What do you do?
I am lucky. Aside from taking care of our valued safari guests, I get to manage Thomson’s Affinity & Special Interest Travel division. That includes travel for colleges, universities, museums, zoos, conservation groups, naturalists, professional photo workshops, yoga groups—even celebrity chefs.
Why do you like what you do?
I never get bored talking about Tanzania. Whether it’s helping first-timers select their dream safari or assisting a university to design an intricate, specialized expedition, I am in my happy place. Best of all, I love teaming up with my American and Tanzanian colleagues to make the magic happen.
Besides safari, what has been your favorite past travel experience?
Swimming with seemingly hundreds of California sea lions off Isla Santu in the Sea of Cortez…and finishing the day with fresh fish tacos on a deserted beach. We also came across a giant manta ray on the way back to port.
My favorite safari animal is the aardvark! My daughter is also obsessed with aardvarks. As they are nocturnal and den during the day, they are nearly impossible to spot! However, Thomson guests might spot them on the night drives in the Eastern Serengeti. They are highly evolved animals and truly one of a kind…and their existence proves nature has a good sense of humor—they are so odd and adorable at the same time!
My insider safari tip is to be open to what Tanzania and Thomson have in store for you. It’s okay to have objectives and expectations—but try to leave space for new experiences. Nearly 100% of the time, guests rave about experiences that weren’t on their radar. Tanzania and Thomson will surprise you in the best way possible.