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Age Boldly: The Biggest Travel Nightmares We've Seen
Plus, how to avoid them. Plus, plus...How many piercings do you have? Jeannie Ralston got two more in Colombia.
The Jeannies at NextTribe
July 17, 2025
Hi there,
Jeannie Ralston just got back from Colombia and couldn’t be happier with our maiden voyage to this fascinating country. Among the many truly inspiring Colombian women we got to know were our leaders. Lena Zambrano is a veritable fireball—small in stature but simply dynamic in personality and energy. Victoria Reyes, a NextTriber based in NYC who was born and raised in Colombia, came along on the trip to add personal insight—and an amazing knowledge of the history of her native country. She and Lee will reunite next year, when we offer Colombia again. More soon.
Lee and Victoria—who will be sharing their magical native country with NextTribers in 2026. Stay tuned.
The whole group with women in Cartagena who have created a sustainable living for 40 mothers by making sustainable art. Brilliant.
Jeannie Edmunds is catching up on paperwork this week. This morning she stopped by the bi-weekly Austin coffee gathering to meet some new members and to deliver a hiking stick from the Africa trip to the woman who roomed with her.
Wearing pants she bought from a women’s collective in Africa (which teaches single mothers sewing skills so they can feed their families), Jeannie hands traveler Karen Kreps the hiking stick from her trek with the gorillas last month. It’s hard to see but there’s a little gorilla carved into the top, and each stick is personalized with the trekker’s name. Jeannie keeps her own stick by the front door “as proof that I made it” and “to ward off evil spirits.”
This Week’s Reads
After 8 years of running trips, we’ve witnessed and experienced a lot of fiascos. What about you? If you have any good stories (and lessons learned) to add, respond to this email. We may write another story.
And from the archives…an article that relates to Jeannie Ralston’s new look. Down in Cartagena, Ralston decided she wanted to bring emeralds home but couldn’t afford anything but tiny stud earrings. So she walked into a tattoo/piercing shop and had a second hole added on each lobe for the new purchase. But since this article was published 4 years ago, we wonder if she’s behind the trend. What about your ears? One hole per lobe…or more?
Want more? Check out our library of 1,600 articles.
Happy travels—
Jeannie Ralston, CEO + Jeannie Edmunds, Chief Operating Officer
Trip Previews Coming up Next
All times 6:30PM ET unless otherwise noted.
July 17: Deluxe Day of the Dead in San Miguel de Allende 2 RSVP here
July 21: Slow Travel India 8 pm RSVP here
July 23: Ecuador from the Andes to the Amazon (Galapagos Addon) RSVP here
July 28: Morocco Immersion: Marrakech, Atlas Mountains and Sahara RSVP here 3:30PM ET
July 28: Umbria, Italy 4:30PM ET RSVP here
Aug. 4. Venice with an Art Expert RSVP here
FEATURED FIND
Jeannie Ralston says, “When we published a story on the best cover ups for the summer, this elegant style from Lands End was ordered by dozens of women. It’s pretty and still practical. Can easily make the transformation from beach to dinner.”
Tempting Trip Offerings for you in 2025!
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 Whale watching, hot tub boats—2 spots left. |  LAST CHANCE: We’ve added 2 rooms. Book now before we have to release them! |  SOLD OUT! |
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