Outlier Journeys

06/18/2024

Here’s a little bit of flight trivia for our aviation lovers:

Do you know the route of the current longest flight in the world?

Hint: It’s served by the airline in the photo, clocks in at 19 hours and takes place on a specially designed Airbus A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) that’s mostly configured with business class seats.

06/11/2024

If you’re not heading to Greece in 2024, there is a good chance that someone you know is Greece-bound for their summer holiday. It’s one of the most popular countries in the world this year for travelers, with an estimated 20% year-over-year increase in tourist arrivals. And in 2023, that number already hovered near a staggering 33 million foreign travelers (Source: and )

Do them or yourselves a favor and pop over to the Outlier Journeys Spotify Page (linked in bio) to download or share our Greek Playlist, the perfect soundtrack to put you in the travel mood while you pack, or pass the time at the airport.

You’ll find an eclectic mix of Greek artists and musicians, everything from the great Mikis Theodorakis Zorba’s Dance to the trippy grooves of Xaxakes to Athens-based jazz ensemble Kepler Is Free. Whether your Greece travel plans include yachting it up on the Ionian Sea, taking in the Acropolis or spending the full day cooking, sharing and indulging in the BEST food on a Cretan farm, there’s a track for you to enhance your trip.

📸: From Outlier travelers Linda and Chuck who spent 8 days exploring Crete in May, and finished their time on the island with a farm to table culinary day in the hills outside of Heraklion.

06/03/2024

At Outlier Journeys, we are constantly on the hunt for extraordinary accommodations that offer a unique version of hospitality, prioritizing travelers comfort while also offering creative ways to connect with and experience a destination.

Zenagi, located along Japan’s famous Nakasendo Route, is one of these places. Tucked within the forested hills of the Kiso Valley, Zenagi is a centuries-old farmhouse that has been lovingly restored into an exclusive three-room hotel, hosting just 6 guests at a time.

Dubbed an “expedition hotel”, cultural and wilderness adventures are central to the Zenagi experience.
Adventure and beauty collide in Kiso’s wilderness. Guests can participate in a number of activities, ranging from leisurely canoeing, paragliding, mountain biking, hiking the “Samurai Trail “, and sawanobori (upstream mountaineering). Excursions are led by a team of expert in-house guides, several of whom are past Olympians.

But while the outdoors may be the main draw for many, returning home to Zenagi at the end of a day’s adventures is equally as lovely; a house host ensures that a hot bath is at the ready in the deep cyprus soaking tubs and a talented culinary team elevates local ingredients into edible art for ever meal.

Put on your list for an exceptional stay in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture.

05/21/2024

“Had an epic leopard sighting at and am loving this family-run camp. Exceptional in every way and so well thought out. Plus I Iove when you have to tune into the wild and track game to earn moments like this. Mike Davy, son of the owners has been my guide and let me use his camera this afternoon. Super fun and resulted in some great shots.”

Field notes from Jeff who is currently on an R&D trip in Zambia. Keep an eye on our stories for more!
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05/17/2024

Jeff just finished attending Africa’s Travel Indaba, one of the most important travel trade shows on the African continent, hosted annually by South Africa Tourism in Durban. It’s always fun, inspiring and motivating to reconnect with old friends and meet new potential partners, like the dynamic Christine Olah Nampewo, Co-Owner of in Uganda.

One of our core values at Outlier Journeys is to seek out and work with other small businesses; independently owned and mission-driven guides, outfitters and lodge owners in the destinations where we design travel. Whenever possible, we prioritize partnering with local, female and indigenous-owned tourism businesses. This creates a more personalized and rare experience for you, the traveler, and helps to ensure that more of your trip spend goes to and stays within the destination you are exploring with us!

05/14/2024

May is often a slower month for travel, a quieter time between spring break trips and the start of summer craziness. Generally speaking, the weather during May is usually mild, pleasantly warm but without extremes, and prices are often more reasonable outside of the high season rate spikes. What’s not to love about that?!

If you have the flexibility to get away in May, we think it’s a great month to travel through Europe, parts of Africa and the Galápagos Islands.

