A Letter From the Founder: The Real Meaning of Luxury Travel. Connection, Storytelling & the Wild

“With good manners, you can travel around the world.” - anonymous

I’m currently traveling through Southeast Asia and felt called to share a few reflections on the words luxury and wealth.

Over the past three days, I’ve been deep in the rainforest, exploring the emerald beauty of Khao Sok National Park in Southern Thailand. I joined a small group trip that included an unforgettable overnight stay in a floating house, cradled by still waters and ancient jungle. It was magical.

On this journey, I had the joy of meeting a beautiful family, three generations of women from Alberta, Canada: a grandmother, her daughter, and her granddaughter. They were warm, kind, and grounded. You could feel the love between them radiating quietly but powerfully.

I struck up a conversation with the grandmother, we’ll call her Bridget, as we headed toward the pier to begin our overnight adventure. You know the saying, “your vibe attracts your tribe”? That’s exactly how it felt.

We shared moments over the next two days: watching monkeys swing through the canopy, spotting a massive water monitor, laughing over meals, and connecting deeply under the rhythm of the rain.

On our final morning, as the rain fell gently on the lake, Bridget and I found ourselves talking again. She asked me what I do. She sensed my love for wildlife and the outdoors. I told her about TerraFauna Journeys and our mission to use travel as a force for conservation and reconnection. She loved it. We exchanged contacts.

Then she told me about her family: three children, ten grandchildren. Her greatest joy, she said, is giving them experiences rather than things just like this trip through Thailand with her girls. She then went on and shared stories about her family. One about her son-in-law, originally from the Congo, who was forced to flee during war and resettle in Canada as a child. Another about a former partner from Antigua who came to Canada searching for a better life, only to get caught in the grind. His mother used to tell him, “With good manners, you can travel around the world.”

And then, without knowing how deeply it would resonate with me, Bridget said something I’ll never forget:

“Me and my children and my grandchildren, we just love each other so much. And to me, that is wealth. That is luxury.”

Yes. That is luxury.

Not the thread count, not the champagne on arrival, though those things can be lovely. True luxury is access to something sacred. Deep connection. Moments that stay with you forever.

I’m grateful for Bridget. For the conversation, the wisdom, the reminder. Another kindred spirit. Another lesson from the wild. I have no doubt we’ll cross paths again.