Spend even a few minutes on social media and your feed will likely be full of people enjoying summer travel. The COVID-19 pandemic created a lot of pent-up demand and it seems like half the people I know are in Europe as I type, checking items off their bucket list.
As long as I can remember, I’ve prioritized experiences (especially travel) over material possessions. In fact, one of the reasons I chose to start my own business in 2003 was so I’d have the ability to make work-life balance a priority.
A few years after I launched RoseComm, I was trading travel stories with a client of mine who was a senior banking executive. After describing a trip I’d taken to Alaska, she said, “Oh, well, if you like nature travel, you have got to go to the Galapagos Islands.”
I’ve never forgotten the way she described the one-of-a-kind environment and the amazing animals that she saw there. It sounded magical. When we looked into it, we quickly realized this was a trip that requires both time and money. It was 2006 and I was expecting our first child. So we tabled it.
Always keep a bucket list
With our children planning to be at sleepaway camp this year, my husband and I knew we wanted to get on the travel bandwagon. As parents, it’s not every day that you can book a trip knowing your kids will be safe, totally occupied and in their own happy place.
I’d already said 2023 was going to be my year of “no regrets.” So, finally, after dreaming about it and researching it for 17 years, we went to the Galapagos Islands.
When you own a business, the reality is you rarely go “off the grid.” We had enough wifi aboard the National Geographic Endeavor II to keep an eye on the business. Fortunately, there were no crises to manage. We chose the week of July 4th hoping a holiday week would be quiet … and it was, relatively speaking. And I’m forever indebted to the RoseComm team who minded the shop while we were away.
A photographer’s dream come true
The trip was everything we’d hoped for and more. Every day was filled with beauty and wonder. My husband, Mason Levinson (who is also our director of content) had a field day shooting photos. Here’s a small sampling:
When wanderlust consumes your thoughts, you tend to find your people and share ideas, just like I did with my client all those years ago. On this trip, we met a couple from Seattle with whom we shared most of our meals on the ship. One night over dinner, they told us about a trip they’d taken to an African safari. Going on safari is another bucket list item for me, so I was especially interested in hearing more. Then they told us they also went gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Now I know where I’m going next. No matter how long it takes for me to get there.
Where are your bucket list destinations?