Meet The Team: Jay!

Ahoy fellow travelers. I’m Jay, an exceedingly lucky guy from California, and unlike most here, travel wasn’t part of my upbringing. In fact, it wasn’t until age 20 that I first stepped onto an airplane for my first trip ever, solo, which became the foundational step in unlocking this new passion. In a circuitous route, after a decade in the world of economics, tech, and corporate finance, at the nexus of changing life events, I took a sabbatical to backpack internationally. In the five years since, I’ve sojourned through 60 countries and worked as an Albanian party boat captain, integration guide at Colombian retreats, liftie ski-bum in alpine resorts, mystery tours host, and beer-slinger while piloting pub trivia nights.

While sledding down volcanoes, scuba diving through shipwrecks, and finding hidden jungle music festivals is fun, I actually really enjoy the quieter exploration of simply walking through towns to absorb the vibe, stopping at every street-food vendor and hawker fare. I love to immerse myself in the daily lived experience of the people and places I’m visiting. The connections we witness and participate in create a brilliant tapestry tying us to the best of humanity. The obvious adventurousness may belie my passions, which trend toward nerdier pursuits. If you love deep philosophical discussions about literature, art, psychology, and video games, snag a seat by me. You’ll probably catch me scribbling notes for my novels or doodling in my sketchbook. I have a capricious love of spreadsheets and take extensive notes of everywhere I’ve been in the quixotic hope that somebody asks for advice.

I fall in love with something about every place I’ve been; I hope to help you uncover that too. Perhaps it’s searching for unexpected sights and experiences, or finding quiet moments of immersion in different cultures, or found connections in a new group that gives you something internal to take back in addition to souvenirs. I’m fascinated by the personal journeys and stories of everyone I meet. I loved solo traveling, introspective self-discovery accompanying exploration, however, I’ve also felt what the Portuguese call “saudade” and imagined having people to share these experiences with. And now I have you. I am so enthused to be part of your trip.