THE GOOD STUFF

Where do you find your inspiration to travel? 
Anthony Bourdain and his shows Parts Unknown and No Reservations. His shows explored topics around food, travel, culture, and creativity and mainly drew inspiration from his passion for culinary and travel diversity. The show inspired me, and still inspires me, to travel because Bourdain didn't travel primarily to trendy spots around the world. Nor did he seek luxury or fancy meals in the wealthiest cities on the planet. What he sought was something far less tangible and much deeper. Bourdain longed to know and understand other cultures, people, and places.

What is the most beautiful beach you have ever set foot on?
When I was researching locations to visit in Costa Rica, Playa Conchal in Guanacaste stood out the most to me because the sand was actually composed of tiny pieces of sparkling white shells. I made it a top spot on my itinerary to explore when I was in Central America, and it did not disappoint and lived up to all the hype I read online. The water was the most stunning body of water I had ever seen. I remember the water ranging from turquoise to aqua to sea-foam green. I partook in an unbelievable excursion while I was there, and the undersea life in this area is spectacular with so many species of tropical fish and stingrays. The beach did get incredibly packed at times, so I walked down towards the part of the beach called Puerto Viejo. It was mainly only locals in this area and way less crowded with no cars or ATVs around. They also prohibited most street vendors and I remember seeing only a few stands of locals offering some jewelry, snorkeling equipment and fruit, and they were not pushy at all. It was well worth the 5½ hour shuttle from San Jose and I am dying to go back.

What was one of your favorite tours that you have ever planned for a client? 
In 2019, I planned out a month-long itinerary for a client who traveled solo from Los Angeles to Scandinavia. The itinerary was the most complex and challenging trip I had been assigned to take on as a travel consultant.

When all was said and done, the trip was a massive win for me as a consultant, and the client was beyond satisfied with his experience. I consider it my biggest professional achievement as a travel consultant to date.

Before even embarking on his 18-hour train ride from Stockholm to the very remote and isolated Abiisko, Sweden, my client spent a week in Paris, flew to Copenhagen and explored Denmark, and still had over two weeks left on his jam-packed itinerary before he flew out from Helsinki, Finland to Seattle, WA where he spent the Thanksgiving holiday with his family before returning home to Los Angeles twenty-nine days later.

My client participated in excursions that ranged from ice fishing, overnight snow camping in frigid temperatures, ice climbing, dog leading and snowmobiling to witnessing the breathtaking aurora borealis at the infamous Icehotel in Sweden. 

Reading his follow-up e-mail and review of the trip when he returned, and seeing the amazing pictures he took and shared with me, was so satisfying and knowing that I had made a travel dream come true for someone, was well worth all the hours of research, planning, and preparation it took to make the trip a success.