This is the second part of the Robert Hulse Meet Your Guide Interview. Robert’s done some deep thinking about stories and storytelling. He shares that with us here and then goes on to talk about his now-legendary “four for four” tour: Guided Thames Cruise – Isle of Dogs Walk – Guided Tunnel Descent – Thames Riverside Village Walk.
“it’s how you make sense of the world”
“you put some of yourself into the guiding”
“good ideas do sometimes struggle to get down the slipway”
“if you live in London you’re 90 per cent River Thames”
“it’s part of us, we’re part of it [the river]”
“we’re showmen”
“stories are looking for meaning”
London calling. David here.
This is Part II of the Robert Hulse Meet Your Guide Interview. Part I aired just over a week ago – on May 22nd. Robert’s led an eventful life, so that first part was just the early chapters of the Robert Hulse story – his childhood, Oxford, his running away to join the circus (so to speak) and various fun bits and mishaps and adventures of his going down the launch ramp of young adulthood.
Robert’s the Founding Director of the Brunel Museum, so this part, this podcast, takes up that more recent chapter in his life. And ends with him going over the ground, so to speak, of his legendary four for four, tour of tours. Four for four – it’s a baseball idiom – because said legendary tour starts with a guided Thames boat cruise (yes, it’s Robert doing the guiding), which is followed by a guided walk on the Isle of Dogs. Which is then followed by a short guided tunnel “descent” . And then – to make it four for four, a 1,000 batting percentage (that baseball idiom again) it ends with Robert guiding that magical riverside hamlet, Rotherhithe.
Anyway, the starting point for the interview is Robert talking about – wait for it – Lou Reed’s girlfriend. Well, her boyfriend, that’s just a piquant detail. She’s a very fine American artist who worked with Robert on the Brunel Museum. She did the concrete fishes. She had form, because she’s the artist who ringed Milton Keynes with concrete. As Robert tells us. Have a listen.
Went on robert’s walk and boat trip today. Greatly enjoyed it and recommend it. He was informative, funny, patient and flexible. You can put this comment into cyberspace.
Philip from Australia