A WOMAN WALKS OUT OF THE BAR
Why would a mom of two and former lawyer decide to launch a travel business during a global pandemic?
THE back story
A perfectly reasonable question of someone not raised in travel. Indeed, my first trip abroad happened only after college graduation when I collected just enough money to be dangerous. With a plane ticket and rail pass in hand, I somehow pieced together a summer-long backpack through western Europe on $15/day (with a few nights on the train and under the stars, to be sure). In that challenge and amidst all that history, beauty, and culture, a seed was planted that would develop into full blown wanderlust and a lifetime of passion and curiosity.
But first there was law school. The plans had been set in motion two years earlier and the momentum of those efforts would not be altered. A career followed, of course, along with marriage and two sons. Even still, the travel bug kept biting.
leave the diaper behind
Our first chance for adventure without a diaper bag was a Christmas trip to Mozambique and South Africa. We were hosted by fabulous friends who introduced us to their interesting colleagues in Maputo, led us on game drives through Kruger Park, towed us in a broken-down truck across the plains all day on Christmas Eve so we could enjoy a “normal” Maputo holiday, and showed us the beautiful beaches and winelands of Cape Town. Our memories of that trip are as fresh and vibrant as yesterday.
On the road to swim with penguins at Boulder Beach in Cape Town, SA
WHY we travel
And that is really one of the most powerful draws of travel. Putting ourselves in new places where we are challenged to learn new things from new people touches us deeply. The memories that form at those times are incredibly vivid and never fail to transport us back to those moments of connection with a place, a people, and with one another. My family has traveled far and wide over these last thirty years and the shared memories have helped us connect and reconnect no matter what curveballs life sent our way.
mixology matters
So why pursue a passion for travel in the midst of a pandemic? Start with a hefty pour of free time at home dreaming of better days. Add equal parts of unwavering optimism and a deep-seated love of exploration, and you have a signature cocktail for launch!