Elevating Travel Beyond the Checklist (feat. Eleanor A.)

SPEAKER_03 0:00

So what does elevated travel mean to you beyond luxury?

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Well, I will first say I love the word also because it's kind of a play on my name, Eleanor Elevate. And I was kind of toying with the idea of making it like I go by L sometimes, E L L E. So like E L L E dashvate. But I didn't think people would get it. I I'm glad I went the way I went the way I did it.

SPEAKER_00 0:25

I think people would have thought I was just misspelling the word elevate.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Um, but I I think an elevated experience is can or can be whatever the traveler is looking for. So you know, it can be uh uh nicer accommodations, it can be a cool foodie experience, it could be a walking tour, it could just be elevating out of the everyday on uh a fun trip or um a study experience somewhere in the world.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

Every journey has a story, and every story has the power to heal. My story hasn't been ordinary. I was adopted, I'm a survivor of abuse and trauma, and I have more than a dozen siblings. That's just the beginning of my story. Life has taken me on a long and winding road of healing and personal growth. A journey that ultimately led me back to myself and the path I was meant to walk. Along the way, I discovered that stories have power. The power to connect us, to help us grow, and even to help us heal. This is Travel Time Stories with Shannon. Real journeys, real stories, and real healing. What if luxury travel isn't about five-star hotels or bucket list photos?

SPEAKER_03 2:01

But about how a place makes you feel while you're there.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Because the trips we remember most usually aren't the perfect ones.

SPEAKER_03 2:09

They're the ones that change something in us.

SPEAKER_02 2:12

And after visiting more than 70 countries, today's guest has learned that meaningful travel isn't about escaping life, it's about experiencing it more fully. I'm your host Shannon, and welcome back to Travel Time Stories with Shannon, where we share real journeys, real stories, and real healing.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

I am your co-host Dan. Today we're talking travel, but not in the typical top 10 things kind of to do kind of ways.

SPEAKER_02 2:43

We're joined by Eleanor, founder of Elevate Your Escapes, a full-service travel company and blog focused on creating seamless, elevated, and deeply personalized travel experiences.

SPEAKER_03 2:56

Having explored more than 70 countries, Eleanor brings firsthand insight, cultural perspective, and a thoughtful approach to designing journeys that are as meaningful as they are beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Eleanor, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Hello, thanks so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. So let's start at the beginning. What first sparked your love for travel? So I think I'm just a naturally curious person. And I wasn't always a traveler. I didn't grow up traveling much. We were a Disney family, going from New York City to Florida once a year or several times a year. But I had always dreamt of what I thought was backpacking Europe. So finally, once I got to college, I enrolled in a study abroad program, which brought me to Florence for a summer session. And that was incredible. But looking back, I know that I didn't fully appreciate my time there. I was doing what any college kid does, of course, running around the scene. Having a good time, which, you know, it's uh such a memorable, amazing experience. But from there, you know, going and graduating college and going into the workplace, I didn't have a lot of time off. So it took me a couple of years to get myself into a position where I had more time off, but also the money to be able to travel, of course. So it really could kind of just started with small US trips, visiting friends that had moved to different states or you know, people I had met who live around the country. And then in 2019, I took a few big trips. So that was London in September, Portugal in October with uh two girlfriends who were very well traveled at the time. And then I took my first solo trip to Costa Rica. And I'm sure you ladies can agree. I think the more you travel and the more you talk about traveling and think about traveling and talk to people about traveling, the more you want to travel. Just, you know, discover new places, try new foods, see the things that you know people are are telling you about or you're seeing online. So so that's what really sparked my passion for travel and it only grew from there.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Yeah. Once you start, you get that bug and you you can't stop.

SPEAKER_03 5:21

Yeah, you just want to see more and more and experience more cultures and and yeah. Do you remember the first trip that truly changed you as a person?

SPEAKER_01 5:32

I would say it was that solo trip to Costa Rica. Um, and it was a big leap for me. I went by myself, got on a plane. I actually joined a group travel company based um in the US, uh, geared toward young adults, 21 to 35. And then I rented a car and drove across the country of Costa Rica totally solo. And I was I was nervous. And, you know, I read every review online about that company. I messaged people who I kind of had connections with to ask them about their experiences. And you know, I really, I really did my research and and kind of jumped in thinking, what's the worst that could happen? It totally changed me. I not only really discovered my love for travel, but I also met lifelong friends. Uh, I still talked to three of the girls I met on that trip back in 2019. So that was seven years ago. And uh I still travel a lot with one of them. So, you know, and and then also sitting at you know dinner tables, hearing from them about where they had been. I remember uh they were talking about going to Peru on another one of this company's trips and hiking Rainbow Mountain and all of these things. Now, hiking Rainbow Mountain did not sound appealing to me, but everything else did. So I really wanted to get out there and see more.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Yeah. I can I can imagine that. Uh I don't know about the hiking uh the breakable mountain for me either. I don't know if I'd be down for that, but Peru definitely, yes. Yes. So now you've visited more than 70 countries. I can't even imagine that. We're not even close to that number yet. So that's incredible. And what after all of those countries, what have those experiences taught you about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 7:24

