Back in Business
The past few years have certainly been a wild ride. Who could have foreseen international borders being closed for 2.5 years and travel (even domestic!) on pause since March 2020. After a rebrand, The Travel Elixir is here to bring your travel dreams to life and help you navigate the changing landscape.
Now that I sit on the other side of one of the most disruptive periods in my 15+ year travel career, I can say I am grateful for the opportunities the past 2.5 years have provided. Say WHAT? Yes, I said it…. I am grateful. If you have been following my journey on socials, you will have seen that I’ve settled in my new home city of Newcastle. What was initially a temporary move, soon became permanent and I believe the move to Newcastle was part of the universe’s plan all along. Here I have found a sense of community, incredible beaches, amazing restaurants and the love of a very special human.
When I am not designing incredible holidays for my clients, you will find me walking along the beach between Bar Beach and Merewether, jumping in the Merewether Ocean Baths any chance I get, hanging out with the incredible humans that frequent my yoga studio The Open Mind Space and trying all of Newcastle’s best restaurants and bars. In the 3 years I have now been living here, I have seen many changes and Newcastle is fast becoming a thriving regional city. We now have two incredible 5-star hotels in the heart of the city- meet The Kingsley by Crystalbrook and The QT Newcastle.
Some of the highlights from the past few years have been completing 200hr of yoga teacher training with Body Mind Life in Sydney. Yoga has become an essential part of my self-care practices, especially since 2020. Doing my teacher training during one of the most tumultuous chapters of my life gave me an anchor when nothing seemed certain. Although, I am currently not teaching in a professional sense I draw on the teachings from this course on a daily basis.
I was also incredibly fortunate to be given the opportunity to work alongside some of the most incredible professionals during my thirteen months spent as a Project Manager for Pacific Smiles Dental. This role was pivotal in re-building my confidence and proving that I could do more than just book travel! I learnt so much about everything dental and grew personally and professionally. During my time with PSD, I project managed the construction of ten dental centres across Victoria, NSW and Queensland. The role was fast paced and my skills with time management, agility and multi-tasking were further strengthened.
Leaving the team was not an easy decision, but I’d started to receive calls from my beautiful clients and was feeling the pull back to travel. Hibernating my travel business back in 2020 wasn’t a choice for me, rather a necessity and I felt the chapter of running my own agency was left unfinished. Eventually, I decided it was time to start transitioning back, but I promised myself I’d do it my way this time and take my time to rebuild.
The past ten months have yet again tested my resilience (thank goodness for yoga!) I’ve spent six months reacquainting myself with the very different travel landscape and building up my knowledge and skills with 3 days contract work for Travelcall Sydney, alongside revamping my business. I’ve invested in new systems and professional mentoring, hired professionals to rebuild my website and pulled my business apart and rebuilt it from the ground up. The Travel Elixir is here to be the “secret sauce” in your holiday planning and take your adventures from good to great & I’m really excited for 2023! This new vision feels right, and I’m prepared to take my time to build it up and say no to what doesn’t resonate.
Now that I’m back working as The Travel Elixir full time, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with dear clients who have supported me for many years and also meeting new like-minded clients who resonate with what The Travel Elixir stands for. The itineraries I design are personalised to the individual, include “in the know” experiences, complimentary upgrades and added perks and provide access to the best suppliers in travel. Travel is very much relationship based and each trip I design is built with an intention for a long-term relationship based on mutual respect.
I’ve also just returned from the most incredible adventures in Africa. Turning 40 this year and losing my beautiful baby brother in a sudden accident in June further cemented the belief that life is for living. I finally realised a long-held dream to trek with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda and it was everything I hoped for, and more! (Stay tuned for a further post about this!) I also spend an incredible week in Kenya, which included some of the most memorable cultural experiences. I’ve always loved Africa and returning after a 10-year absence further cemented this. Africa needs to be on your travel list and when you are ready, I can’t wait to help you plan it. This destination will change your life.
If travel is on your agenda for 2023, please think of The Travel Elixir. Looking forward to partnering with you to design travel that leaves you feeling joyous, happy and full of spirit.
Yours in travel,
Amy xo