At Nellie, we believe travel is more than movement from one place to another. It isn’t simply about crossing borders; it’s about crossing paths. It’s the shared laughter over a meal in an unfamiliar country, the stories exchanged between strangers turned friends, and the sense of connection that lingers long after the suitcase is unpacked. As the world grows and evolves, so does our collective journey, shaped by the paths we’ve each walked, the places that have changed us, and the endless horizon of destinations still waiting to be explored.
This month marks an exciting milestone for Nellie: our team is growing! Each new voice adds a fresh perspective, a new story, and another way to fulfill our mission of connecting humans through extraordinary experiences. To celebrate, we’re pausing to reflect on the journeys that have inspired us most, the lessons travel has taught us, and the ways those experiences shape the trips we craft for you. At Nellie, every itinerary begins with something deeply personal—our shared love for the world and the people who make it remarkable.
AMY > THE DREAMER
Q: Was there a moment or experience during your travels that sparked or inspired Nellie’s mission to connect humans through extraordinary experiences?
A: Some places don’t just take your breath away; they give you a new one. For Amy, that place was Clayoquot, a secluded retreat tucked within the wild beauty of Vancouver Island. It was shoulder season, that refreshing moment between winter’s calm and summer’s rush. Having just sold her previous company, Little Passports, she arrived seeking stillness and perhaps a glimpse of what might come next. “I was in a space where I was thinking about what I wanted to do next with my life,” she recalls. “Clayoquot gave me the room to breathe.” Days were spent exploring in small groups, but it was the evenings that changed everything.
Each night, guests gathered around a communal table to share dinner and stories from their day’s adventures: encounters with wildlife, jaw-dropping landscapes, and moments of quiet awe. Amy met a fellow traveler, a travel advisor, and together they drew others into conversation until the entire room felt alive with connection. “Something about those evenings was electric,” she says. “We were not just hearing about travel; we were witnessing transformation.” Listening to those stories, Amy realized she wanted to create something that could deliver that same spark—travel that didn’t just entertain, but awakened. Around that dinner table, Nellie was born: not just a travel company, but a way to connect humans through extraordinary experiences.
CYNTHIA > THE OBSERVER
Q: What small detail or quiet moment from your travels has stayed with you, and why do you think it mattered so much?
A: Some memories linger not because they are grand, but because they are still. For Cynthia, that moment came while standing at the edge of Waimea Canyon in Kauai, Hawaii, her family by her side. “The view was amazing,” she says, “with the canyon covered in deep reds, greens, and golds, and waterfalls spilling down the cliffs in the distance.” The air was warm, the wind soft, and for the first time in a long while, time itself seemed to pause. It was a quiet kind of peace, one that asked nothing of her but presence.
It was also her family’s first trip after losing her mother, which made that stillness feel especially meaningful. “We live in such a fast-paced lifestyle, always moving from one thing to the next,” she says. “That moment reminded me how important it is to slow down and be present with the people who matter most.” Since then, she has tried to carry that sense of calm into her everyday life, remembering that even brief pauses can bring clarity. Sometimes the most powerful part of travel is simply standing still and taking it all in.
KRISTINE > THE STORYTELLER
Q: Is there a travel experience that reshaped the way you see the world or the way you share it with others?
A: Some of Kristine’s favorite stories are the ones she shares with her parents while exploring the world together. Traveling as an adult has become one of the ways they stay close, carving out time that feels both intentional and full of discovery. “As everyone gets older, it feels even more important to create lasting memories together,” she says. “These trips give us the chance to share meaningful time and enjoy new adventures.” One of her favorite memories is from Hawaii, walking through Oahu’s trails where every turn opened to sweeping views of sea and sky, a reminder of how small moments can become lasting ones.
Those experiences have shaped how Kristine approaches her work, especially when planning multi-generational journeys (her favorite). “There’s something so special about helping families connect through travel,” she explains. She focuses on crafting experiences that bring generations together in simple, genuine ways—through cooking, exploring nature, embracing cultures, or learning something new side by side. For Kristine, the joy of travel lies in sharing the world with others and creating the kinds of memories that turn into stories worth retelling.