I think that I am fiercely independent, which I sort of already knew, but there's a different level of independence in packing your bag and going off into a completely unknown place by yourself, you know, going to restaurants and being totally cool, just eating and vibing on your own, having the courage to speak to strangers, you know, on walking tours and food tours and learn more about them. And, you know, you really have to take initiative to meet other people sometimes in your solo traveling. So I'm I'm very proud of myself that I've been able to do that. And I did take that initial leap almost seven years ago. And I never expected that it would lead me to where I am today.

SPEAKER_03 8:15

And you should be proud of yourself. So many people are afraid to take that step to travel solo. It's a big step to do that. Your company is called Elevate Your Escapes, and I really love that word, elevate. So, what does elevated travel mean to you beyond luxury?

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Well, I will first say I love the word also because it's kind of a play on my name, Linor Elevate. And I was kind of toying with the idea of making it like I go by L sometimes, E-L-L-E. So like E L L E dash vape, but I didn't think people would get it. I'm glad I went the way I did.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

I think people would have thought I was just misspelling the word elevated.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

But I I think an elevated experience is can or can be whatever the traveler is looking for. So, you know, it can be nicer accommodations, it can be a cool foodie experience, it could be a walking tour. It could just be elevating out of the everyday on uh a fun trip or a study experience somewhere in the world. I think, you know, there's there's so many ways that we can we can take that word. In my business in particular, I do skew more on um premium and luxury travel. But again, the word luxury means something different to everybody. I think the word luxury also gets thrown around a little bit, especially in the travel space, because what is true luxury defined in travel is not what some of the suppliers and parents we see using the word. And you know what? That's okay because for their travelers, the experience is luxury. It's it's elevated and beyond what they are doing on their day-to-day. And I think also we're we're definitely seeing luxury, the term, take different meaning. I think former former interpretation of the word would mean a little bit more posh, right? You think luxury cruise lines, for example. You might think of a grand ballroom with crystal chandeliers and butler service and all of that, but that's not what luxury is to a lot of travelers. Even travelers who spend quite a bit on their trips, sometimes luxury to them is just having a meal prepared for them that they don't have to get into the kitchen and cook and clean up after. And also we're seeing this even in the luxury space. Again, luxury used to mean you get dressed up for dinner, you have a certain dress code, you might have a formal night. But a lot of people, luxury to them is wearing whatever they are comfortable in to go and eat at dinner. So it's it's nice to see luxury also becoming more personalized for each traveler. And that's what I strive to do in creating these experiences for my clients.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

Do you think more people are shifting away from like the checklist travel and wanting that deeper experience now versus before?

SPEAKER_01 11:28

I do. I, you know, I also hear the term like off beat or local, and that's that's you know, third around a lot too, especially in tourism. But I find a lot of travelers are looking for that something special that they're not going to type into a Google search and and be able to get there on their own. Uh, they really are looking for expert advice to tailor really customized or personalized experiences. Of course, now obviously in travel, we we have the Instagram effect, right? So a lot of travelers are seeing sites or locations or restaurants, cafes on socials. So Instagram, TikTok is huge for discovery. And then, you know, driving, um, driving travel and business there. Um, we also are seeing, and this is very top of mind right now because I'm going to Sicily in a couple of weeks and I have not been yet, the effect of TV shows and movies on destinations and where people are looking to travel and what they're willing to do. So right now I have, of course, the four seasons in in mind coming from White Lotus. I was just checking out at that hotel earlier. But, you know, I've heard from folks around the world that, you know, once their business or, you know, their location is featured in something that goes viral, it's it's just becoming super popular.

SPEAKER_03 12:51

How do you create itineraries that still feel beautiful and seamless without making people feel rushed or overwhelmed?

