Travel Agent by day, Travel Writer by night

It’s November 18th and I’m sitting at The Coffee Club in Old Town Phuket. I found this bright and airy coffee shop via my best travel friend, Google Maps. I’m sitting upstairs in a glass box overlooking big bushy trees and quiet traffic below.

The coffee shop seems young, with its hip-looking people working behind their computers and Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter playing (read: blaring) in the background. My server is a sweet, demure Thai boy who I could just gobble up.

One of many plates of noodles I devoured in Thailand

The cafe vibe feels oddly familiar. Somehow I always find myself going for a quick bite and a refresh at a comfy cafe. I just finished a bowl of shrimp Pad Thai after a long walk through Old Town and up to Monkey Hill.

I could travel like this forever. No real schedule other than showing up on time for my tours. Lots of exploring by foot, putting my nose up to the air to smell the delicious things cooking around me, popping into adorable boutiques and chatting up employees who compliment my outfit or tell me I look like a local. Some of my favorite travel memories are the conversations I have with strangers.

Why do I feel most at peace when I’m traveling the world? Of course, I’d stick Andy in my front pocket and take him around for the adventure ( I love that scene in “Her”) but he’s staying home and tending to the house and our lives back home.

One of the many things I love about Andy is that he has some of the best ideas. When our forces and powers combine, we are that power couple everyone loves and admires. But even more, one of his best, most recent ideas was that I learn to be a modern-day travel agent.

I mean, it’s so obvious. Why didn’t I think about it first?

With Fora Travel, I’m learning all the ways to book hotels, private villas, flights and activities while I, too, travel the world. I signed up the other day, used myself as my first client, and had a wonderful, personalized stay at the Sheraton Jakarta Soekarno Hatta Airport Hotel before I flew out to Bangkok.

I found it thrilling to set up my profile, start some trainings, and price compare properties. I was so excited to check into the hotel and see what extra special treatment I would get as a “VIP client.” The staff at the Sheraton was super sweet and I had lovely conversations with the manager at check in and later again after dinner. The upgrades were awesome and I got many travel-well wishes from the staff. (I mentioned my travel plans in my emails to the reservations team and was surprised when a couple people on staff mentioned my upcoming flight to Bangkok!)

I get so much joy out of finding the best hotel and location in each city we travel to. I think about the people I’ll be traveling with and all the things we want to do and the meals we want to have, and all of that is considered when I book my travel.

Becoming a travel agent won’t feel like “work” and I’d actually be taking advantage of something I really enjoy doing. I love a good deal, collecting points, and finding the most comfortable bed to lay my head down after a full day of running around a new city.

Being a travel agent may not pay me the six-figure salary I’m used to getting in the corporate world, but at least I’d still feel free.

If you’re reading this and absolutely detest searching for hotels or activities to do while you’re traveling, hit me up! I’d love to help you book travel to your next adventure!