I fell into speaking on a cruise, quite by accident! I was at a meeting when I was asked if I would be interested filling in for a speaker who couldn’t make the cruise. Of course I said yes!
That was Wednesday and the cruise left on Friday all the way across the country. To make matters more complicated, I didn’t have my passport updated. So by the time I drove into the city, presented my airline tickets to the Passport officer and completed my check list, I was ready to board the plane 54 hours after I heard about the cruise.
A lot of times speakers have to be prepared to jump at an opportunity because we never know when they might arise.
Speaking on a cruise was one of my best vacations ever. I spoke for four hours out of 10 days. I presented variations on communication techniques and how to apply them to an audience who might not have any anything else to do during that hour. I created a presentation that was light hearted, entertaining yet full of practical information.
It was such a pleasure to walk through the dining room and hear my name whispered throughout the room. I felt like a celebrity and I enjoyed every minute of it, including being asked to join others for meals.
And discovering parts of the world I had never been to was a bonus!