SPEAKER_01 13:01

So I think everybody has a different style of travel. So that's what I really strive to understand at the beginning of my partnership with any client. I think also some may think that they're going to be a little bit more adventurous than they will be in reality, or they feel as though they might want to relax more on their trip and then they're actually seeking adventure. So I really try to build in an itinerary that always includes some sort of exciting activity. Now I don't necessarily want to use the word adventure. It's an adventure to me, but um, you know, I don't want to get it confused with like adventure travel and not sending everybody ziplining, for example. Um, and relaxing time. But what I also do when I build itineraries is I talk to my clients about what some optional activities nearby could look like because you know, we're not really sure what their energy level might be and might be impacted by. Of course, summer travel heat is is a big consideration. Yes. On a really hot day, travelers aren't might not want to walk 20,000 steps in the heat and uphills and cobblestones and all of that. But on a cooler day, they might have more energy or jet lag or, you know, whatever conditions are are happening that day. So I do build in the must-do's based on the personalized itinerary that I'm creating, really tailored for a client. And then what some nice to-dos are I like to also build in some extra time for dinner and um really every activity just in case um, you know, things happen, um, public transportation happens, cars break down, things like that. There's always something unexpected. And I don't want anyone to feel stressed because they are running late to something planned. And then, of course, you know, for stress factor, we always have on the ground support and uh contact information for them in the event that that something does pop up. I think more often than not, the itineraries are very full for my clients, but they're also spending a lot of money to travel to a far-off place. So they do, for the most part, want to see a lot. But I think also weaving in opportunities for spontaneous moments, like you know, hopping to the beach or checking out a cool shop that they see is is also really important.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

Yeah, it is. Yeah. So travel can be transformational too, and uh, but it's also emotional.

unknown 15:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

So have you seen people reconnect with themselves through travel?

SPEAKER_01 15:44

I think so. I also work with clients and travelers of all ages, of all backgrounds, from all types of locations, mostly in the US, but I've worked with some folks from abroad as well. But one of my favorite projects, I will say, is to work around solo female travel, which we know is absolutely exploding. And I, you know, I partner with women who, you know, some are really young, let's say, and not very well traveled and might have fears around going somewhere by themselves or experiencing new cities because they they really haven't before. Some some come from small towns and have never really used public transportation before. Um, and then I work, you know, with with some ladies who are um experiencing changes in their lives, something like divorce, maybe, and this is their time to kind of reclaim who you know they're they're looking to be and gain that independence that they weren't feeling prior. So, you know, there's there's everybody has a story, and I think it's fun for me and exciting to help different travelers shape what they're they're looking for in their trip and and how they may experience a personal transformation along the way.

SPEAKER_02 17:10

Yeah. Before we continue, I want to share something really special we've created for this community. If you've ever listened to an episode and felt something deeper, like a moment that stayed with you or a story that made you reflect on your own life, we wanted to give you a place to go with that. We've officially launched our Travel Time Stories membership, where you can go beyond listening and become part of the experience. Inside the membership, you'll get access to the Story Circle, our private community where we reflect on each episode through guided journal prompts, share our stories, and connect through monthly meetups. There are also additional tiers with opportunities to go even deeper from storytelling and sharing your voice to being part of the creative journey behind the scenes and joining us on our yearly group travels. If this speaks to you, you can join us through the link in the show notes or visit our website at traveltimestories.com. We would truly love to have you join the community.

SPEAKER_03 18:25

What destinations surprised you emotionally? So not visually, but you know, in here emotionally.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

Yeah. I think Greece and Vietnam are standout countries to me. The people um are just so nice. I mean, I went to Greece for the first time in 2021 and I couldn't believe the level of hospitality, the way the Greek people seem to really care about our experience and just being as helpful as possible. And then I really felt that again when I went to Vietnam just two months ago, actually. So I I really felt the warmth from people. And I think that, you know, kind of played on my emotions a bit and kind of allowed me to be more relaxed, more appreciative, and just generally, I think deep down happier because sometimes when we travel and you know, everybody's been there. You go to a big city and it's a big tourist hub, and you know, sometimes people are not so nice, and you're kind of settling in and out of crowds and in and out of restaurants, they're trying to turn the tables over quickly. We've we've all been there to, but to go to countries where the culture is to slow down and get to know people and really try to create a sense of happiness, I think is is really memorable and and very emotional.

SPEAKER_02 19:57

You're not the first person that we've had on here that Vietnam was a place that really touched them and talked about how welcoming they felt by visiting Vietnam. So yeah, that's on my list. We haven't been to Asia yet, but it's on our list to do Asia, and I definitely want to go to Vietnam for sure.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

Yes, please put it at the top of your list because it's such an incredible country.

SPEAKER_03 20:24

That's what she said. It was amazing.

