Travel Reimagined | Owner & Travel Advisor at Five Senses Journeys | Virtuoso I passionately design vacation experiences.
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My work as the Owner & Luxury Travel Advisor of Five Senses Journeys focuses on collaboration with clients, building trusting long-term relationships, and ultimately the design of an exceptional trip.
Tour•ist. Toor-ist.
Team DeBaun earlier this week with Pix Around.
There are plenty of business-y images to come, but life is too short not to have a little fun -- especially on a cold wet morning in Amsterdam.
Travel isn't perfect. Life isn't perfect. This morning was pretty darn perfect.
Well, this was fun!
We'll share more once we've sorted through our 3,728 photos from a month-long adventure through Italy!
A secret courtyard in Lecce, Puglia.
What is Legislative Day?
I’ve been a Travel Advisor for 28 years and joined ASTA - American Society of Travel Advisors as a member in summer 2022 – not long after I founded my travel agency, Five Senses Journeys. I support ASTA because it’s the “leading global advocate for travel advisors”, and a crucial facet to my business.
Attending Legislative Day was an opportunity to advocate on behalf of the travel industry. Silence is acceptance, and I wanted to ensure my voice was heard before policies were changed.
So, it was off to Washington DC to attend ASTA’s Legislative Day. This was grassroots at its best, and the combined voices of many are mighty.
Michelle Dorothy, the Chief of Staff for Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) led a brief pre-Legislation Day training panel, so we would know what to expect. Michelle said, “We can’t solve a problem if we don’t know about it. It’s really important that you’re here.”
ASTA staff ensured that first-time attendees were well-informed and coached for the day on Capitol Hill. There was some nervous anticipation, but once we had the ear of the legislator’s staffers, it was fact-sharing and real-life travel stories about our business and our clients.
On June 21, a contingency of nearly 250 ASTA members and staff spent a rain-filled day bouncing between Senate and House of Representative Office Buildings, meeting with legislators and their staffers. The Asks:
✈️ Support the FAA Reauthorization Bill
✈️ Support the Administration’s request to fund the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism
I was glad I showed up, and I’ll show up again to make a difference and educate legislators. And, oh, donate to ASTAPAC – it takes money to pool resources and draw attention to the message that the travel industry sends to Congress (every small amount helps!). https://www.asta.org/advocacy/astapac
TA friends, if you have questions, drop me a note. I'd love to see some fresh (young!) faces in the crowd in 2024!
ASTA Central Atlantic Chapter
Today, I will channel all things 🇬🇧 in honor of tomorrow's Coronation.
1. The Tiara
2. The Albert Helmet
3. The Newsboy Cap
Five days in London was just enough time to nibble at its surface -- and also jam-packed with fun.
This is where the fun and behind-the-scenes travel scheming happens.
Human connections (and the best partners!) are the foundation of creating travel magic for travelers. No wands required!
Thank you J.MAK Hospitality for bringing together Italy, Colombia, and CA to our little corner of Virginia.
And special thanks to Meg Kelley for sparkling up a Monday date night with Edgewood Tahoe
Lefay Resorts & Residences
Italian Style Villas
True Colombia Travel
A Global Food Map of the World's Best Restaurants. This looks like fun!
1. I need to FINALLY get to Mexico City!
2. Add to my DC list: Thip Khao and Centrolina
3. To my MN peeps: Khaluna and StepChild
Chefs, cookbook authors, and food show hosts on the meals they travel for.
May your 2023 be filled with worldly wonder.
Happy & Merry!!
Last week I was in London and it was especially festive. This friendly face greeted me nearly every time I walked into my hotel.
May your Christmas, Saint Nicholas Day, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and everything in between be filled with joy, love & laughter.
New travel experiences can sometimes be nearby. For those in central Virginia, the Warm Springs Pools are an easy drive, and re-open on December 17, after an extensive renovation.
The historic Warm Springs Pools are the first known spa structure in the U.S. With winter upon us, it may be just time to "take the waters". https://bit.ly/3BHvymO
The past few days, Facebook has been reminding me that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year to travel.
This Parisien view is from November 27, 1998, when smartphones were only a reality for futurist thinkers. There was a brightly lit sign hanging from the Eiffel Tower: 401. It was 401 days until January 1, 2000 (aka Y2K) - when predictions were made that the digital world would collapse.
Late November through mid-December is a fabulous time to visit Southern Hemisphere destinations. Much of Europe begins their Christmas festivities at this time, and as the northern climes begin to cool, the Caribbean and Central America beckon.
Over the past 15 or so years, my Thanksgiving vacation spots have included South Africa, Buenos Aires, Mexico, Turkey, Kenya, Quebec, Eastern Europe, Tanzania, Paris, and Amsterdam.
