Traveler Interview:  Sophia Habl Mitchell

Sophia Habl Mitchell is an environmental consultant living on the northern coast of California. She calls it a good year if she is able to travel out of the country. Her love of travel was sparked in college, when she traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico. Upon returning, she signed up for a Spanish class and started plotting a trip to South America. Since then, her travels have taken her to Japan, New Zealand, India, Austria, Italy, Spain and through many countries in Latin America. She maintains a blog called The Sea Ranch Rambles.

We enjoy learning from others travelers’ adventures.  In this “Travel Chat”, Sophia shares some of her travel experiences.

The Jones: What inspires you to travel?

Sophia:  Seeing new things and experiencing the world differently is what inspires me to travel. The more I travel, the more I realize we are all a lot more alike than we are different. My husband and I have made it a priority to travel regularly. We forgo the fancy cars, lavish nights out, and expensive electronics in favor of saving our money for trips.

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Have you always enjoyed travel? What contributed to your love of travel?

Sophia:  Growing up, my parents worked a lot, so we did not take extended trips.  Instead, we spent long weekends at a beach house on the Sonoma Coast. That cemented my love of the northern California coast, and is where I current live.

My interest in travel was sparked by a trip to Mexico in college. My friend had family in Mexico and would be spending the summer in the Guanajuato area.  She invited me along for part of the tip. From that point, I was hooked. I enrolled in Spanish, changed my college major to geography, considered a semester abroad in Mexico, and started plotting a big South America trip. In grad school I worked at Le Travel Store for extra money. Working there further fueled my interest in travel, particularly related to lower-cost and independent travel. Honestly, I can’t imagine NOT having travel be a part of my life.

Puerto Natales, Chile is the primary transit point for travelers to Torres del Paine National Park

What is your favorite destination?  Why?  

Sophia:  Boy, it sure is tough to pick one, but I really enjoyed Chile. From a weather and landscape perspective, it felt very familiar. It really is California’s “mirror”. What impressed me about Chile was the diverse landscapes. From the arid north, to the bustling urban center of Santiago, to the charming Valpariso that clings to the hillside, to the untamed wilderness of Patagonia. I have been to Chile twice and would return in a heartbeat.

"We always make time to enjoy a drink on a plaza and people watch." says Sophia

What about your hometown? Share your recommendations what we should try to do if we visit.

Sophia:  I was lucky enough to grow up in Napa, right in the wine country. My high school was called “Vintage High” and our mascot was a grape crusher. Of course, you never appreciate your home town until you leave. My favorite times in the Napa Valley are spring and fall. In the spring time the mustard is in bloom and it’s a feast for the eyes. In the fall, the vines are turning beautiful shades of orange and gold, it’s just stunning.

I always remind people to make sure you take some time to enjoy the beautiful natural offerings of the valley and don’t spend all your time in the tasting room. Put together a gourmet picnic and go for a little hike, or rent a bike and pedal on Silverado Trail, or rent a kayak and float on the Napa River.

What destination has surprised you the most, either good or bad?

Sophia:  Our visit to India was the most surprising, for sure. It was a total overload to the senses and the only country I visited where it felt like “work” to travel.  I also got pretty sick while I was there too. I thought I had earned my travel chops on my big South American trip, but visiting India took the adventure of travel to a whole new level.

Where to go next? This sign in New Zealand helped point the way for Sophia.

From your travels, do you have a practice or insight that makes your travel experiences more enjoyable?

No matter where I travel to, I always try to pack light. It’s much easier to have a good time and be nimble on the road and navigate public transit if you are not bogged down with tons of luggage. I am to the point where I travel with a convertible travel pack that meets carry-on size requirements and a small day bag. This means I can usually avoid checking my bag and I don’t have to worry about lost luggage or delays at the baggage carousel. I recently wrote a blog post about what I packed for a two-week trip to Spain.

Something else I enjoy doing is trying to read a book that is set in a place where I am traveling. For example, on our recent trip to Spain, I read The Shadow of the Wind while I was in Barcelona. It was fun to read a story that used street names just blocks from where we were staying.

Read More Traveler Interviews:

• “To travel is to see new things…sort of like eye candy.” A Travel Chat with an Illustrator
• “I never knew I could enjoy life so much without electricity …” A Travel Chat with a southeastern Missouri Attorney.
•  “Travel means letting go and getting outside of your normal, stressful life.” A Travel Chat with a Lifestyle Coach.
• “When I travel, my camera is with me all day.” A Travel Chat with an Art Photographer.