SPEAKER_02 20:27

Yeah, she's she actually has been the lady that we talked to before. She's been five times now to Vietnam, and she said that's her retirement plan is to retire to Vietnam. I was like, wow, that's amazing. Right.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

I love that. Yeah, I would I would love to go back. There's there's always more to see and experience. And I'd like to slow travel around the country. I spent, I think, uh 16 or 18 days there, you know, between different regions and hopping around and and keeping myself busy, but then also working because I work remotely. Uh so on the days the weather wasn't really cooperating, I had nice work days. But for the most part, I was really trying to get out there and see and do as much as possible.

SPEAKER_02 21:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

Oh, yeah, just imagine. I hear it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 21:20

So yeah, exactly. Okay, so honest questions. What's the most overrated travel trend right now?

SPEAKER_01 21:29

Overrated? I would I would go back to the the viral virality of social media and TikTok, for example. Um, I actually have a really good ex example from my trip right before when I was in Vietnam, I was actually in Penang, Malaysia. And it walked past this restaurant and there were people lined up like around the corner. And I noticed it one day, and now I'm like Googling what is this? Because now I feel I need to know, right? I want to try what they have.

SPEAKER_04 22:01

Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

And I, you know, I kind of looked at the line and I said, Hmm, I I can eat something else. I'm not standing in the heat on this line. So the next day, or maybe two days later, whatever, I was on a walking tour and the guy pointed out this restaurant. And she said, You know, this used to be a local spot. It's okay. It's nothing spectacular, but someone or some people posted about it on TikTok and it has been all the rage since. And she said, You can't even get in there anymore, which is fine because the place right across the street is very similar in terms of quality and price. You know, I think we're we're seeing kind of like this cliche, this like Instagrammable moment. And you see a lot of, and for me, I'm a big foodie. I love going to restaurants, but I'm noticing a lot of the same girl. Yeah, cafes. They're they're just doing too much for Instagram. Like they're putting big flowers all over the walls and painting everything pink and just like creating an atmosphere that's just made for show. And I I don't love that. Um, I'm I'm a Michelin-starred fan just as much as I am a street food fan. You know, it's it's atmosphere. I mean, I like a nice atmosphere. Who doesn't like a cool atmosphere? But like these places are just doing too much. And then the people that flock to these types of places, like they didn't even come to enjoy food. They came to take a picture, which is is silly. And you know, you're kind of sitting there watching, like, what are you doing? Uh, which is fine. You know, we all photograph ourselves when we travel, but I think just just some of this the social media buzz is is getting way overrated to me.

SPEAKER_03 23:49

I will agree with that completely. Eleanor, what is something that travelers think they want, but then they usually end up regretting?

SPEAKER_01 23:59

Packing too much into an itinerary. I partner with a lot of people who have never been to Europe or haven't been in a while or, you know, haven't seen much, and they want to see it all. And they, you know, they think it's very easy to hop between countries. Yeah, yeah, they're close. They're, you know, kind of like states to us. But when you spend all day in an airport or half the day in the airport, you've just lost a day traveling. And then you also, when you do that, you cut your time in different destinations so short, too. So it's it's funny when clients bring some ideas to me and uh I I help them pare down and kind of realize the reality of hopping around too quickly. And I used to do that. I used to travel like that because I felt like my time was so limited. And yeah, when I was held to what, 10 or even 15 days off a year, I I really just wanted to like see and and go, go, go. And to some extent I did it successfully, but I was always so tired. And I actually ended up getting sick at the end of so many trips, which just does not happen anymore now that I'm finally more relaxed and settling in to enjoy destinations.

SPEAKER_02 25:20

Yeah, we've been guilty of that before too. Yes, we trying to cram everything in to get it to see everything, and then miscalculating the length of time it took to get from one place to another and that kind of thing. So for our upcoming trip to London, we have not done because everybody uh that I've talked to has said, you know, like people think, you know, you can just get to places quickly in London that, you know, you look at it on the map and it looks like it's right there, but it's really not like it's spread out.

SPEAKER_01 25:59

Yes. Yeah, I I think about that all the time because I'm from New York City. So what should be sometimes a very quick, let's say, subway ride or even car ride, you can never predict how long it's going to take because of traffic, because of subway delays. So I I always over plan, um, especially for my clients. I build in a lot of time, but even for myself personally, like if I know I have to be somewhere, I'm leaving so early. And it's funny because sometimes I'm thinking, oh, I left too early and then I'm right on time. And then sometimes I'm just way too early. But it's better to be way too early than late.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

I agree with you completely.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

I always say that. I would rather be early than late. So, but it does suck when you plan in time and then you're there like three hours early. It's like, oh my God, what am I gonna do for three hours now? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:53

I try to download podcasts, have like a set of things I'm gonna listen to or do in if in case I have some some time.