LEAH > THE CONNECTOR
Q: Have you had a moment while traveling when you formed an unexpected connection with someone whose world felt completely different from your own?
A: Some of the most meaningful moments in travel are the ones that happen by chance, and for Leah, one of those began beside a pool in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She was there with her now-husband, both of them still in their teens, simply hoping to relax and enjoy one of their first adventures together. “It was one of those trips you take just to have fun, feel free, and soak up the excitement of somewhere new,” she says. Early in the trip, they met another couple (newlyweds on their honeymoon) and what started as a few friendly words over margaritas soon became hours of effortless conversation. Leah remembers how natural it felt, as if they had all known each other for years.
Over the next few days, the four of them explored together, forming an unlikely friendship that crossed age and circumstance. “It didn’t matter that we were in different stages of life,” Leah reflects. “For a few days, we were just people discovering a new place together.” That connection, brief but genuine, changed the way she thought about travel. It reminded her that beyond itineraries and destinations, what truly endures are the people you meet along the way. To this day, she often thinks of that couple and how their lives might have unfolded. A refreshing reminder that sometimes, the best part of a journey is the people who unexpectedly become part of your story.
LISA JAY > THE ADVENTURER
Q: What’s the most extraordinary experience you’ve had while traveling, and how did it spark your curiosity about the world?
A: For LisaJay, the most extraordinary travel experience wasn’t about how far she went, but about how deeply it changed the way she saw the world. At 23, she boarded a plane to Europe for the first time, celebrating her husband David’s graduation with a trip that would become a defining chapter in both of their lives. “It marked not just a milestone in miles, but in meaning,” she recalls. Their journey through Paris and London unfolded like a love letter to history. Standing before centuries-old architecture and cobblestone streets steeped in stories, LisaJay felt something shift. “It brought a whole new meaning to ‘if these walls could talk,’” she says. From sipping cocktails at the Hemingway Bar in Paris, imagining the literary legends who once filled the room, to wandering London’s Savile Row where royal tailors still craft garments fit for kings, she found herself captivated by the quiet echoes of greatness that lingered in every corner.
That trip sparked more than wanderlust; it awakened the adventurer within her. Since then, LisaJay has explored nine countries and counting, chasing the thrill of discovery and the wonder that comes from stepping into the unknown. Each new place invites her to uncover stories tucked within its architecture, its people, and its culture, reminding her that adventure isn’t always about daring feats or far-flung destinations. Sometimes, it’s found in the simple act of curiosity. The willingness to look closer, listen deeper, and feel connected to the world in ways both extraordinary and profoundly human.
MATTHEW > THE LEARNER
Q: Was there a moment during your travels that taught you something meaningful about people, culture, or even yourself?
A: Curiosity has always been Matthew’s compass, guiding him toward experiences that challenge what he knows and invite him to see the world through new eyes. Traveling solo has become his favorite kind of education; the kind found in language barriers, unfamiliar menus, and quiet moments of discovery between strangers. “I’m always the one asking questions,” he says, “wanting to know not just what something is, but why it matters to the people who live there.” For him, travel isn’t about collecting stamps in a passport; it’s about collecting understanding.
Born and raised in the American South, Matthew proudly claims he’s “no stranger to hospitality,” yet abroad, he’s discovered it on an entirely new level. What began as a spontaneous invitation to visit a guide’s mother’s home in My Brahim, Morocco, has since become a cherished ritual across his travels. From Nuremberg, Germany, to Dhoola Raoji, India, to the lakeside village of Llachon, Peru, he has been welcomed into family homes; sharing homemade meals, enjoying locally sourced tea, and exchanging stories through charades, laughter, and the universal language of hospitality. Each of these experiences has offered him a deeper connection to the people and places he visits, a reminder that kindness transcends borders and language alike. “My empathy continues to grow, and my respect and appreciation for the world around me is ever-expanding,” he reflects. For Matthew, every journey is a lesson, a reminder that the greatest discoveries often come not from the landmarks we visit, but from the kindness we encounter along the way.
MOLLY > THE CREATOR
Q: How has travel influenced the way you design experiences that inspire others to see the world differently?