I'm grateful that my life's work-passion has afforded me the opportunities to be able to travel. I'm writing this now on Amtrak, heading to NYC to spend time with family.
May your Thanksgiving be filled with family & friends, good health -- and travel.
TRAVELER Q & A:
How close do you get to wildlife on an African Safari?
THIS close. In November 2019, Charles, our private guide & driver, along with Daniel, the spotter & tracker, kept us enthralled for a full day in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
Rochelle Pull DeBaun
First-time safari travel can be intimidating.
There can also be a lot of excited anticipation: what to pack/wear, how to tip safari staff, will I be safe, what's the food like and how to best make photos/video.
A multi-gen family is preparing for two weeks in Kenya.
Enter: An in-person pre-trip safari meeting and packing how-to. Old-fashioned? Perhaps. High-touch? Absolutely!
October is a bustling safari travel month here at Five Senses Journeys -- so stay tuned with trip updates, and safari tips & tricks.
"Journeys of a Lifetime". I think Queen Elizabeth II was an adventurer at heart (with lots of handlers!). I love this image taken in Istanbul in 1971. From Ceylon to Kenya, from Thailand to Tuvalu: https://cnn.it/3S4x5ti
Dear Chicago,
Thank you for showing off with this brilliant warm sunny morning.
Your architecture is mesmerizing and the outdoor pursuits are endless. Oh, and there's the food!
Sincerely,
Happy Traveler
Family travel.
Bonding and (re)connecting away from home can be one of the most enriching growth experiences for a child.
Mind you, I don't have children, but I was one! I remember indelible moments traveling with my family -- mostly on grand US National Park vacations. Seeing the "big wide world" away from my hometown in Minnesota was amazing and foreign.
I find tremendous joy in planning trips in which the eyes and minds of kids are opened to new experiences. And even better, once travelers have returned from a journey I've created, I love to learn about what brought THEM joy.
Thank you to the families who have entrusted Five Senses Journeys with two of the most precious things in life: kids & time.
Photo: Jane & Jeff family, Normandy, France
𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓: Effective June 12, pre-departure COVID-19 international air testing requirements (arriving back to the U.S.) will be dropped. Based on science and data, the CDC has determined that this requirement is no longer necessary.
𝗣𝗦𝗔: This isn't a free-for-all, folks. Please keep using at-home self-tests before and during travel. If you're not feeling well or have symptoms, make smart decisions to keep yourself and others healthy.
Traveling around the world one phone call at a time.
With hundreds of emails dropping into my inbox each day, it can be challenging to prioritize the communication. A couple of times a week, I begin my morning earlier than usual and travel to Europe by way of a phone call.
While this may seem old-fashioned to some (hello millennials!!), the results are expedient- especially with a long holiday weekend approaching.
Today's Five Senses Journeys phone travels:
✔️ Eze, France
✔️ Glasgow
✔️ Hvolsvöllur, Iceland
✔️ Barcelona
✔️ Paris
✔️ Sorrento
✔️ Tamarindo, Costa Rica
The bonus is that I LOVE crossing items off a to do list!
📷
Feeling giddy over here.
It's a thrill to pull together a special multi-week Tanzania birthday trip in only several days time...departing in 6 months!
The giddy part is booking Gibb's Farm for these travelers. This is personally one of my most favorite hotel properties ON THE PLANET. If clients are traveling to Tanzania, I'll nearly insist that they stay here to round-out safari experiences.
Gibb's Farm | A Sanctuary for the Senses. I'm not going to lie, some of Five Senses Journeys' ethos is based on my stay here.
I love that Gibb's Farm regularly ranks as one of the top hotel properties in Africa yet remains a bit of a secret. Part retreat, part coffee plantation, part farm, and all perfect.
Gibb's Farm - Ngorongoro Crater
"Cabin crew, prepare for take-off."
Who else gets a tingly feeling when the pilot makes this announcement?
E-V-E-R-Y effort it has taken to get here has been oh-so-worth-it. I'm not talking about getting up at 4am or finalizing client projects & proposals until late last night so I could be sitting in this seat in the dark.
I'm talking about 14 months of daily actions, many miniscule, that have me one day closer to visulizing how I want to "live and be and contribute" as a travel agency business owner and Travel Advisor. Most days, these little tweaks, trials & efforts are barely recognizable. Some days, there are victories which demand a gleeful spin around the living room.
Today, I'm headed to Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico for a long weekend Masters in Travel Retreat. I've missed travel colleague in-person connections. I've missed exchanging ideas, collaborating, commiserating and building new friendships.
This trip and my ability to "work from the road" with greater ease and peace was the goal. This trip is also my reward. All the miniscule steps that got me HERE, today, will keep building and growing into my next goal.
What personal or business goals have you manifested by showing up each day? (I celebrate with you!)
