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9 Sep '11

Week 13

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I'm a New York native who left my home to explore the world slowly and thoroughly. I’m just a little obsessed with photography, scuba diving, and reading guidebooks to countries I have no immediate plans to visit.

Happy Galentine’s Day from me and my favorite ra

Happy Galentine’s Day from me and my favorite rainbow infused space unicorn @hotmessyoga🦄💕🪩

This has basically become a Shannon and Alex stan account and I don’t hate it 😅

Working together so closely at @wanderwomenretreats means we are in pretty much constant contact, travel the world together, and have our daily lives deeply intertwined.

That being said — I’ve been soooo happy being back in Bali and getting to just be island girlies together again too 🌴🥲 We really missed each other!

Today, February 13th, is all about “ladies celebrating ladies,” as Leslie Knope says. So truly, take a moment to do something special for one in your life, whether it’s going out for a drink or simply sending a text saying hey giiiirl hey I love ya!

Also, fun travel fact of the day if you think Galentines is better than Valentine’s — In Finnish, Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä and it’s actually a holiday all about celebrating your besties (which is why for years, living in Thailand, I spent February 14th at a big friends’ dinner organized by my bestie Paivï!) I say never miss any excuse to celebrate — anything!

Love is all around us 🫶🏼 What do you have planned these days?

PS: I’m so obsessed with these cards we sent our customers and team by @greenblanky 💌! Hope everyone who finds one in their mailbox gets a big smile!

PPS: I’m not really sure why this turned into a yoga related carousel, but I guess it seemed more appropriate than photos of us laying on my floor hungover eating pizza and watching Netflix 🤷🏼‍♀️ Which is probably a higher realistic percentage of our friendship TBH.

Cairo cuties 🫶🏼 I never really thought this

Cairo cuties 🫶🏼

I never really thought this would be a city where I’d feel kinda at home but what do you know — I do!

I love sharing this city with @wanderwomenretreats, from my fave underground jazz bar to my favorite vendors I could walk to blindfolded to in the labyrinth of the Aladdin style Khan Al Khalili market.

And there’s always something new to explore! This year we checked out a bougie new dinner cruise and I finally went I the top of the tower at our off-the-beaten-path mosque.

We ended our Ancient Egypt trip here, and wowwww I can’t wait for some of the details we are leveling up with for our 2023 edition! Stay tuned 🙌🏼

Till then, grateful for another year getting to know the third largest, and second-most populous city in Africa in such an intimate way and share that knowledge with the habibis who make it all possible — our guests! Cairo, stay chaotic ✌🏼

PS: All y’all on our mailing list saw our latest Middle East trip drop this weekend! Room categories are already sold out just from the pre-sale, can’t wait to show off our fave corner of the world once again…

My happy place; The Nile 🌅 Since my very first

My happy place; The Nile 🌅

Since my very first trip to Egypt I’ve been captivated by the rare, special, unique experience that is falling asleep and waking up on a felucca ride along the Nile.

This year on @wanderwomenretreats Egypt we upped to two nights aboard and I could not have been more obsessed with this decision. You truly need this full cycle of the sunrise and the sunset, living simply on one of the world’s most fabled waterways, to melt into it.

The ancient Egyptians watched the sun rise on the east bank of the Nile and determined life began in these fertile banks; they watched the sun set on the West Bank and determined it was the place to honor their dead; building the country’s tombs and pyramids entirely on that side of the river. To understand this ancient civilization entirely, to feel it seep into your skin, I think you need to come here, to see that same light Cleopatra once watched lift over the reeds with your very own eyes; to watch the same sky Nefertiti saw change colors over the dunes light afire.

A felucca is just a big open sailboat; and for two days we dine, sleep, do yoga, drink local wine, have deep talks, play silly card games, and snooze in the lazy sun onboard. Ocassionally we leap into the great powerful river, wave at camels or donkeys on the shore, or crack on with a bonfire and drumming by our local Nubian hosts, many of whom I’ve now known for years.

But otherwise, it is pure peace and stillness.

It is camping, in many respects, but it’s also one of the most luxurious things I do all year because it has the magic of slowing down time; of making life lush and slow.

Maybe someday I’ll crack and add a Nile cruise to our itineraries someday but… I kinda hope not. Because the felucca really has my heart.

✨🐊🌅🫶🏼🧘🏼‍♀️⛵️

In awe of Abu Simbel 🙌🏼 Okay guys it’s tr

In awe of Abu Simbel 🙌🏼

Okay guys it’s travel question time! I’m curious — would you rather have more stuff included in a group trip or pay things out separately to make it easier to price compare? (I guess the same question can apply to air travel these days, with the popularity of “unbundled” fares.)

When I started designing my own @wanderwomenretreats Egypt tour, one thing that shocked me was how many tour companies didn’t include a visit to this magical place, for example. How could you come all the way to Southern Egypt and not visit one of Egypt’s greatest temples!

For us, this is an absolute must do and included for all! We admit the bus ride is brutal though, which is why in 2023 we are going to fly there for the first time 🤩

We also often include things that are actually pretty huge expenses like tipping (what’s more stressful than constantly having to tip — especially in a country like Egypt where you tip about a dozen people a day!)

Personally, this is what I prefer when I travel so I’d soooo much rather design my trips this way! But, sometimes the things we include (tips, park fees etc) that other companies don’t include are priceyyyy and I wonder if that’s really clear to our customers!

(We do have some optional upgrades in our trips for sure, but we try to keep them to things some people have a major phobia around or limitations on haha — like hot air balloon rides or night dives haha!)

So anyway, just something we are pondering these days so curious what you all think! Do you prefer a more bundled, stress-free experience or would you rather a lower upfront investment and add everything on later as needed?

Curious to hear your thoughts! 💭

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