A: Creativity often begins in the most unexpected places. For Molly, one of those moments came just outside Oaxaca, Mexico, where she met Viviana, an artisan who handcrafts intricate flower candles using 300-year-old family techniques. “I knelt beside her on the dirt floor as she poured hot wax over the fire and taught me how to shape delicate petals by hand,” Molly reminisces. “She was the first woman in her village to host apprenticeships for young women and later opened her workshop for travelers.” What began as a simple class became something far more meaningful. A reminder that creativity can preserve tradition and inspire new possibilities all at once.
That afternoon in Oaxaca reshaped how Molly thinks about design, both in art and in travel. “A candle-making workshop might not sound like a history lesson, but I learned more about Mexican culture and tradition through that encounter than in any museum,” she says. It marked a turning point, sparking her belief that thoughtfully crafted experiences can change how we see the world. Today, when Molly designs journeys for others, she focuses on creating the kind of moments that awaken curiosity. By taking care of every detail, she gives travelers the freedom to be fully present, to embrace the unfamiliar, and to find inspiration in the people and places that stay with them long after they return home.
PAT > THE LISTENER
Q: Has someone’s story or experience you heard while traveling ever changed the way you think about connection or community?
A: When Pat arrived at the Rainbow Village in Taichung, Taiwan, the first thing that caught her attention was the color. Walls, walkways, and rooftops were covered in vibrant murals, swirls of red, yellow, and blue that seemed to hum with life. “I’ve always loved art,” she shared, “but seeing it used this way, not in a gallery, but across homes and streets, was something entirely different.” As her local guide told the story of “Grandpa Rainbow,” the retired soldier who began painting the village in 2010 to save it from government demolition, Pat listened closely. What started as an act of protest soon became something much deeper. He painted to fill the quiet of solitude, transforming loneliness into legacy.
In awe of the surrounding color, Pat was struck by how one man’s creativity had done more than preserve a place; it had built a sense of belonging. Locals, travelers, and artists from around the world came to celebrate his work, turning a nearly forgotten neighborhood into a living symbol of hope and connection. Even after Grandpa Rainbow’s passing at the age of 101, his spirit lingers in every brushstroke, reminding us that art can bridge language, culture, and time itself. That day in Taichung stayed with Pat as a beautiful reminder that connection often begins in the simplest moments—when we pause, listen, and allow someone else’s story to change the way we see the world.
TINE > THE REFLECTOR
Q: How has travel shaped who you are today, both personally and in the way you contribute to the Nellie team?
A: When Tine travels, she finds a sense of peace that’s hard to match anywhere else. It gives her space to breathe, reflect, and reconnect with herself while learning from the world around her. “Travel, for me, is a form of healing,” she says. “It allows me to understand different ways of life and appreciate the diversity of people I meet along the way.” Each journey reminds her that people approach life in their own ways—some with structure, others with spontaneity—and that there is beauty in every perspective.
That same thoughtfulness carries into her work at Nellie, where she approaches each trip with care and precision, ensuring that every detail aligns perfectly. “I’m not the spontaneous type,” she admits. “I value organization and preparation, especially when helping clients curate their dream journeys.” Over the years, travel has taught her that even the best-laid plans can shift, and those moments often bring the most valuable lessons in patience and adaptability. She still recalls her solo trip to Batanes in the Philippines, where a small gesture (a group of strangers offering her a slice of pizza) became a powerful reminder of connection and kindness. Experiences like that have shaped not only how she travels, but how she collaborates and helps others see the world with intention.
As Nellie continues to grow, so does the heart behind everything we do. Each member of our team brings a distinct way of seeing the world: the dreamer, the observer, the storyteller, the connector, the adventurer, the learner, the creator, the listener, and the reflector. Together, they remind us that there is no single way to travel. Whether you seek wonder, meaning, inspiration, or calm, there is beauty in every approach. Our stories reflect the many ways people experience the world and the shared truth that travel, in all its forms, connects us to something greater than ourselves.
That spirit lives at the core of Nellie. Our expanding team is more than a sign of growth; it’s a reflection of collective curiosity and care. Each trip we design carries a piece of who we are — thoughtful, intentional, and inspired by the belief that the right experience can change how we see the world and one another. At Nellie, every traveler has a story, and every story begins with connection.