SPEAKER_02 27:02

Right, exactly. Yeah, have a book with you, something. Yeah. Right. So what destination completely exceeded your expectations? Like maybe you had the bar set low and then it was off the charts.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

Uh yeah, I will say um Vietnam only because I had such an absolutely incredible experience. I did not expect to love it nearly as much as I did. And I told that to uh an advisor friend who helped me plan the trip. And she said, I I knew you were gonna love it based on what you told me about yourself and what you like to see and do. But another destination is Slovenia. So Slovenia is a very small country, it's not really um a big tourist hub yet, and it's just so beautiful and the people are really nice, and it's also way more affordable than the big cities that more travelers go to. So I definitely recommend anyone who is looking for a smaller city to travel to, to explore. Luglion is absolutely gorgeous, and then Lake Bled, not far away, is so stunning and uh definitely worth it. That sounds awesome.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

I was gonna say, I'm definitely adding that to our list now.

SPEAKER_03 28:21

Yeah, I know, me too. So, Eleanor, what is one travel experience everyone should have at least once in their life? A destination or it could be anything.

SPEAKER_02 28:35

Yeah, it could be anything, a destination or an experience, either one. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

I think a friends trip because it's it's really cool to experience new things no matter where you are in the world with your friends. I think just being with friends and exploring new places and trying new foods and just you know, being able to share that together is so special. Um, that you know, I I think everybody should should do that. Now I know some friends probably won't travel well. Oh, it's down personality, so you might want to consider, you know, not sharing a room or you know, whatever. Uh, but I I do love travel with friends, but at the same time, I think, you know, everybody should take at least one solo trip. And it doesn't have to be going across the world on your own. It could be even going out for a solo day, maybe a day trip, getting in your car or taking a train or something somewhere new and just experiencing it on your own and kind of settling into that. I I personally really love spending a lot of time by myself. I'm an only child, so that probably contributes to it. But I've talked to quite a few people who weren't sure if solo travel or solo dates is, you know, a huge trend right now, you know, going to the movies by yourself, going to restaurants or, you know, whatever. Um and I'm finding that people are really enjoying it. I think it kind of it's tough because some people have fears about um, you know, the way others are perceiving them when they're eating by themselves. Exactly. I've heard like everybody's looking at me eating by myself. And nobody is looking. No, nobody cares. Nobody cares. They're in their own world.

SPEAKER_03 30:35

Yeah, I like you, I'm okay with that. I will go somewhere and eat. And if I'm by myself, it's not a big deal. Sit there with my book or my phone, have my lunch, and just be happy as can be. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Or people watch. She likes to sit and people watch too. That's her thing. Oh, yeah. So, what do you think people miss the most when they travel too fast?

SPEAKER_01 30:59

I think they miss special moments that just come about. So, like, for example, sitting at a bar and talking to some locals, and then they know another bar or the next spot or whatever, and they're going there and they invite you along. If you have plans after, or you know, you have a strict itinerary, you might not be able to do that. Now, I'm also not saying, you know, just follow strangers around. But, you know, that's just that's just one example. Another example would be uh something that I love to do when I travel is take a walking tour the first day that I'm there, either the day I arrive, sometimes I'm a little tired for that, or the next morning, depending on timing. And I always listen to the guide's recommendations. They know so much that you will not find scouring the web, blogs, trip advisor, whatever. And I I take those recommendations and I'll go to their food spots and try out the random things that they they tell us to do. And I feel like there's a lot of magic in those moments to be able to take a local recommendation and explore that on your own. I would say I'm not a big shopper, but for people who do like to shop, not building in enough time for that. You know, some people know that they like to shop and they say, okay, I'm gonna dedicate this day or whatever to shopping. But, you know, when you are looking at an itinerary and you're getting really excited about all the sites and things you see, um, and you do like to shop, for example, yeah, be walking past stores, being in a rush from one site to another, I I think you're missing out on the really cool things that stores, either thrift stores, local stores, um, crafts, things like that that you you wouldn't see at home. I I think doing too much, uh building too much into the itinerary um you know, causes people to miss out on those types of moments as well.

SPEAKER_03 32:55

Oh yeah, I agree with that.

SPEAKER_02 32:57

Yeah, me too.

SPEAKER_03 32:59

Gotta have that extra time built in. So when you travel, Eleanor, how important is cultural immersion to the way that you travel personally?