Here is where our travelers are exploring in May:

▪️Madagascar from South to North
▪️South Africa and Victoria Falls including and
▪️An archeological, nature and culinary trip across Crete
▪️Ecuador with some of our favorites - and
▪️A family adventure in Japan, including a Buddhist temple stay in Koyosan, Kurashiki, Naoshima and a private calligraphy lesson
▪️A slow meander through Italy by way of the superb Ferragamo properties in Rome & Florence, a private villa in Trequanda and

05/11/2024

Usually we send travelers to Norway, Finland, Iceland or the Yukon to see the Northern Lights in Feb-early April. But last night the Aurora above Seattle danced and dazzled thanks to recent intense solar storms.

Photos from our backyard/office in the foothills of the Cascades. Absolutely awestruck.

05/09/2024

New destination playlists from Outlier Journeys x Duty Free Radio! Read our latest blog or visit our Spotify Channel for new music from Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico and Greece!

New playlists added to the Outlier Journeys Spotify Channel! Music from Ethiopia, Mexico, Greece, Morocco and Kenya!

05/08/2024

“We were already fans of but the food, quality of guides and service at Valley Sagrado blew us away. It was the perfect base to acclimatize and discover the Sacred Valley away from the crowds. Instead of a whirlwind dash through the greatest hits, we spent 6 nights and were able to build in one or two archeological sites into a hike every day.”

Recent feedback and words of wisdom from veteran Latin America travelers who spent a week at Explora Valle Sagrado to prep for their trek on the Inca Trail.

Spending more time in fewer locations is always a recipe for success in our book. As in Peru in April, probably our favorite month for arranging travel to Peru. Thank you to Explora for delivering once again!

04/23/2024

Did you know that paper accounts for 26% of total waste at landfills and is a major cause of deforestation?

Prior to co-founding Outlier Journeys, Kirsten worked with many of the top independent, sustainable luxury lodges across Latin America. Though methods and resources varied by location, all of them shared the goal of greatly reducing or eliminating the waste that they produced and sent to landfills. To achieve this, organic waste was composted on property, single use or limited use products were refused and waste output was measured regularly to track progress.

Why couldn’t a travel company - or any business - operate under these principles as well? By using this lens to analyze Outlier Journeys work flow and operations from the onset, we a made a few deliberate choices that greatly reduced the waste that we produce as a company.

To reduce Outlier Journeys reliance on paper, we made the decision to deliver all travel documents electronically over email and via our easy-to-use app. Which also keeps everything that you need for your trip neatly organized in one place. No more shuffling through a folder of papers, looking for a confirmation number! 100% of our travelers who have never used a travel app before say they are never going back to paper print outs.

Our company also composts and uses to transform hard to recycle items into useful products. As a very small team it’s easy to track waste production at our headquarters. Food and paper waste from our office is composted on site by our 🪱, which is then used in the garden. Since 2022, through composting, a Ridwell Membership, community recycling and practicing reduction/refusal we’ve created approximately 3 office waste bins full of trash that have gone to the landfill.

Lastly, we still love to send our travelers snail mail! When you receive a package from us, the mailers from are constructed from 100% recycled paper and can easily be recycled or composted at home! They are not the cheapest option, but it’s a cost we’re willing to absorb to keep more trees in the ground and more paper out of landfills.

📸: The incredible cloud forests of Monteverde, Costa Rica.

04/22/2024

At Outlier Journeys, thoughtfully crafted, low volume/highly personalized travel is our medium through which to contribute positively to our greater global community.

In honor of Earth Day this week, we’re sharing some of the ways we practice this value every day, regardless of where you travel with us:

First, as members of 1% for the planet, we donate 1% of our annual, actualized revenue to environmental partners tackling the urgent issue of climate change. In 2023, we gave $7,394 to the following partners:

Amigos of Costa Rica
The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund
The Zambian Carnivore Programme Amazon Frontlines
Earth Corps

While our giving total isn’t huge (just shy of $10,000 since 2022) it’s a significant amount for a small business that comes out of our bottom line! We view this as a critical expense item in our annual operating budget and are proud to support nonprofits and orgs around the world, doing meaningful work to protect the environment, collaborate with local communities and address climate change.

📸:

04/10/2024

Attention adventurous safari goers looking for something different- save this post!

Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe is a rising star in the safari world but still a relatively unknown destination. Located near where Zim’s southern border connects with Mozambique and South Africa, Gonarezhou is 3x the size of Kenya’s Maasai Mara but has few roads, very little development and has been under the care & protection of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust for many years. All of this means that the wildlife viewing is excellent, the number of visitors is minuscule and experiencing the essence of a truly wild place is fully intact.

You can easily spend 5-7 nights here and barely scratch the surface. Experience incredible landscapes, safari drives and game walks while staying in a beautiful lodge or bush camping in remote areas of the park with Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge. Gonarezhou combines well with Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools and Victoria Falls, or you can fly in from Johannesburg, South Africa.

If you are looking for what’s next in Southern Africa and appreciate wild and remote locations - this. Get in touch with us to connect with Jeff and start planning!

04/05/2024

In honor of National Poetry Month, on each Friday in April we’ll be highlighting a poet from around the world.

Up first is Uruguayan poet-journalist Eduardo Galeano.

“I first encountered Galeano through “The Book of Embraces”, required reading for a Global Literature class that I took while studying abroad with Semester at Sea in 2005. One particular Poem within the book, “The Nobodies”, has stayed with me since the first moment I read it and I often recommend this and Galeano’s other works to anyone traveling to Latina America. His writing challenges the Euro-centric and colonist gaze, which colors many classic books about “discovered” destinations. His work will definitely make you think; it may even make you a little uncomfortable, but that’s the whole point.” - Kirsten

We frequently recommend poetry to our travelers (in addition to music, films, novels and nonfiction books) as a way to share diverse perspectives and highlight the nuances of a place or culture.

Who are the poets from around the world who have stuck in your head? Who through their art have made you think differently?

04/03/2024

Outlier Journeys travelers, Linda and Chuck, have embarked on their Round the World Adventure, a multi-month global game of hopscotch that we’ve been collaborating on for more than a year!

Singapore was their first stop, and in Linda’s words “Singapore is truly a city of the future as well as a city in nature. Green spaces on the ground and in and outside of the buildings, super trees to capture carbon, blending of cultures with endless opportunities for eating, and public housing that fosters community. So glad we had the opportunity to get to know a small piece of this city.”

Thanks to PS, a chef, design & architecture lover, and Singapore local - for sharing her home with our travelers. 🇸🇬 is one of our favorite Asian cities for an extended stopover before venturing elsewhere, and makes getting there a treat.

Next stop - Dubai! And then, Uzbekistan.

Would you go on an extended round the world adventure? What destinations or themes would you want to explore? Leave us a note in the comments!

03/28/2024

If you are planning to travel to Japan this year, here’s what you need to know now.

- The destination is booming. There will be no “escaping the crowds” in popular destinations like Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Naoshima and Hiroshima.

- Even destinations that require a traveler to dig a little deeper - like Nikko, Koyasan, Kanazawa and the Izu Peninsula are almost fully booked over popular travel dates.

- It’s taking our trusted partners in Japan around 3 weeks right now to turn around complete proposals. Revisions are taking up to a week. So, as the traveler, it’s in your best interest to be specific about things like budget, travel dates and interests. But also be flexible and a little patient.

All that being said, we see this as a real opportunity to scratch beneath the surface of a typical Japan 101 itinerary and take our travelers truly off the beaten path. To help us help you, instead of having a checklist of sites, give some thought to the type of experiences that you want to have, your passions and interests, and how you want to feel. There’s a good chance that we can bring your perfect trip to life, it just may include a few places that you’ve never heard of!

Bonus: Our Japan soundtrack from is 🔥Check out our stories or click the link in our bio to sample this and other destination playlists on the Outlier Journeys Spotify channel!

03/27/2024

We’re back from our scouting trip to Spain and dreaming of the rolling hills, herb-filled gardens and white-washed beauty of - our absolute favorite find during this two week trip that took us from Madrid to Andalusia to Barcelona.

Perched up high in the Serranía de Ronda, Finca la Donaira is a 1700 acre regenerative-organic farm, equestrian center (they have over 100 Lusitano horses), wellness retreat and eco-luxe haven for anyone who wants to slow down and savor the joys of country living. Learn about regenerative permaculture, sip biodynamic wines made on property, swim laps in the (truly stunning) 21 meter spring-fed indoor pool, take a forest walk accompanied by fuzzy donkeys and watch the chefs masterfully prepare dinner in the open-concept kitchen. (All ingredients from the farm, but of course.)

