About Me
I’m an experienced traveler who caught the travel bug decades ago when I was serving in the Army and stationed in South Korea. Instead of going home on leave, I opted for a two-week whistlestop tour of Asia. I made stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. Since that time, I have traveled to many places, my favorites being Egypt and Botswana.
Not everyone enjoys fleshing out the details for a complex travel itinerary. I do, as the planning is part of the fun for me when it comes to travelling. Figuring out the minutiae of travelling from one place to another by planes, trains, or automobiles, is part of the challenge I enjoy. I also love finding interesting places to see that are well off the beaten tourist path.
I’ve spent countless hours exploring Google maps finding some of those interesting places, and adding them to an itinerary. The top sites are great, but those out of the way ones are often so memorable.
Passion comes from the heart, so I’m taking my passion for travel and travel planning and putting it into this travel agency.
Below are some photos from my travels.
From my safari to Botswana in 2016. The game guides referred to planes as, "African noisy birds." While riding on safari with other guests, I had fun with a British couple describing the various types of noisy birds we saw. The one behind me is a Southern Blue-bellied African noisy bird, ;-).
Taken during my whistlestop tour of Asia. I was exploring Penang Island, Malaysia in 1987 on a guided tour.
Walking the castle walls of Chateau de Blandy-les-tours, a medieval castle in the village of Blandy, France in 2014.
My destination map of Iceland. I add a marker whenever I find an interesting sight to see or an activity to do, or if I learn about a recommended restaurant or hotel. This itinerary is under development.
Attending the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) global convention in Puerto Rico. It was a great opportunity to network with other travel agencies and travel suppliers, and learn about this industry in breakout sessions.
The Avenue of the Sphinx in front of Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt in 2011. I curated an 18-day tour for myself and cannot wait to go back in 2025. Come join me on the tour!
Memberships
I’m the owner of Untaken Travels, LLC, and I’m an Independent Affiliate of Waller Travel Group, which is my host travel agency.
I’m a registered member of ASTA, Travel Industry Solutions, and The Travel Institute, and a registered veteran owned business.
American Society of Travel Advisors
Travel Industry Solutions
This is a veteran owned business
The Travel Institute
Training and Certifications
Taking advantage of travel training opportunities to increase my knowledge of this industry is important to me as a professional travel advisor. I’ve successfully completed the requirements for the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP) and Certified Travel Agent (CTA) courses offered by The Travel Institute.
