cheers to 5 years! | WTN - BVIs yacht charter | Highlight - Die With Zero

WHERE TO NEXT?

Dear Traveler,

After an exciting but emotional drop off of our college kids last week, life is back to normal, just quieter. It will take some getting used to.

To distract myself – I am focusing on celebrating that this month marks 5 years since the beginning of Truvay Travel!

Taking some time to reflect on the last five years has been a fun exercise.

Together we’ve sent you all over the world. Off the top of my head I recounted a list below, which is great for your future inspiration.

Celebrating a multigenerational family Christmas under the festive city lights in London followed by time in a cozy country house for games, bonfires, wild swimming (brr) and axe throwing
So many first safaris to Africa – up close encounters while trekking with gorillas, helicoptering and hot air ballooning over the bush, watching mating leopards and lions, wild chases after prey, newborn baby baboons
Visiting your kids on semesters abroad
Experiencing Colombian culture through an impromptu flash mob in the Getsemani neighborhood of Cartagena and coffee tasting on remote plantations
Learning about history by visiting Pompei, the Egyptian Pyramids, Petra in Jordan, the journey of Odysseus, Apartheid in South Africa, Machu Picchu and talking with a political attache in Cuba and so many UNESCO World Heritage Sites and museums
Learning about Islamic culture and religion through conversations with Sheikhs and visits to mosques
Sailing on dhow boats off of Zanzibar, gulets off of Croatia, mokoros in Botswana, chartering yachts in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Belize, island hopping in the Greek Isles and junk boats in Halong Bay
So many wildlife encounters – swimming with seals in the Galapagos and whale sharks in Baja California, cuddling koalas in Australia, observing bison in Yellowstone and very up close observations of brown bears in Alaska
Exploring National Parks across the US
Fishing – from Africa to Alaska, Mexico to Marbella, Canada to Costa Rica and New Zealand to Norway
Attending sporting events – the World Cup, Masters, lots of tennis grand slam tournaments, Eurocopa finals, the Olympics, F1 and the Kentucky Derby
Splurging on over the top experiences – celebrity photographers, palatial presidential suites, helicopters to Alaskan glaciers, yachts on the Amalfi Coast and luxury tented camps in the desert
Renting beautiful European villas with your extended families
Focusing on you wellness in destination spas where you left feeling stronger and lighter than when you arrived
Exploring markets, souks and squares
Walking the streets of new cities in search of cool cafes, fun bars and hidden gems
Honeymooning off the Great Barrier Reef
And earlier this week a surprise proposal in Italy – more to come on that in a future week

Culinary

Picnicking on mountain tops
Taking street food tours on Vespas in Vietnam
Dining at Michelin star restaurants
Learning to bake croissants in Provence
Making pisco sours in Lima
Dining in birds’ nests in the sky
Eating sushi in Tokyo and learning about Japanese tea service in Kyoto

Being active:

Scaling via ferratas
Playing golf from Argentina to Scotland and many places in between
Hiking in Patagonia, Europe, out West, Canada, New Zealand, Colombia and Peru
Snorkeling between tectonic plates in Iceland
Learning to eFoil, surf and improving your golf, tennis and pickleball games
Hiking hut to hut in the Dolomites, with lots of long lunches eating incredible food
Scuba diving in the Caribbean and Australia
Biking in Maui, Vietnam, Italy, France, Portugal and Scotland
Sea bobbing in the Caribbean
Kayaking around the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, on glacial lakes and down European rivers
Skiing out West and in the European Alps
Riding horses on safari and swimming with them through rivers while bareback out West

Adrenaline adventures:

Jetboating outside of Queenstown, NZ
White water rafting out West, in Alaska, Costa Rica and Africa
Paragliding off the Swiss Alps and South American peaks
Ziplining including taking the world’s longest zipline in the UAE
Canyoning and coasteering in the Azores

And so many more adventures!

WOW.

You’ve done a lot these last 5 years. All of the above trips happened despite a pandemic that shut the world down for a while.

I look back on these years with gratitude…

I appreciate my incredible colleagues and partners around the world who help me connect you with locals and insiders that add so much insight to your trips.

I so appreciate your trust in me. Working with you – sending you on amazing adventures near and far. You have been a joy to work with and having your trust in me to plan your special family and friend experiences makes my heart happy.

And I am especially grateful for my family – Jason, Allison, Jessica and Trevor – who were my cheerleaders throughout it all. Understanding when I had work that went late at night, the weekend or early mornings and when I’ve been gone for hundreds of nights on scouting trips around the world. Your understanding, support and love means everything to me.

Over the years I’ve had many people approach me asking about how I started in the travel industry, and what it was like to build my business and be an entrepreneur in a field I love.

I love those conversations and love coaching others on starting their own travel businesses or improving the ones they have. I continue to believe being an entrepreneur in travel is the absolute best job and the perfect one for me!

I love reading books about destinations before I travel there, and I have some favorites which I often share with you before your trips.

A couple of years ago I read two books that have had a big impact on me – both professionally and personally. One, The Power of Moments, I’ve referenced in this newsletter before.