SPEAKER_01 33:11

It's very important. Yeah. As long as I'm not traveling for business, I really try to seek out true local experiences. Now, we see when we go on Viter or Get Your Guide and things now. We always say local, this, local, that. And it's not actually local. It is a lot of brought to, um, which is cool also, but I really seek out special experiences tailored with local people. And I really personally love like Airbnb experiences or really small tours that local people have just stood up on their own. They're not massive tour operators. They had a cool idea to show their community and they're now implementing that. Not to go back to Vietnam again, but you know, it's adding to this such an amazing experience. I went on an Airbnb experience that was um a local guy. He partners with a woman and they, you know, trade off on days that they operate this tour. And it's it's called something like Grandma's Noodles and Walking the Neighborhood or something. And it started at 7:30 in the morning, which I really questioned because I am not a morning person. But I got up, I'm like, I want to try some noodles and see what this is about. And it was awesome. He took us to a small stand in an alley where a grandma makes noodles for breakfast for the people who like live on the block before they go to work. And we were able to share in the the noodles after that. And then we walked around this very local neighborhood. He showed us different houses and explained, you know, local customs and traditions and and all that type of stuff. And it was so cool because I had never done something honestly so local before. We did not see any other travelers until the absolute very end of the tour. And then we're like, okay, like we're back on this main street. Oh, there's, you know, a tour group or not even a big tour group, but um, that was like really special to me. Um, I also just really appreciate small business and entrepreneurship now more than ever because I'm an entrepreneur, but I've I've always been very small business minded. One of the or the first food tour that I ever took was in Athens. If anyone's going to Athens, look it up, called Food Around Athens. And the owner, Rachel, actually partners with her husband and they trade off doing tours as well. And Rachel is just such an absolutely kind, incredible, funny person who really is very passionate about sharing her Greek culture and food and wine and other alcohol with she needs. That was my first food tour ever. Um, and it was my second solo trip. So Costa Rica was 2019. Oh, no, I shouldn't say second ever, but second abroad, um, because I did take a solo trip to New Mexico in 2021 before I then um booked my ticket to Greece the day that Greece announced that they were reopening to international tour. Wow. That's great. And I did it happen. And I I went there solo and then I joined a group. But my first night in Greece, I took the Food Around Athens tour and we went to these really cool restaurants in a neighborhood that I probably I wouldn't have gone into on my own. Again, being solo, solo lady. It it I don't want to say it looked sketchy, but it didn't look as clean as the you know main tourist areas within Athens. And I remember Rachel saying something to us, like, oh, don't worry, like it's safe. I'm not, you know, I'm not taking anything. Um, but you know, we we tried this amazing, amazing local food, and I love Greek food anyway. But having Greek food in Greece was absolutely challenging. So, you know, it's it's those special moments where I've I've met people who are really passionate about sharing their their local traditions that that really make it special. And I can think of so many other experiences, but I also love that in my memories, I remember the people as well. Like I might not remember fully exactly what they looked like, but I remember how they made me feel and what they taught me. And you know, they my big takeaway really is is the experience of local tradition.

SPEAKER_02 37:40

Love those. Those are the those are the best. And I love like when we travel places to just get out and wander around. And a lot of times we wind up in places we don't even know where we are, but hey, we we're seeing things that we probably never would have saw if we hadn't wandered around. So you know.

SPEAKER_03 38:00

And we found some really good local places doing that, just off the beaten path, no other tours back in there. Yeah, we've we've had some really good food doing doing the off-the-beaten path stuff.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

Yeah, sometimes you just need to like turn a corner and pop your head at somewhere and see what's happening. Exactly. You never know.

SPEAKER_02 38:20

Yeah, so what inspired you to create Elevate Your Escapes?

