Back when the world was in the throes of the pandemic, and travel felt like a distant memory, my nature and wildlife tour guide business, located on the edge of Berowra Valley Regional Park, took a nosedive. With no visitors allowed into Australia, I had to get creative and think outside the box to make ends meet. Wondering, "What is the best way to do a virtual tour?" was just the beginning of an unexpected journey.
Now, here's the kicker - my background was in video production, and I had a not-so-secret love affair with Australia's great outdoors. Put those together, and you've got the recipe for a wacky adventure: I became a virtual tour guide. Armed with nothing fancier than my trusty mobile phone, a gimbal for steady shots (no, it's not a fancy cocktail), and a Bluetooth headset for my global fan club, I embarked on some offbeat virtual escapades through Berowra Valley Regional Park.
Picture this: I'd sneak into a quiet cave, not to find treasure, mind you, but to juice up my phone, and then off I'd go on a one-hour hike, revealing wildlife, landscapes, and all sorts of quirks in real-time. And you won't believe it – my virtual tours somehow ended up on Forbes' list of the world's top ten virtual adventures. But, you know, the real magic was the bellyaching laughter and connections we made during those weird times.
I had virtual buddies from all over the globe itching to dive into the mysteries of Berowra Valley. We'd chase wallabies as they hopped along, play hide-and-seek with sneaky lizards, and even take sneak peeks into bird nests - all from the comfort of our screens.
Now, here's the plot twist - as the pandemic bid farewell (or good riddance!), I decided to swap my digital boots for some good old-fashioned, dirt-on-your-shoes, real-world tours. As much as the virtual gigs had their goofy charm, there's something priceless about connecting with folks in the flesh and giving them a laugh-out-loud tour of Berowra Valley Regional Park.
So, that's my nutty journey - from pandemic blues to virtual wows, and back to in-person shenanigans. Berowra Valley remains the star of the show, ready to thrill adventurers whether through a screen or right under the sun.
For more information on walks within the Berowra Valley, please visit the Berowra Valley National Park website.
