Meet Joanie 

For most of my career, I was the person who didn't take vacation. I traveled, but I was never really offline. I was a high performer and I loved the work, so it wasn’t surprising that I didn't notice the burnout creeping in. By the time I recognized it, I was feeling listless and lost. I stopped caring about my work, and I realized it was time to make a change.

I left my job and went to Nepal for 18 days. 18 days of trekking through small villages, visiting a Buddhist monastery, and reconnecting with myself through first-hand experiences in our natural world. Hot showers were scarce, but sacred. I spent my 35th birthday somewhere in the mountains learning a Nepalese card game with close friends.

When I came back, my life didn’t completely change, but I started noticing the little things: new blooms on the trees peaking out on my daily dog walks. Familiar faces in my neighborhood and favorite coffee shop. Slowly, I remembered the awe of building something from nothing — growing tomatoes from seed in a garden I painstakingly cared for each day. Taking blocks of clay and building vessels and nonsensical ornamental clay figures. I kept thinking about how travel helped me feel grounded and more connected with the world. How it connected me back to myself.

That's why I founded The Travel Club. To help busy, burnt-out, high-achieving people unplug and recharge by living lives abundant with travel. To help them find inspiration and awe and splendor in all the world has to offer. To build something completely my own, and to have fun along the way.

If any of this resonates, this is your sign. Take the first step in planning a real getaway. You may not have the time to do it, but that’s why we’re here to help you make the most of your time off.