During this uncertain time, we have learned that people may not be traveling right now, but will be desperate to do so in the future – with gusto. While we’re committed to continue providing you with content that will help you dream about being abroad from the comfort of your own sofa, what about past travel experiences? The trips we once remembered from slideshows or family photo albums that have now become one of a thousand on our iPhone. This is a family trip that you took to the Grand Canyon as a kid or last year’s backpacking adventure to Thailand. This was your honeymoon to New Zealand. They make us the explorers that we are today and while the vacation might be over, the memories are forever. Here, the staff at ShermansTravel share their most treasured travel memories. This week, we’re sharing some memories from some incredible travel writers and contributors. We hope that you enjoy it.
An Epic Breakfast Surprise in the Maldives
"My husband and I had a trip planned to the Maldives, but due to our crazy travel schedules, we were apart for three weeks leading up to the vacation. Since I was already in India, it made the most sense for us to fly separately and meet at the hotel. I got to the resort first, and worked with the staff to arrange the most epic breakfast for his arrival. We took a glass bottom boat to a floating pier in the middle of the reef and were greeted with champagne, fresh pastries, waffles, eggs – the works. We’ve been married for 3 years, but it felt like our honeymoon all over again." Lindsay Silberman, travel blogger
Cruising Into the Midnight Sun
“I often think about the Viking ocean cruise my husband and I took through Norway, where the scenery was just breathtaking, and I’ve never felt so unexpectedly at home. We went during the summer when there was pretty much 24 hours of daylight, and I would get up in the middle of the night to take photos from our balcony because the views were always so achingly beautiful that I couldn’t tear myself away. We passed fairy tale villages and awe-inspiring fjords, and I felt such a sense of peace and connection. This trip proved to me, without a doubt, that the journey is as important as the destination. I dream about returning one day.” Lois Alter Mark, Midlife at the Oasis
A Foodie Tour of Madrid
“On the last leg of my first solo international trip in over a decade, I landed in Madrid on a long layover – it was the first time to the city since the end of my marriage. My layover was just under 24 hours, and I felt like I did it all: I checked into my Airbnb, wandered Plaza Mayor, ate what felt like all of the Jamon Iberico, and then did a tapas tour for a few hours. Seeing Madrid in a new light as a single woman and a few years older, I was flooded with taste memories, snapping photos, and sneaking bites wherever I could. Wandering the cobblestone streets, I was led by my tastebuds, snacking on Pimientos de Padrón, gambas al ajio, and ended the evening very late with churros con chocolate. As I boarded my mid-day flight the next day, I grabbed one last bite to eat on my way home: a bocadillo de Jamon, plotting a much longer visit.” Stephanie Gravalese, writer
A Wedding in Japan
“My husband, along with one of my best friends and her husband, traveled to Japan to celebrate a very dear friend’s wedding. As the first night of this wedding was going to be held at a very religious Japanese shrine and all of the women would be wearing traditional kimonos, we decided to buy kimonos online before the trip. Unbeknownst to us at the time, dressing in and wearing a kimono is an art form not to be trifled with and come wedding day, despite our (and our very patient husbands') best efforts – along with hours of Youtube tutorials on "how to tie a kimono" – we finally threw in the towel and headed to the wedding ceremony. Lucky for us, when our very disheveled selves arrived to the venue, two women took pity on us and before we knew it whisked us away into a back room, redressed and retied our kimonos properly, and sent us on our way. It's a funny story that we retell often, but in the moment I can assure you it was extremely stressful. Suffice it to say, that was one of the best trips I've ever taken, forever cementing my love for Japan and all things Geisha culture. And I don't know their names, but to those two women who took pity on us in our time of need, arigato very much.” Michelle Gross, travel writer and editor
