When I was about 5, my Dad got his private pilot’s license. He loved to travel but living in Miami had the inconvenience of being the southernmost city in the US and it took forever to drive anywhere. His big idea was to buy a plane but my mom said she would never get it unless she knew how to fly it so she got her pilot’s license and even became an instructor.
We flew all over the United States, and even made it all the way to Alaska one summer. We learned how to ski in Colorado and then my dad wanted us all to learn how to scuba dive so we got us certified and we started flying to the Bahamas and Mexico and to a bunch of the smaller outer islands.
My Dad’s bucket list was endless, so my mom became a travel agent to make it easier and she wanted a part-time job. We started doing bigger trips to Europe, Israel, Australia, Argentina. When I was 15, my mom and I went on a Caribbean cruise for my birthday. She really likes cruises so as a family we did a bunch including the British Isles, Greece and Norway. They hated being in groups so we’d always rent a car in port to tool around on our own. There were a lot of crazy adventures and I got used to just meandering without an agenda.
In 1986, I lived in London for a semester abroad and traveled as much as I cood. I hitchhiked to Cornwall and Edinburgh, hiking on desolate trails with friends or people we met. We took the overnight ferry to Brugge and I flew to Germany where I met some relatives and visited East Berlin, Nuremberg and the Black Forest in Bavaria. Not to be left out, my parents and brother flew over for Christmas and we went skiing in Verbier, Switzerland that December. My mom broke her leg and my brother almost fell off a cliff but we made it home!
In 1989, I was working in the film business in Miami, and due to my extensive travels in the Caribbean, I was hired for location scouting. Of course, I hired my dad to fly us around looking for spots to film. I ended up doing a lot of work there coordinating commercials and underwater shoots in the Bahamas.
In the 90s, I got married and my husband and I started to travel together. When I had kids, we took the kids everywhere with us. It never amazed them when I could find our way around or fix a problem and turn it into something fun. They said I was prepared for any and all emergencies which is still kind of true. Ha! I firmly believe “Proper planning prevents problems!”
About 6 years ago, I put together a multi-gen family vacation with my brother, his kids and our parents for two weeks in Peru. My brother’s family was used to sitting by the beach and were blown away at all the things I had planned. My niece told me, “Aunt Lili, this isn’t a vacation, this is an adventure!” It’s definitely true that I like to plan ambitious and adventurous trips.
During Covid, I met a bunch of travel agents on a Windstar Cruise, and they thought I was one and encouraged me to give it a try. I loved the idea of helping people discover the world and make new and lasting memories. And encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone. It is a challenging job where I can use my life experiences, my creative mindset and practical planning skills. And I love it!
Currently, I’ve been to all 7 continents, and 100 countries and territories and made it to Antarctica January 2024. And, it feels like I am just getting started! Whether you are just getting started or just sick of planning your own trip and want someone fun to work with, reach out. I’m happy to help.
Where To Wander Next 