SPEAKER_01 38:26

So this was 2023, and I sat on the idea of a travel blog for I guess four years because um on my trip to London in 2019, I was thinking, oh, I should create a travel blog now that I'm trying to travel and go to all these places. And um, I remember sitting down and I think I used Wix as a platform, and it's fairly simple, easy to use, but I was trying to design this little blog post about like my favorite things in London. And I'm like, wow, this is a lot of work. Like, why am I why am I doing this? Um, you know, I'm I'm kind of this like passion project creative person who always has to be doing something, but I just that idea really fast. And then in 2023, I was working um in corporate life, in consulting, marketing specifically, and work was super slow. And I, again, I'm not the type of person who could just sit on my butt. So I had the idea to really take my passion and do something with it. I was already known as like the traveler within my circles. I was referring people to different travel companies that I was traveling with, not earning anything on it. People were asking to come with me. There was always asking how I do what I do, how I just sign up for these types of trips, how I afford it, and all of that. So I was already talking to people about all of these things. And then people were like passing along my information. Like I was getting texts from like people's cousins or acquaintances, like, oh, hey, I heard you know about X Destination or X Company or you know, whatever. So I said, let me try this. So I started my travel blog and the agency side of my business around the same time. Now they were always meant to work together, but again, being the creative person that I want to be, I wanted to write about what I wanted to write about. And I wanted to write about more recent places that I had been to, like Marcash, where I had like really pretty pictures of buildings and something to say versus, you know, really trying to build a blog for SEO. And not to say my blog isn't the way it should be with SEO, but I probably would have been more successful had I actually stuck to a niche or content players or whatever. But the advising side of my business just took off and snowballed to a point I never could have imagined. I never would have thought I would be sitting here talking to all of you today about my travel business that I work in full time and somehow support myself doing what I love. So it's just, it's it's always just so unbelievable when I think back to my story. But I really wanted to help people experience what I was experiencing and the curiosity that I always felt about new destinations and exploring and the true happiness that travel brought me and you know how I sort of changed my life around that. So I think that was that was really the driver for me. And then it it took off and it just became this amazing company that's growing and and shifting every day.

SPEAKER_03 41:41

That is, that's amazing. So, what do clients come to you wanting versus what they actually need?

SPEAKER_01 41:47

Yeah, they it's kind of it's kind of a mix. I will say I sell a lot of cruises, a lot of virgin voyages specifically, and that's for a few reasons. One, my SEO, two, where I started my business and in building groups, and also three, because of the experience that Virgin Voyage specifically builds. They build such a loyal customer base, and that's how my business has snowballed and grown. I do have a lot of clients currently that came to me first for Virgin Voyages, and now we are planning all kinds of things, including cruises on other cruise lines, although many don't want to uh have from Virginia. Not really got it. Um, but I have some clients who are moving sort of into the luxury space. And then I have um a handful of clients who are doing land tours and all of that. But of course, I do have new clients in Leeds reaching out to me about things that are not cruises. I would say Europe is so, so hot right now. Italy is my most commonly asked about destination, most booked destination. Even when the Jubilee was happening in Rome, and I actively I'm the worst salesperson. I really tried to convince people not to plan a roam trip that year. They still wanted to go. So, you know, and that's a good example of people wanting something that's different. But I think, you know, people sometimes come to me with like all of these ideas, and like I mentioned, we have to pare them down, or um they show me something that they saw online or tell me about something that a friend or coworker or whoever spoke about, and then we actually end up booking them something totally different. And in every single instance, they are so glad that they did what they did and accepted recommendations and maybe even totally pivoted from what they were initially looking for. Yeah. I think also part two, what I did not mention, is people don't realize how much things cost, but also how quickly travel can add up. And I always make sure too that my clients are building in some extra funds for unexpected. Things like for example, even if they think they're going to take the subway or metro all over the city. Well, if something runs late and you need to hop in a cab or the trains are down and you need to hop in a cab, or you should have some extra money to spend on that and not feel like you are going over budget or anything like that. Same thing with like food experiences, right? Like you want what you want on the menu. So let's let's plan ahead for that. So I I think sometimes my clients do think that they are going to be able to afford a more luxurious uh trip than they actually are. Now they have an amazing time. And again, it is luxury to them. But I I also will say the luxury piece might feel a little different because the standards and star ratings of hotels abroad are not the same as they are in the US as well. And I again I always set expectations for clients, especially girls on a girl's trip or friends' trip. Um y'all know, like the beds in in Europe, they might be two twins like next to each other, like touching. Um, a lot of times you can separate them, but that's also you physically dragging your bed away from your friend. Um, but you know, that's that's just the reality. Any big city, even New York City, the hotel rooms are tiny. Um, so you know, it's it, I I help a lot of clients realize what where their budget can truly take them and how they can have the best experience. I mean, you know, there are save moments and there are splurge moments too. And that's different to everybody. For me, sometimes it's save on accommodations but splurge on food. In other situations, like if I'm at a beach, I know I'm really not gonna leave a beach resort, which I'm not that type of person anyway. But now that I work remotely, I do kind of post off at the beach sometimes. So if I know I'm gonna be there and I'm gonna be there all day and I'm gonna use the facilities, well, maybe that's my splurge and sharing a transfer with 30 of my newest friends is I could see. When I say transfer, I mean public bus in Mexico. Right?

SPEAKER_02 46:21

Like that. And do you also encourage your clients to make sure that they have travel insurance as well?