West Coast clients - this is your jam. Finca la Donaira has just 9 rooms and suites. Yes during our visit, 3 guests on-property were from the Seattle area. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

03/20/2024

If you are a first time traveler to Africa, our safari expert Jeff Stivers has some ideas for you!

Via the link in our bio, explore “Tried and True” yet completely customizable experiences in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Though there is still *some* availability for 2024, we recommend that you engage us to plan your ideal Africa trip at least 12 months in advance.

03/19/2024

Is Africa still on your wanderlist? Africa & Safari expert Jeff Stivers shares four of his favorite itineraries for the first-time traveler to Eastern and Southern Africa. And we say "first-time" because we're positive that once you visit this diverse continent of 54 unique countries, you're going to want to return and explore more deeply time and again!

Outlier Journeys Africa Expert Jeff Stivers has been traveling through and designing travel to Southern and Eastern Africa for nearly two decades. He knows which parks, private reserves, lodges and remote camps work well for first-time travelers to the continent, factoring in variables like time of....

03/15/2024

“Patagonia Camp was such a special place. The facilities and staff were fantastic and Alina ran an excellent hiking program. It was perfect to spend our first 4 nights here given the distances and flights to get here. Overall the flow and pace of our two week trip enabled us to cover a lot of territory in each location and experience spectacular landscapes. We loved it and were blissfully tired at the end of each day. Future travelers interested in a similar trip should trust Outlier Journeys’ knowledge of each location and logistics.”

Love this feedback from travelers who just returned from 2+ weeks in Patagonia, Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls!

We never take for granted that when you work with us on a trip, you are trusting us to allocate your money, and even more importantly, your time, in the wisest way possible.

It’s why we spend considerable time on the phone, getting to know you at the onset of trip design, and schedule regular check-ins throughout the planning process. Building trust and building a trusting relationship takes time. AI and tech can increase our efficiency but it can’t replace human connection, partnerships, good taste and an educated point of view.

In an increasingly automated world, we will continue to invest our time in getting to know you and making sure that the trust you invest in us is worth it!

03/08/2024

Uncover the charm of one of Japan's lesser known destinations in our latest "Journey Notes" post from Shikoku Island.

Tales from cycling across the smallest of Japan's main islands “What are these?” I asked, lifting a small bowl of what looked like translucent, chopped spaghetti for closer inspection. “The children of eels” Mr. Isao-San said, then typed something into the translation app on his phone and sh...

03/01/2024

February flew by! For the first time, we had multiple travelers departing on hand-crafted trips every week, to Argentina, Antarctica, Chile, Japan, Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico and more. Accompanied by launching multiple new trip design collaborations each week, this was a significant milestone for our small company, and a trend that will continue through the end of May.

We also hit another big milestone in February when our cofounder Jeff Stivers joined Outlier Journeys full time! Jeff has nearly two decades of leadership experience in the travel industry and is an expert in travel to Africa, SE Asia and true active adventures.

Jeff also believes that travel, when executed thoughtfully, has the ability to impart positive change on many stakeholders. During his tenure at REI Adventures he spearheaded an impactful collaboration between the and

We’re thrilled to have Jeff fully onboard and excited about what this means for our travelers and internal operations. Read more about .stivers in the press release from the - published today and linked in our bio!

02/10/2024

West Coasters - do you subscribe to Sunset Magazine? A recently published article covered the rising trend of “buddymoons” - a travel style we’ve been fans of since planning our own mountain biking buddymoon to Nepal in 2019!

A buddymoon can be any group trip that follows a wedding, with the newlyweds picking the destination. Since many couples have already traveled extensively together by the time they get married, a buddymoon can be a fun way to rally friends towards an epic experience that is uniquely well suited for small groups. Here’s what we think works well based on Nepal and other buddymoons that we’ve planned:

1.) Have a key “thing” that the group is participating in and excited for. Maybe that is mountain biking for 10 days in the Himalaya, attending a week long private cooking school in Oaxaca, surfing in Indonesia or the Maldives, embarking a walking safari in Zambia, climbing Cotopaxi, riding horses in Iceland or skiing powder in Norway or Japan. Something experimental and active are our top choices as we are big fans of “travel through doing.”

