Before I began 2018, a close friend told me 18 is a lucky number. She also said my plan to cross the ocean is symbolic of leaving all my worries behind in 2017 and starting anew.

When I crossed an ocean to Asia at the start of this year, I didn’t know traversing a river and lake is also considered lucky. As the universe would have it, within hours of arriving at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, I crossed the Chao Phraya River; shortly thereafter, I visited the remote lake villages outside of Siem Reap in Cambodia. Each day this year, I’ve woken up feeling very lucky as our Galavante team continues building our community of discerning travelers, relaunching our online magazine with our travel and lifestyle series, and creating life-changing experiences via our travel concierge.

But what is luck? The longer I’m an entrepreneur, the more I feel it’s simply being aware of the world – connecting the dots and, to a large extent, creating situations that make luck happen. Just as I crossed an ocean, river, and lake at the beginning of this year, my job is to stack the deck in our favor as much as I can. To travel is to live; at Galavante, we strive to enrich the lives of everyone in our family.

This summer, you’ll see many changes on our website, which will roar in like a lion this fall. More Tastemaker reviews, experiences, and the industry’s most robust catalog reviewing all the hotels you love. Our At Home with Galavante Lifestyle series will bring the world to you through food and drink – when you’re not exploring yourself. And our travel series will provide on-the-ground experiences in the most unique and beautiful places in the world to pique your curiosity as they entertain and inspire.

Besides 18, I have one more lucky number: country #100 this July. I feel beyond lucky to reach this milestone and can’t wait to share my stories.