P.S. Thank you to my travel tribe, my Tuesday Tipplers, my tough lover's, my accountability peeps -- and mostly Christian.
I've been learning to juggle. But NOT circus-style juggling.
The GLASS BALL | RUBBER BALL practice is as new to me as my new travel agency business. (I love a good visual!). And this practice can be applied to any business - or even in personal everyday life.
Here goes:
"Think about all the things you are currently working on and determine which ones are GLASS BALLS and which are RUBBER BALLS. Glass balls are the mission-critical items that can't be dropped because if you do, they will break. Rubber balls are those things that may be important but can be postponed; they may bounce around a bit and cause some delays, but they aren't critical to your success."
There have been more glass balls to juggle the past couple of months in the travel industry. Thankfully for me, and hopefully for my travel friends, colleagues and suppliers, none have broken.
Bring it on rubber!
Bliss.
verb: To reach a state of perfect happiness, typically as so to be oblivious of everything else.
Whether you're traveling near or far this holiday week, or settled at home, may you find moments of bliss.
There's a new testing game in town.
Hello Charlottesville, VA and the wee surrounding towns! Test Here is located in Seminole Square - the old Performance Bicycle location. They've been operating for a couple of weeks.
I Go So You Know, you know. Here are the highlights and my Dec 22 takeaways:
• Appointments (every 15min) are required. There's a short online questionnaire and scheduler. Click here https://bit.ly/3qjhEkn
• Open daily from 8am with the last appointment at 4:45pm.
• Appointments can be scheduled out for many weeks. (Hello travelers who need to plan!).
• There are various testing options depending upon your needs, ranging from Rapid Antigen to RT-PCR next day or 1-4hrs results.
• Tests can be for day-to-day (i.e. school, work, visiting family) or international travel.
• If you're showing COVID symptoms or have been exposed, then Test Here will direct bill your insurance provider (for the Rapid Antigen test).
• All other tests require upfront payment ($95 - $265) - when the appointment is scheduled. Test Here provides the needed digital forms to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.
TAKEAWAYS
1. I had a 3:45pm appointment. When I arrived there were a dozen people in the queue. I waited about 25min to get tested. Apparently, there are typically two testing teams onsite, but not during my visit.
2. The testing is done in a vacant retail space. Seating options are limited. Everyone in line was masked and socially distanced.
3. The testing area was sanitized between each person. The testing team was efficient, calm, and pleasant - even as the line continued to grow.
4. My test results were emailed within 20min.
5. Once home, I filed a short online claim form with Anthem.
TestHere.com - Rapid Covid-19 Testing
The only constant in life is change.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said it 2500 years ago. His central claim was life is flux. I wonder what Heraclitus would have to say about COVID international travel changes?
🌎 Starting Monday, Dec 6, every international traveler, regardless of vaccination status, will need a negative COVID test taken no more than ONE DAY prior to flying into the states. 🌎
Rapid antigen testing results are typically available within a few hours. Proctored self-tests that meet travel requirements are also an option.
No need to be anxious about this (constant) change, dear travelers. Your trusted travel advisor has got this. You're planning your international trips with a travel expert, yes?!
(This message will self-destruct in 60 seconds).
Happy Thanksgiving. May your day be overflowing with all that brings joy & love.
If you DON'T love & appreciate mindblowing scenery. It's probably best that you leave Iceland for the rest of us who do!
These are a few snaps from my September 2021 Iceland adventure, from Thorsmork Valley to the Sky Lagoon (Reykjavik) and somewhere on the side of the road between Borgarnes and Husafell.
These past few weeks, I've felt it. These past few weeks, I've seen it.
You're ready to travel again! Big, juicy trips you've dreamt about for two or more years. Big, juicy trips to Europe, Africa, South America, Alaska & Hawaii - with your extended families, with friends you haven't seen since 2019, the re-rebooked honeymoons, and wedding anniversary celebrations. Trips that celebrate being alive!
I'm personally reflecting back on my big, juicy trip to Kenya & Tanzania — pictured here in the Massai Mara, Kenya. Exactly two years ago, I was packing safari gear. A lot has changed in my professional and personal life over the past 20 months. Follow Five Senses Journeys stories for the next week. It'll be a mix of safari inspiration, travel tidbits, and for me, a stroll down memory lane.
Charlottesville, VA
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How do you display your vacation images?
TRAVELER Q & A: How close do you get to wildlife on an African Safari? THIS close. In November 2019, Charles, our private guide & driver, along with Daniel, the spotter & tracker, kept us enthralled for a full day in the Masai Mara, Kenya. #debaunadventures #safarijourney Rochelle Pull DeBaun
Dear Chicago, Thank you for showing off with this brilliant warm sunny morning. Your architecture is mesmerizing and the outdoor pursuits are endless. Oh, and there's the food! Sincerely, Happy Traveler
