2005

While in Hobart, I stayed with hospitalityclub host Helen, a nurse at the Hobart hospital. I hiked up Mt. Wellington and got stranded in bad weather on top of the mountain, I explored the town, the botanical garden and on saturday, went to the famous Salamanca Market and later to historic Richmond. The town has a well preserved convict gaol and many firsts - including the nation's oldest Roman Catholic church and bridge. And at that church, I found this little prayer:

Heavenly Father, look down on us your humble, obedient
tourist servants, who are doomed to travel this earth,
taking photographs, mailing postcards, buying souvenirs and
walking around in drip-dry underwear.

Give us this day Divine Guidance in the selection
of our hotels, that we may find our reservations honoured,
our rooms made up, breakfast included, and (hot) water running in the taps.

We pray that the telephones work, and the operators speak our tongue.

Lead us, dear Lord, to good, inexpensive restaurants
where the food is superb, the waiters friendly and the wine served complimentary.

Give us wisdom to tip correctly in currencies we do not understand.
Forgive us for undertipping out of ignorance and overtipping out of fear.
Make the locals love us for who we are, and not for what we can contribute
to their wordly goods.

Grant us the strength to visit the museums, the cathedrals,
the colonial houses, national parks, and convict jails
listed as "must see" in our guide books.

And if by chance we skip an historic monument to take a nap after lunch,
have mercy on us, for the flesh is but weak.

Amen
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