SPEAKER_01 46:29

Yes, absolutely. Um, we don't want travelers going abroad without proper coverage. Unfortunately, I a lot of the younger clients that I partner with have a hard time understanding the value of insurance. So I try to really communicate the importance and not personal stories, lovely, but um stories that I have heard among my peers on why uh insurance was was crucial in particular moments. And I have used my insurance in the past um for some light things. For example, um, after a flight delay, we missed the last train going down toward the Almalfi coast. So we had to take a private car, which was like $200, and insurance covered that. Um, I got into an accident with a rental car in Ireland. Oops. Oopsies.

SPEAKER_03 47:31

My worst nightmare. I worry about that.

SPEAKER_02 47:37

When we travel, Anne's the driver, and I'm the navigator, so guess.

SPEAKER_03 47:41

Yeah. I can't read a map, so yeah. Do you do not want me to navigate for you? We will never get there.

SPEAKER_01 47:49

You know, I would ordinarily say I'm a good driver, but in that instance, just no. It it was tough because, you know, the uh in Ireland they are driving on the opposite side of the road, in which we drive in the US. So the perception of how things how close things were on each side of the car was totally different. I will be driving in Sicily, so I hope that goes well. I worked with another advisor on my trip and she said I'll be fine, just stay out of you know, the major cities. I am a New York City driver. I did learn to drive in Brooklyn. So I'm hoping I will be okay. I've driven in Spain fine. I've driven uh in the Caribbean and and some other places. So I'm looking forward to this new experience.

SPEAKER_03 48:31

That left driving on the left side of the road is a whole new ball game because I don't know about you, but did you feel like you were gonna hit something on your left side the whole time you're driving? I felt like I I hugged more because I was afraid of it. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

And that's how I ended up sideswiping said car um because I'll just we had a few close calls. I was I was also just like in this like heightened sense, like anxious the entire time. Like I have to really, really pay attention to the turns and the cars and this, that whereas you know, when you're home and you're more comfortable, right, you can relax more. So, you know, I think that that contributed as as well. Um, I would not recommend, I would not recommend that uh for for most drivers. I would say there is uh plenty of public transportation in Ireland, but this was May 2021. So um I was actually traveling with my mom and I didn't feel very comfortable with her getting into um even like shared tour buses. So I wanted us to have um private car to drive around. It worked out, so I can say I regret it.

SPEAKER_02 49:43

Did it yeah, exactly. Did you get stuck on any roundabouts?

SPEAKER_01 49:49

No, um, I was very nervous in the roundabouts, but I did not get stuck. These are becoming more popular here too, and like New York City and New York State. Um, I think they were always sort of a thing in New Jersey, but I hate them because everybody's just I would much rather wait for a light and know it's my turn and know I'm going to move as far as the way we're supposed to. Exactly. Yeah, I kind of just you kind of just have to go, right? Because you you can't you can't really pause either. So I kind of just hold my breath and obviously, you know, really paying attention to what's around, but you just you just have to go. Uh not to make another Vietnam reference, but it's like crossing the street in Vietnam. You just you just gotta go. You just gotta move, you just gotta hold your breath and hope for the best and that the scooters will just sort around you.

SPEAKER_03 50:41

And you know, as far as a roundabout goes, guys, it's okay. You can go around more than one time if you need to to get in the right lane. So don't stress about that. It's it's really okay to do that. Ash Janet, we went around at least four times on one of 'em. Shannon, we go, there's Big Ben. Oh, there's Big Ben again. Like, shut up.

SPEAKER_02 51:05

I was referencing National Lampoon to Vacation. Even though we were in Scotland, we were not in London.

SPEAKER_04 51:16

That's so funny.

SPEAKER_02 51:18

Well, Eleanor, this conversation reminds us that travel isn't just movement, it's perspective, connection, and sometimes transformation.

SPEAKER_03 51:27

And Eleanor, where can listeners find out more about you and your travel company?

SPEAKER_01 51:32

So my blog and website is elevateyourescapes.com. I am on Instagram at ElevateYour Escapes, TikTok, Facebook. So you can check out what's going on there and follow along in my adventures. So thank you so much for joining us and sharing your journey, Eleanor. We really appreciate it. Yes, this was a ton of fun. I totally appreciate the invitation. Well, I'm glad you accepted.

SPEAKER_02 51:59

And if this and if this episode inspired Wonderlust or reminded you why travel matters, share it with someone you'd love to explore the world with. We will include Eleanor's information in our show notes and on our website, traveltimestories.com, where each of our guests has a dedicated page to learn more about them, watch their episodes, and we invite you to join our Facebook group, The Story Circle, and become part of our TTS family. Information is on our website.

SPEAKER_03 52:30

Until next time, keep traveling your story and keep making memories for life!