RECEPTIONIST (American Male): Good morning, Desert Botanical Gardens. How can I assist you?
CUSTOMER (American Female): Oh hello. I’m visiting Tucson right now, and I’m interested in taking a tour of the Botanical Gardens.
RECEPTIONIST: Sure, no problem. We have several different tours depending on what you’re looking for. What time of day would you like to visit?
CUSTOMER: I’m curious about the nighttime flashlight tours that I saw on your website, but I’d like to hear about the other options as well.
RECEPTIONIST: OK, great. You’re referring to our Garden Flashlight Tour. It’s actually our most popular tour right now and they’re available Monday through Friday. It’s only April, but it’s already getting hot here, so people like to visit the garden when it cools off in the evening. But we also have some early morning tours that start at 5:30 a.m. These morning tours are called Desert Bird Tours because they focus on how desert birds live among desert plants. We also have a Desert Winter Tour that starts at 10:00 a.m. but it stops in February and doesn’t begin again until November.
CUSTOMER: Great, the Bird Tour sounds fascinating but that’s a little too early for me. What time do the flashlight tours start?
RECEPTIONIST: 8:00 p.m. They’re one hour and 10 minutes. Or, uh . . . hold on. They’re actually one hour and 30 minutes. We close at 10:00 p.m. So these tours always start at 8:00 sharp so that they’re finished at least 15 minutes before we shut down for the evening.
CUSTOMER: Alright. I think I might as well do the flashlight tour. Does it involve a lot of walking?
RECEPTIONIST: The tours are designed for people of all ages, so they’re not too strenuous. We do have wheelchairs available, though, if one is needed. There are actually two different routes that are used for the nighttime tour.
CUSTOMER: What’s the difference between the two routes?
RECEPTIONIST: Well, the two routes highlight different areas. The first route highlights certain types of cactus which have flowers that bloom in the evening. The other route highlights areas that attract night birds and bats.
CUSTOMER: I’d prefer to see the flowers. When are those tours?
RECEPTIONIST: Uh, let’s see. That route is used on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The night birds and bats route is used on Tuesday and Friday.
CUSTOMER: Are there spots available on Thursday the 17th?
RECEPTIONIST: Let me check. Actually, that night is already full. Can you do Wednesday the 16th instead?
CUSTOMER: Yeah, that works.
RECEPTIONST: Fantastic. Now, the pathways are not lit, so you’ll need a flashlight. You can bring your own, or rent one of ours for $10. You’re welcome to take pictures and we have disposable cameras for sale that are $15. They include a flash.
CUSTOMER: How much does the tour cost?
RECEPTIONIST: For the nighttime tour, it’s $35. Uh . . . um, actually, it’s $40.That includes the cost of the guide and entrance into the garden. As I said earlier, the tour starts at 8:00, but we ask that you show up 15 minutes early to check in. So you should be here by 7:45. If you’re not checked in by the time the tour starts, then you won’t be able to go along with the group.
CUSTOMER: Where do I check in?
RECEPTIONIST: At the front gate. Just let the cashier know that you’ve reserved a spot on the nighttime tour.
CUSTOMER: Great. I’d like to make a reservation.
RECEPTIONIST: OK. Just so you know, if you need to cancel, we ask that you cancel at least 48 hours in advance. If you cancel within 48 hours, then we charge you 50% of your total cost for the tour. If you cancel the day of the tour, there’s no refund at all.
CUSTOMER: OK.
RECEPTIONIST: What’s your name? I’ll make the reservation now.
CUSTOMER: JoAnn Vasquez. J-O-A-N-N V-A-S-Q-U-E-Z.
RECEPTIONIST: Got it. Now, here’s your reservation number. Do you have something to write it down with?
CIUSTOMER: Sure, go ahead.
RECEPTIONIST: Three seven nine, six two, M, as in mother. To secure your reservation, go to our website, enter that reservation number and then you can put in your credit card information. Sound good?