2.) Make sure that where you stay enables both privacy and down time for individuals and also facilitates intimate group gatherings. Remote wilderness lodges, private boat charters and buyouts of boutique hotels are all great options. It’s important to strike the right balance between participation and some free time; participants are using their vacation days after all.

3.) For the newlyweds, take some days just for the two of you and decompress before heading home. For my buddymoon, we wrapped up two weeks of an active small group adventure in Nepal with 3 nights at resort outside of Kathmandu. It was perfection.

4.) Turn the cat herding over to a professional. You do not want to be organizing logistics, answering endless questions and running point on communication while also trying to enjoy this trip. Hire a professional (like us!) to do the planning for you and let our in-country partners ensure that your adventure is fully supported and led by local experts.

Does a buddymoon appeal to you? Get in touch if we can help you turn your private group travel dream into a reality!

02/09/2024

Throwing it back to last September and one of my favorite stays in Vietnam, the lovely outside of Sapa, with valley, terrace and mountain views in every direction. The food was extraordinary, all of the local staff were so welcoming and helpful and as a former member of (now disbanded) National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, the environmental & community collaboration practices were exemplary.

Sapa itself was extremely busy, but just 45 minutes away? Heaven.

Photo 1: My cute husband agreeing to the rare photo

Photo 2: Looking back towards the main lodge and reception.

Photo 3: Rice terrace views from our balcony. We were there a few weeks post harvest so missed the vivid lime green that photographers crave, but beautiful regardless.

Photo 4: Sunset clouds

If you love hiking, slightly cooler temperatures (at least at night) and want to support community-based tourism led by members of the Red Dzao and Black Hmong communities, this is the place for you!

02/08/2024

Mexico City Art Week is in full swing so it’s the perfect time to roll out our latest Destination Playlist for Mexico!

It’s such a beautiful collection of artists and musicians from across the eras and across the country - from Son de Madera in Veracruz to Bobui in Colima to Pre-Colombian artist Xavier Quijas Yxayotl to Mexico City’s folk rock band Belafonte Sensacional (and their heart-breaking tribute to migrant mothers), it’s a playlist as rich and multifaceted as the country itself.

When folks ask me “what’s your favorite place you’ve been?” I don’t have the perfect answer. But if I could only travel to one country for the rest of my life? Mexico, no question.

Tap the link in our bio to access our Spotify Channel where you’ll find destination playlists for Mexico, Ethiopia, Peru, Japan and more! And make sure to follow us for new playlists dropping every other week!

Continued thanks to for putting these together. 🙏

02/03/2024

Costa Rica Travel Tips #5 & #6

▪️Logistics: Costa Rica is very mountainous and roads are frequently winding and in less than lovely shape. For groups of 4 or more, we frequently suggest charter flights to connect places like the Caribbean Coast and the Osa Peninsula to save on time consuming road transfers and charmingly unreliable domestic flight schedules.

▪️Pura Vida: In a world of more and more materialism and consumerism, this often-heard mantra embodies what Costa Ricans can teach the world. Respect all living things, take care of the planet, spend time in nature, swim in the ocean, eat delicious fruit, get enough sleep, invest in education and wellbeing. And maybe consider doing away with military spending. The more time you spend immersed in the local Costa Rican culture, the richer your experience will be!

02/02/2024

Costa Rica Travel Tips # 3 & 4:

▪️Beach is a Bonus: Costa Rica has some nice beaches, but this is not a country of white sand and clear turquoise water. It’s a place to be active, to immerse yourself in nature, to go to bed early, blissfully tired, and rise with sun (or the howler monkeys) to catch the first waves. Zip line through the rainforest canopy, descend Class III-IV whitewater, kayak through mangroves, soak in thermal pools, learn to surf, rappel down waterfalls, hike through the cloud forest with a guide, sip freshly roasted coffee at a family-run farm, get up close to a sloth and plant a tree. But if you want to sit on the beach with a drink in hand, there are better destinations for you. (And travel companies that are a better fit, too! We specialize in adventures that lean more active.)

