Jeannie's Journal at NextTribe

Why Couldn’t I Get a Free Trip to the Galapagos?

I got a text from an Ecuadorean custom agent last week, which was weird because I wasn’t in Ecuador and had no plans to be.

“We have your bag at the Galapagos Station. Could you confirm when you could pick it up at the airport?” he wrote.

My mind reeled for a moment. It’s true, the bag I checked in Cusco, Peru—following the NextTribe hike on the Inca Trail—had not shown up in Atlanta. But why the detour to the Galapagos of all places—a destination I had been close to visiting twice but somehow never made it? How had my bag made it before I ever had?

A photo the Ecuadorean agent provided some answers. There, looped around the handle of my orange Away bag, was a luggage tag bearing the airport code GPS. The code of the airport I was traveling to in the U.S.—Greenville-Spartanburg in SC—is GSP. My heart should have gone out to the dyslexic baggage handler, but it was difficult when I was running out of underwear.

It took five days to be reunited with my wayward bag (which went off on some other weird tangents after its stay with the Blue Boobies off the coast of South America). The whole time I was kicking myself for violating one of my cardinal rules—Never Check a Bag! I could give you all the reasons why I did so—starting with brain fog after four days at high altitude on the hike to Machu Picchu.

But I’ll never forget it again. Now, if I could just get Delta to credit my frequent flier account for the extra miles my bag has put in.

And Speaking of Orange Things on the Move…

I’m now in my former hometown of San Miguel de Allende with a group of lovely NextTribe travelers. This is the seventh year I’ve been here as part of our Day of the Dead trip, The seventh year I’ve missed Halloween in the States.

Before I headed out, my guy Mike made sure I had a proper Halloween send off. He decorated my beloved 1972 VW convertible as a surprise for me. Hope you had a great Halloween! And if you want to celebrate Day of the Dead, make an altar for loved ones you’ve lost on Nov. 2nd and maybe try a new make up look like mine below.

Close to My Heart…And Ear

This trip is dear to me. I came up with the idea last year after our Santa Fe trip. We spent a lot of time exploring Georgia O’Keeffe’s New Mexico on that trip, and I heard from so many travelers that they loved this deep dive into her life and legacy.

That got me thinking: What other women in history/culture do we admire? My thoughts went immediately to Jane Austen. All these many decades later, she is still an inspiration—her writing, her subversive wit, her observations about human nature still resonate today.

Learn more at our free Info Session on Nov. 19th and become eligible for a $400 discount on the trip.

When ever I have trouble sleeping, I play Pride and Prejudice on my Iphone because the characters, her wording are so familiar and comforting. I’m lulled off to slumberland with dreams of Pemberley.

I’ve worked with an expert to come up with this itinerary—which includes a couple days at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, celebrating our heroine’s 250th birthday. I hope you’ll join me channeling Elizabeth Bennet!

Jeannie Ralston, CEO and Co-Founder

Other Trips on My Mind

Join me and Victoria Reyes, a NextTriber born and raised in Colombia who will be our guide, for a free Info Session on Monday, Nov. 11th. You’ll be eligible for a $400 discount on the trip.

We’ve scheduled a summer jaunt to Iceland because where else would you want to be when the temps are soaring.

Find out more at our free Info Session on Wednesday, Nov. 20 You’ll be eligible for a $400 discount on the trip.

And now for something truly unique….

This new trip has the potential to blow your mind. Not because of the destination (it’s Greece, so there’s that cerulean blue sea, wonderful food, friendly people).

And not because Hydra, the no-cars-allowed island we’re going to, was Sophia Loren’s “favorite place in the world.” It was beloved by Jackie O, too.

I think this trip has the potential to be life changing because it’s been designed to reawaken a sense of awe and wonder in each of the lucky 12-14 women who get to come with us.

This is our first collaborative experience design with Barb Groth of the Nomadic School of Wonder. Barb is one of the creative minds behind Meow Wolf, the innovative immersive experience started in Santa Fe.

Find out more and get a chance to win a $400 discount on the trip at our Free Info Session on Tues. Dec. 3rd, with Barb Groth and the Hydra resident who will guide us.