Last year, as I was about to visit my 100th country in this big, beautiful world, I made a life decision. I decided I am going to be one of the less-than-30 out of 7.1 billion people to visit every country. This was not a decision that I took lightly; for those of you who know me, you know that when I make a commitment, I’m all in.
For me, reaching the 195 isn’t about the sport of backpacking at the speed of light and getting a stamp in my passport (though achieving the 195 through any strategy is an incredible feat in itself). I realized that the countries I was most hesitant to visit were the ones where I could make the most impact. They were countries where the children were in the greatest need for basic necessities, like clean water and shelter, areas that are war-torn with families displaced from their homes, and places where they could use my philanthropic and educational expertise in their schools. We’ve worked hard to get where we are at Galavante. The result is a platform where we can create awareness, which will be the catalyst for improving others’ lives. I look at us as citizens of the world, with the responsibility of bringing positivity to each place we travel.
When setting out on the Galavante adventure in 2011, I had traveled to 25 countries, and had a robust wish-list of places to visit. I never thought that I would visit every country, because the prospect of traveling to some of them, quite frankly, terrified me. However, over the past 8 years, something in me has profoundly changed. I’ve learned that people may speak different languages, have different physical appearances and practice different customs, but there is a fundamental kindness and humanity to every place. I’ve rarely left a country without making a deep connection with someone, which is why I now have friends all over the world. My path to the 195 is not going to be easy, and it’s not going to be traditionally “luxurious.” However, I am going to get far more out of the next 80+ countries through the luxury of experience. It is these next countries that will truly define who I am.
I look at it as a privilege the universe has afforded me to build Galavante to be the best resource in high-end travel. For the discerning individual, our goal is to be one of the top three websites you go to when researching a destination. This year, expect to see a revamped website, more hotel reviews, city guides, and local insider recommendations. It’s an exciting time for us at Galavante. Unlike the previous years, I now feel that we are unequivocally the premier media platform and travel concierge in the industry. I’m proud of how far we’ve come, and I know where we are going. Thank you for being on this adventure with us.
All the best,