▪️All-Ages Appropriate: From toddlers to solo travelers in their 8th decade, there is something for everyone! We have a list of favorite places for families with littles who need ease and flexibility. But keep in mind that some lodges and activities have age limits - usually 6-8 to stay at the remote rainforest lodges and 11 or 12 to participate in higher adrenaline activities unaccompanied (rappelling, rafting, zip lining, horseback riding). We cover this in our initial call to make sure expectations are aligned! And for travelers who want a child-free vacation, there are some incredible boutique adults-only retreats.

📸: Playitas Beach at

02/01/2024

One month in to 2024 and perennially popular Costa Rica is leading the charge as the most-requested destination for our travelers this year! No surprise as it was named “Destination of the Year” by Travel + Leisure magazine.

We’ve spent a LOT of time exploring Costa Rica, on foot, by plane, by paddle, by horse and by car, including some wrong turns down dirt roads that were questionable choices. Over the next few days we’re sharing our top tips for anyone considering a trip to this magical country:

Tip 1 & 2:

▪️SEASONALITY: Costa Rica is fantastic year round, not just during the peak “dry season” months of November (ish) through April. The country has 12 climatic zones so it is almost always sunny somewhere if you know where to go. Plus, you don’t get a rainforest without rain and traveling during the green months (May-October) gives you all the vivid lushness, lots of happy, active wildlife and some very cool animal migrations along the shores. And the most epic sunsets.

▪️SAVINGS: Costa Rica is not inexpensive. It’s probably comparable to Portugal or Ecuador in terms of what you can expect to pay for high quality lodging, guides and transportation. But during the Green Season you have fewer crowds, lower hotel rates and value-add offers, which make it more affordable time to visit.

📸: where you can arrive and depart via a whitewater rafting adventure!

01/24/2024

Does your summer travel wish list include:

• Hiking among spectacular alpine scenery?

• Learning about ancient cultures and connecting with contemporary artisans?

• Wandering through the picturesque alleyways and plazas of charming small cities?

• Indulging in some of the best food in the world?

• Maybe getting rad on some epic mountain biking trails or scaling dizzying heights on a via ferrata?

We’re not talking about Europe! All of this is possible in Peru, which is on the same time zone as the East Coast (so no jet lag) and a far, far better value than paying insane summer rates for European hot spots.

While traveler demand for Peru is increasing, it is still easy to escape the crowds who hone in on Cusco, Machu Picchu and little else. Arequipa, Huaraz (the Cordillera Blanca) or the Tambopata Rainforest are easy to add onto a trip and will scratch your itch for adventure and discovery.

Our favorite time to visit Peru? You can travel in Peru year round, but we particularly like April through early June when terraces and fields are lush from recent rains, turning the landscape into a multi-colored quilt.

If you need more inspiration, check out our Peru Playlist on Spotify, curated by our friends at . You can find this and all playlists via the link in our bio.

01/14/2024

Every itinerary that we design is unique and personalized to the individual, but sometimes even we’re amazed with how curious, creative and bold our travelers are!

Today we’re putting the finishing touches on a 35-Day Epic Australia adventure (departing next month!) for a solo female traveler, embarking on her first big trip since experiencing profound loss. A mix of private and small group explorations, lots of time in nature, connecting with creatives and artist, Aboriginal-led experiences, diving and hiking on Lord Howe Island, and a leisurely road trip down the Pacific Coast to finish in Sydney’s Surry Hills neighborhood.

Here are the trip highlights:

• The best of Tasmania’s food and art scene while staying in Hobart at the

• Freycinet National Park on foot and in a kayak with

• The palawa-led which we built the trip around

• 6 Days on Lord Howe Island to hike, dive, snorkel and sun. Staying at

• An 8-day roadtrip down the Pacific Coast, south of Brisbane. Weaving between water and Hinterland, exploring off the beaten path National Parks, little hippie towns and the Hunter Valley.

• 5 Nights in Sydney at the to hang with a friend, see live music and soak in the beauty of the Harbour City.

We’re always honored when clients choose to trust us with their travels, and never more than when they’re seeking something deeper from the journey. Thank you 🙏

📸: 1: , 2&3: and Jillian Mundy, 4: Jordan Robinson, 5&6: , 7: , 8: