Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
My life story in a nutshell…
I was raised by a couple of adventurous Europeans, who arrived in America with nothing, and taught me to value life experience over material things. I grew up with a map of the world tacked to my bedroom wall – red dots designating all of the places my father had visited as a merchant marine. My bedtime stories were made up by my father, and always took place in a faraway land. (The adventures of Burrolito were my favorites). I never dreamed of marriage and a big house, all I wanted to do was see the world.
At age twenty three, after working for a few years at a ski resort, and waiting tables to save money, I took my beloved Bianchi (a bike, not a guy), an open ticket, a AAA road map, and set off on a cycling adventure through Europe with my best friend. We slept on beaches in Greece, got locked out of youth hostels in Germany, sailed the Italian Riviera, pedaled over the Swiss Alps, and partied with the locals at the “Running of the Bulls” in Spain. It was the best time of our lives. The plan was for this six month adventure to get the travel bug “out of my system”, and allow me to settle into a “real” job.
I spent the next 10 years trying to fit in as a stockbroker in Southern California, making just enough money to sustain my travel habit. I took three week vacations whenever possible (much to the dismay of my manager). I roamed the Caribbean, Mexico, Bali, Thailand, Italy, France, Australia and Fiji, and finally had to admit to myself that the financial markets were not my passion.
I returned to the place that was always “home”, Lake Tahoe, where wanderlust finally won out, and my “Passport to Adventure” television series was born. I spent twenty years producing and hosting the program, and finally in 2013, was able to let it go to new owners.
I’ve always been driven to see what’s around the bend, over the hill, or beyond the horizon. For me travel is not a want, it’s a need. It is my passion. Not to scale the highest peaks, or challenge my physical endurance, but to connect with people around the world. I’m not sure what my next project will be, but it will involve travel!
“Live Small, Travel BIG!”
Julie
Following your life, hearing your stories and reading your adventures has helped encourage me to travel as much as I can! My father alway talked about wanting to go here and there – always when he retires or when he had enough money. But sadly, he died at the very young age of 62. The only travel he did was to Germany when he was in the service. After he died, my step-mother sent me a note that said ‘you’ve always wanted to see Ireland and you keep putting it off. Don’t do what your father did and possibly miss so much. Travel now while you can!’ I took that to heart, and since then have been to Ireland a few times, along with Italy, Wales, Canada, Mexico and many places in the U.S. that I had never been. I love to travel and love following all of your adventures! Thanks for the excitement and the encouragement! ~ Friend and Fan
Thanks Debbie! Sad that sometimes it takes such dramatic life lessons to enable us to follow our hearts. Stories like yours inspire me to forge ahead with my efforts to encourage more happy wanderers to hit the trail!
I love hearing your life story! From one of your “Passport to Adventure” stories, I ended up using Trudi from Tour Baja for one of my trips. Since then, other friends have used her guide service. Last March, I even went on one of her mule trips to see the cave paintings of Baja, Mexico.
Thank you for your inspiration. I love your adventures! Thanks for sharing with all of us!
Hi, Julie! Kathleen from the Yangzi! I accidently deleted your email address and the “Email Julie” link doesn’t work for me for some reason. Need to speak about your shooting schedule for coming year and other things!
Very best to you and your team!
Kathleen Xi
Staten Island NY
Your story hits home! I have been lost in my career for a long time. Do you have any recommendations as to how start something similar to “Passport to Adventure?”
As the old saying goes, “follow your heart”. And as my saying goes “live small, travel BIG”, which means keep your expenses down, live within your means, save as much as you can instead of using your income to acquire bigger and better “stuff”, and that will allow you to follow your heart. Getting caught up in the web of debt leaves people few options. Then, read tons, learn another language, and travel!! Travel will stimulate your creative juices, help you to shed your fears, and lead you to …. ??? Enjoy life’s journey, where ever it leads!
Hey Julie..
I stumbled across your blog and see that we might have some things in common. For starters… my husband ( who was a manager at Squaw Valley for years ) and I are retired in Argentina and Uruguay. We live between Uruguay and Buenos Aires at the moment while our youngest daughter finishes High School. We still have our home in Truckee .. have been mostly renting it out for the last 8 years but we are getting it back for a few months this summer for repair and will spend some time there in June and July. If you are ever coming through BsAs and would like to meet or come to our home for dinner .. we’d love to meet you guys. You can find me on Facebook thru Cindy Prossor too. Sometimes we get to Mendoza although probably not till Sept or Oct this year. Cheers Beth
HI Beth! I have been meaning to seek you out! I will email you right now!