Detours Gay Tours Blog
It's our 11th Birthday! Let's celebrate.
- Brandon Folkes
- Jul 25, 2023
Wow, another year has gone by with another year of new adventures and memories made. A lot has happened in the last 12 months here at Detours – We launched 2 new permanent trip destinations (Italy and Scandinavia) we saw ourselves in Belize enjoying the relaxing Caribbean life on our own private island, we released our first ever trip to Australia for Mardi Gras in 2024, but most important of all… our family grew! Darren, Oliver, Scott and Thaddeus joined our happy family of explorers and have been out trip leading all around the globe! In celebration of our 11th year, we decided to share with our birthday wishes right from our lovely team.
Miles Mitchinson
Owner and Trip Leader
Happy 11th birthday, Detours! You made it to 11 thanks to a passionate crew of fun-loving adventurers and a whole bunch of wonderful explorers that we're all immensely fortunate to experience this world with. Cheers to the next 11 with you!
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Shane Bingham
Director of Operations and Trip Leader (Co-owner)
Wow! The Detours baby that Miles birthed 11 years ago is now a tween! Apparently kids between 8 and 12 are called “tweens” because they're in between children and teenagers. When I joined this family our baby was just a teeny tiny two-year-old toddler, now look at him go! I've seen him grow into a heart-warming, life-changing, globe-trotting, adventure-seeking tween, and as your adopted parent, I couldn't be more proud of who and what you've become, or excited for where the journey goes from here. Thank you for 11 years of incredible memories and for giving me a totally different perspective on the world.
Forever grateful, Daddy #2 🧡
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Dan Clarke
Trip Leader
So here we are, celebrating 🖐🏽🖐🏽☝🏽years of global queer adventure & while the number of passport stamps might have spiked in recent years - it’s plain to see that the heart & intention that first gave rise to Detours is still alive and as thriving as the first day I got involved one full decade ago! In full confession, prior to trip leading with Detours - the idea of hunkering down to any same job for this length of time would have thrown me into a state hyperventilation with commitment-phobia (it’s a real thing 🤫). Now 11 years though into this meandering road with Detours, I’m fully prepared to commit to yet another 11 years (provided that my knees won’t give up and my cat herding skills don’t abandon me) as we take the Detours community further around the globe! 🌍Happy birthday Detours - you young and jaunty whippersnapper, I never saw you coming but I’m sure glad you came around! 🌈✈️
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Brandon Folkes
Brand & Marketing Manager and Trip Leader
I started with Detours when it was just 7 years young, and since then I’ve had the chance to live a life I have never thought possible. To me, Detours is not just a travel company, but family. A family of explorers that walk in tandem together as we share new perspectives and experiences with the LGBTQIA+ community but also try to invoke those same kind of life changing experiences that we have all felt ourselves. Detours – Thank you and Happy 11th Birthday. Cannot wait to see what the next 5, 10 or even 20 years have to bring!
See you on the next adventure!
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Casey Miller
Trip Leader
Detours, you’re 11! You don’t look a day over 10, I swear!
What an incredible journey this has been! From Jordan to New Zealand and at least dozen countries in between, Detours has opened our travellers eyes to not only incredible places, but more importantly, a beautiful community of people connected all over the world.
Thanks, Detours, for letting me part of this wonderful family!
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Maurice Van Veen
Guest Experience Manager
11 years and counting.... 🎂🎉
It’s been a tremendous privilege to have joined Detours last year. Today marks 11 years filled with adventure and excitement for our travellers from all corners of life. It’s you that makes Detours who we are, so Happy Birthday to all of us. Here’s to making many more friends, memories and exploring our beautiful planet together 🥳
A big ol' hug - Maurice
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Darren Frances
Trip Leader
To the Detours Family,
As we come together to celebrate Detours’ 11th birthday, I feel incredibly honored and grateful to have been a part of this amazing journey with all of you. Reflecting back on the journey so far, I couldn't be prouder to be a member of the Detours team.
Here's to more exciting destinations, belly laughs, and cherished memories that we'll create together.
Happy 11th birthday, Detours!
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Oliver Armstrong
Trip Leader
Happy 11th Birthday to Detours!
Joining this company has been an absolute privilege. In just a short while I’ve lead guests to Greece and Thailand having incredible experiences for them.
Here's to countless more adventures, meeting fantastic guests, and creating unforgettable memories together!
The future is bright!
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Scott Robertson
Trip Leader
I have only just begun my "detour" in the company's eleventh year, and what I have loved is that it has felt less like joining a company and more like joining a family.
I'm grateful for being part of the Detours team and for being able to share such amazing destinations and adventures with this ever-growing family.
Cheers to the Detours family! Here's to the next 11 years!
Happy birthday!
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Thaddeus Eng
Trip Leader
Detours, Detours, Detours what can I say?
It feels like yesterday Dan was chatting you up to me at a beach bonfire and now, as I take my first pause in two weeks before my third solo trip, departing my fourth country (in a month!), chewing my fifth Swedish cardamom danish (okay, sixth Swedish danish)... I'm thinking some moments l get to speak for themselves, and I'm grateful for it!
Happy 11th Birthday Champ - may you keep forging fast friends and life long memories, thanks for the homes away from home, the fam outside of family, and the countless adventures gone and to come!