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Five years ago today we boarded the ms Prinsendam in New York, setting sail for Florida and then onto Europe.

We’d quit our jobs.

Sold or given away most of our belongings, and stored the rest.

Had driven from Seattle to Kansas City, where we left our car and our cat.

Flew to New York, and sailed ….with a 25-day transatlantic and Mediterranean cruise purchased, with no solid plans for the future… just a dream to see as much as Europe as our budget would allow.

Friends and co-workers thought we were brave. Or crazy.

We worried if we’d drive each other crazy… living in a stateroom with less than 185 square feet.

It contained a tiny shower and had thin walls. We had a cougher next door who liked to turn their television loud.

We were afraid we’d be bored during the seven straight days at sea while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, on a ship with less than 800 passengers, most of whom were two decades older than us.

Not to worry, we both loved the days at sea. The water was smooth and glassy.  Flying fish followed our ship.

We met interesting people.  We read. We relaxed.  We forgot about normal every day distractions. We started this blog. 

Removed from the working world freed us from deadlines, late buses and office politics.

We talked more, and listened more, to each other.

It was wonderful.

We were able to make our adventure last over five months, through September.

We explored Europe like two college kids, except that most of the time we were being pampered on cruise ships, with luxurious food and fantastic staff that cleaned our cabin.

We experienced tourist adventurers … like skidding down the steep streets of Funchal in a wicker toboggan.  We rode cable cars up to peaks like the Rock of Gibraltar.

We hiked… usually downhill or flat stretches.

We got away from the tourist and ship crowd, and explored places on our own … ferries up and down the Amalfi Coast.

Took the train in Barcelona to wine country.

Survived a rough overnight ferry ride from Barcelona to Civitavecchia, Italy with the Harley Davidson Club of Chianti.

We drove by hundreds of pill boxes remnants of a former dictator in Albania and marveled at the Blue Eye.

While sailing through the Dardanelles, we learned first-hand history lessons from a New Zealander whose grandfather was killed there in the World War 1 battle.

We learned how bad the traffic was in Athens, and that a corridor means the aisle seat on Turkish Airlines.

We prayed for our lives when an Istanbul taxi driver weaved through city traffic like it was the Indy 500.

In Sochi Russia the welcoming band played Strangers in the Night, and we discussed politics and Paris Hilton with our guide who wanted to practice conversing in English.

Later, we sailed to the Polar Ice Cap and looked for polar bears in Longyearbyen. Enjoyed hiking through a hole in the mountain in Norway.

Explored Slovenia and saw the world’s oldest grape vine. We made two day trips to Lake Bled, and haven’t forgotten the delicious cream cake.

We witnessed the annual whale hunt in the Faroe Islands with the water around our ship bright red with whale blood.

We were spoiled, dining on a 5-course food and wine pairing dinner while icebergs sailed by out the window.

We sailed back to New York, and then flew to Kansas City. Our cat pretended that she didn’t know us.

We interviewed for jobs across the US – and got multiple offers.  We bought a beautiful condo and went to work.

And we both went back to our road warrior lives of our advertising and IT professions often demand.

We were ready to work. We were changed.  Our list of places that we wanted to visit grew longer, rather than shorter.

If you ever have the chance to travel for a summer (or a winter) – whether you are 21 or 85, or in your mid-40s like we were…. All we can say is GO FOR IT.

We have great memories. No regrets.  And five years later, we still look forward to exploring new corners of the world and sharing travel discoveries.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

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Traveling and new discoveries go together.  Places, food, people, art …and office supplies?

One of our more unique habits when traveling in foreign countries is that we like to check out office supply stores.  More accurately, I like to check out office supply stores, and Mr. Jones indulges my quirk.

Whether it’s a tiny stationary store in France, an airport shop in Hong Kong or part of a large department store in Bali, I love to spend a few minutes checking out office supplies around the world.  Things like pens, journals, scissors and tape.

It seems that other countries always have cool things that I haven’t seen or used before – usually before they become part of the every day  US office supply selection.

What kinds of things?

• The escargot tape dispenser shaped like a snail from a little stationary store in Lyon, France, found in 2002.  (I have  since seen them in the US.)
• The hot pink gel pen I picked up in the Hong Kong airport in 1997 – long before gel pens where mainstream in the US.
• The inexpensive disposable fountain pen in the Dymocks in Sydney.

And the Stabilo 68
pens that I found in the office supply section of a Bali department store that are currently my favorite pens.

I used to  savor these “treasures” to make them last as possible. Luckily,  now it seems that I can source most of these items at home after my travels via the wonderful world of Amazon.

