The Evolution of Planet Janet Travels
- My life-long passion for travel was fueled by my way-ahead-of-her-time adventurous mother (and willing father) who bravely took our family of five to Europe in 1969 for the whole summer – following in the footsteps of the movie classic: “If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium!” Seeing iconic sights like the Eiffel Tower, Roman Coliseum and Switzerland’s Matterhorn left me wanting more!
In the summer of 1972, I went to Segovia, Spain for a language/cultural immersion program, which was part of The Experiment in International Living (now World Learning). I spent five weeks living with a local host family who spoke NO English. After some initial fear and anxiety, my six years of junior high and high school Spanish finally kicked in!
- Freshly armed with a college degree in nursing, I moved to San Diego to begin a great Southern California lifestyle, working as a nurse in the emergency room and women’s health for a total of 15 years.
- In the 80’s, I felt a strong urge to feed my travel passion. So, I got training and worked as a travel agent for five years. I learned about the travel industry, great destinations and traveled a lot – especially to Europe & the Caribbean. I particularly loved planning cool vacation itineraries for clients (and for me too!)
- In 1998, after a decade of corporate jobs (with more work and less travel), I made myself a vow – to begin taking an international trip each year. That spring, I spent three magical weeks in Italy, using my first (but certainly not last!) Rick Steves guidebook.
- Early in 2001, I was feeling a deep yearning to branch out in my travels. I had seen much of Europe (wonderful!) but there was much more of the world to explore. I knew that trips to the more “exotic” destinations might be more physically demanding and adventurous. And since I wasn’t getting any younger, it was definitely time to start!
Soon after, I received an intriguing email from a friend about a Photography Tour to China & Tibet in September 2001. Even though I had never been on a photo tour and didn’t know a soul on the trip, I immediately signed up. It just felt right – and happily, the trip turned out to be fabulous! It was great fun traveling with like-minded people who also loved to travel and do travel photography.
- This 2001 tour to China & Tibet was truly life-changing for me! I was enthralled by these exotic countries because they were so very different from my Western world. Everything was fascinating – the rich culture, the friendly people, the colorful dress, the beautiful architecture, Buddhist temples and rituals, the food, bustling street markets, and more.
- Since that trip, I have focused my travels on the more unusual and culturally exotic destinations – such as Latin America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East & Oceania – with occasional trips back to Europe. I now enjoy two or three international trips each year as I gleefully work my way through my Travel Dream List!
Over the past 15 years (starting with China & Tibet), I have been sharing my travel adventures – via slide shows and written stories and photos – with a growing email list of friends and others. They have vicariously traveled the globe with me and many of them have encouraged me to share these travel stories more widely.
- So, with the formation of Planet Janet Travels in 2015/16, I am answering the deep inner call of my passion for international travel – to become a full-time travel blogger, writer, speaker, teacher & overall travel cheerleader.
- I want to share my stories and travel wisdom with YOU and others – to hopefully inspire and help you travel the world more widely, confidently and joyfully. There’s no time like the present to get out and experience your own Grand Adventures around this amazing planet we call home!
Travel as if Your Best Life Depended Upon It!