The other I haven’t shared with you yet, so I’m including it as this week’s Highlight.

FYI – I sent in my passport renewal through the new mail order service. I did the expedited service and it was back in less than three weeks – much sooner than promised.

Last week’s most popular article was a tie between The Under-The-Radar Family Destination You Should Know About and The World’s Top 15 Bucket List Trips Ranked—According To A New Report.

This week’s inspirational articles include the 50 greatest luxury hotels on earth, 7 Super-Luxe Trips for the Traveler Who Has Seen Everything, luxury hotels hopping on the bunkbed bandwagon and adventurous vacations for celebrating big milestones – 25, 50 or 75 year birthdays.

Also articles on the Dolomites, Rhode Island, Greece, Rome and wellness retreats.

The informational articles include – can taking a vacation extend your life?, how to feel like you’re flying private, making room for neurodivergent travelers and how do restaurants actually get a Michelin star?.

I look forward to many more years planning incredible adventures with you!

I would also like to ask you a favor.

Each week I spend hours writing and researching for this newsletter. In the interest of sharing it with more people who would enjoy the weekly travel inspiration and information please take 30 seconds to forward it to a friend and encourage them to subscribe. Or share it on social media with a link to subscribe here.

Thank you 🙂

And one reminder for you – the last year of newsletters are now fully searchable (the prior ones are just searchable on the title), so head over to this page and type in a destination you are interested in or a topic (improve sleep while traveling) to see what’s been written about it.

Reminder – in September we will be focusing on safaris. We have so much great inspiration to share with you!

Where am I going next?

To a travel conference in Boston, Telluride, visiting Allison at school in Colorado and meeting with Congress in DC (all in one trip!).

Where to next for you?

Have a wonderful week!

Warmly,

Below:

This week’s highlight – Die With Zero
Where to Next? BVIs Yacht Charter
Articles to Inspire+Inform

DIE WITH ZERO

Last week one of my clients wrote to me ….

I need to start planning out my life experiences (trips). I read this book (summary on next text) which changed my outlook.

You should listen to the audio book. However, it sounds like you are way ahead of me on implementing it. Do you have a list of ideas (experiences/trips) that summarize all the posts I read of yours?

The book he linked to was the book I read two years ago, Die With Zero.

If you are curious about a perspective that will have you rethink your future, your legacy and your impact on your family and this world, I highly recommend reading it.

I love books that help me see the world differently, understand a new perspective or rethink how I do things. This book did that in a major way.

A quote that gives you insights into what it’s about:

“My overarching goal is to get you to think about your life in a more purposeful, deliberate manner, instead of simply doing things as you and others have always done them.

Yes, I want you to plan for your future – but never in such a way that you forget to enjoy the present.

We all get one ride on this roller coaster of life. Let’s start thinking about how to make it the most exciting, exhilarating and satisfying ride it can be.”

I’ve always been someone who loved experiences more than things. When I combine what I learned from the Power of Moments with Die With Zero – it’s had a huge impact on me, my family and Truvay Travel.

I encourage you read it or gift it to someone special and I hope it impacts you in the same way.

As a way to bring you into my 5 year celebration – the first 5 of you that respond that you would like a copy – I will send it to you as a gift.

Happy reading!

🌟 We love sending clients on adventures aboard a chartered yacht! In May our clients, a family with two teen boys, spent a week in the British Virgin Islands. They returned and shared, “It was an incredible trip! One of our best ever. Thanks for helping create such a fantastic experience and memories!”

Why is a BVIs chartered yacht vacation so special?

You get to choose your exact boat and crew. Learn about available yachts through detailed descriptions, photos and my insights. Pick the number of bedrooms, water toys and indoor and outdoor living spaces that suit your family.
Your boat comes with a dedicated crew, including a captain and chef to take care of your every need. All your travel details including meals are planned in advance to your desires (Favorite beer? Modelo Especial. How you like your coffee? with cream at 7am. Favorite cocktail? margarita on the rocks with a salted rim. Menu preferences? Thai, fresh fish, salads, bbq. It’s all incorporated!) This allows for the ultimate relaxation. Our clients said, “We loved not having to think about anything, it was all taken care of.”
The BVIs are known for their calm, protected waters and short distances between the over 60 islands and cays. You can easily cruise between islands to explore hidden coves, private beaches and vibrant ports.

Do as much or as little as you like:

Snorkel and scuba dive right off the boat. Enjoy all the water sports! Most charters have SUPs, kayaks, kneeboards, tubes, floating mats and more. Our clients’ teens tried eFoiling for the first time and it was huge hit! How exciting to learn a new skill on a trip. Easy to do when the eFoil is on your boat.
Stop and visit islands for tours, hikes and relaxing on beaches. With your crews’ expert insights, you decide where you want to go and what you want to do.
Enjoy gourmet meals on your boat or anchor and try beach bars, local dives or fine dining on the islands. Conch fritters are a favorite!

‼️ Don’t miss…. Virgin Gorda’s famous Baths, Jost Van Dyke’s favorite beach bar, the Soggy Dollar Bar (highlighted in a previous newsletter here) and snorkeling the beautiful coral reefs on Anegada.