What unusual things do you like to shop for when in foreign countries?

Other posts you might enjoy:

• If you want to go places….3 reasons get a passport
•  So Why Do You Travel?
• 5 Travel Books to Inspire Your Next Travel Adventure

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We enjoy sharing travel discoveries about all kinds of travel.  This guest post about the Canyon Ranch health resort and spa in Tucson is by Jennifer Peek of FindYourNewGroove.com

A Destination Getaway

Canyon Ranch is in the hills just outside of Tucson, near the Sonoran desert and the Santa Catalina mountain range and a short car ride from Tucson International Airport.  Not that you need to worry about the drive – Canyon Ranch will deliver you from airport to spa doorstep.  The pampering begins here and doesn’t stop – perfect for a mom who is ready for a vacation on her own.

Flying Solo…Or Not

One of the beauties of the Ranch is that, even if you travel solo, you won’t feel any more isolated or alone than you want.  You’ll start to see familiar faces as you move from fitness class to lecture to the pool and back again.  In my two solo trips (this being one of them), I have never lacked for interesting people to talk to or dine with when I wanted.

The solo traveler statue at the Lily Pond, Canyon Ranch, Tucson, Arizona

The Action

The Canyon Ranch grounds and nearby areas have nearly every activity you can imagine. I am partial to the wide variety of fitness classes, the array of free lectures and especially enjoying the pools.  As with all three of my trips, I also hiked the nearby Santa Catalina mountains with a group.  Nothing can beat the view of the nearby valleys and vistas from the peak destination, and the packs and guides are provided.

The classes range from beginner to advanced.  They cover everything from stretching to abs to spinning to yoga to drumming to belly dancing.  Some of the people I hiked with did that every day and then spent their afternoons by the pool.

I took advantage of the wide variety – and the expansive natural views of the property in nearly all of the classrooms.  It’s hard not to be infused with energy when you are looking at the peaceful landscaping and fantastic fountains.  And, there are plenty of times when you need that boost!

An added bonus on this trip was the Turkey Trot 5K.  I wouldn’t say that I “competed” really – but I still got a free T-shirt.  Even with all of these options, though, lots of the Ranch goers are inclined to skip this level of action altogether!

The Cuisine

Here’s where the relaxation and pampering really kick in.

When I am asked about my favorite part of Canyon Ranch, I always say “the food.”  Shallow, perhaps, but still true.  It doesn’t matter what your tastes are or what restrictions you may have, there is more than enough to go around.   That’s where those activities come in handy!

The creme brulee tastes as good as it looks at the Canyon Ranch.

My favorite discovery this trip was fairly mundane by some standards:  mashed cauliflower.

Yeah.  Cauliflower.

How can something so healthy be so darn good?  (I would guess that this phrase is said so often around the Ranch it should just be recorded and played back as a sound bite!)

Add that to the perfectly cooked scallops, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and crème brulee, and I had the best week of food of my entire year.

The Rubdown

One of the first things that everyone asks me about when I travel to Canyon Ranch is whether I got a massage.  That is not the half of it – or even the third of it.

Yes, the massages are wonderful.  The hardest part is choosing which one or two or three you want!  Plus, there are so many other relaxing treatments that you may need a massage just from the stress of choosing which treatment, when to book it and how you can fit all that you want to do in before it’s time to leave.

On this trip, I repeated one of my favorites:  the Ashiatsu massage.  The name of this treatment comes from the Japanese words “ashi” (foot) and “atsu” (pressure).  In this massage, the therapist uses overhead bars for balance while massaging with her feet.  I know, I know.  It sounds a little weird, but it is ah-maz-ing.  It was just what I needed after my hike in the morning, and it got me more than ready for the next day’s 5K.  Ahhhhhh….

The Best Part 

Earlier I said that my favorite part is the food.  That is true – if I have to choose.

I’d rather not choose just one piece.

The best part is the entire experience.   The feeling that comes from rejuvenating, refocusing and relaxation.  The rest that comes from not having to rush to soccer, prep dinner and do the laundry with one hand while working with the other.  The release that comes from not being responsible for anything but getting to classes and making my massage appointment.

And, really, that what a trip to Canyon Ranch is about.  It’s about “The Power of Possibility” and about putting all the pieces of a healthy and energetic life together.  It’s about making it truly yours.

What’s your favorite spa destination discovery? Please share in comments.

Jennifer Peek is a creative business strategist focused on providing left-brained strategy for right-brained businesses.  She shares her business brain + insights for creative businesses at FindYourNewGroove.com  

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