Episode 141 - Jennifer Broome, Freelance Journalist & Meteorologist
Whether you’re seeking sweeping mountain views, ATV rides without the crowds, or sailing trips to the Florida Keys to see nesting sea turtles, the US National Park Service has innumerable unique experiences for travelers to explore.
This week’s guest on the Soul of Travel Podcast, Presented by Journey Woman, is freelance journalist and meteorologist Jennifer Broome. Jennifer is a freelance multimedia travel and environmental journalist for broadcast, digital, and print outlets, including AAA, The Weather Channel, Local Now, The List TV Show, Matador Network, NewsBreak, and multiple television stations in top 50 markets.
With 29 years of experience as a television meteorologist and anchor, Jennifer is an on-camera travel and outdoors expert, host, and reporter. She’s also a content creator, blogger, and speaker. Based in Denver, Colorado, she has traveled to 44 countries and 4 continents, all 50 U.S. states and 170 U.S. National Park Service sites, including 37 national parks.
She was awarded an honorable mention for the 2022 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year, which is the most prestigious travel journalism award in North America. Her adventure portfolio includes flying with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and trekking to Everest Base Camp in 2022. She specializes in adventure travel, solo travel, national parks, road trips, sustainable tourism, weather and climate, and luxury travel, and is currently on a quest to visit all 424 National Park Service sites.
A Journey to Joy
Jennifer shares that she chose to embark on a “Journey to Joy” following the loss of her only sibling. She left Denver and headed toward Glacier National Park in 2017, which happened to be a year of devastating wildfires. What started with one road trip of 3,000 miles continues for Jennifer today, as she has traversed all fifty states and specializes in outdoor and adventure travel and shares the journey along the way in a fully nomadic lifestyle as a professional meteorologist and creator.
Traveling Locally
Jennifer suggests booking boutique hotels and accommodations and getting to know the hosts and community members; asking hoteliers to share their contact information for local guides is a great way to get into the types of experiences that make a trip a more memorable and meaningful experience.
Not only does partnering with a local guide add value to the experience, but having that referral adds to a level of safety and security.
“You don’t always want to be go-go-go,” shares Jennifer. She makes sure to always leave breathing room and space to be spontaneous as you travel.
How Travel Creates Space for Growth and Grief
When she took that (literal!) road to 100% freelance work, Jennifer shares, she was filled with emotions after leaving the world of TV, even turning down a professional role for a TV show that would mean job security and a solid next career move. But her heart told her that if she didn’t take that trip, her life wouldn’t change. This gave her the time and space to grieve both the loss of her brother and the changes in her career.
In 2022, Jennifer trekked to Everest Base Camp, calling it “by far, physically, mentally, spiritually the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” With thirteen days of uphill-both-ways hiking in often treacherous conditions, Jennifer reached base camp exhausted and not feeling well. With special permission and plans to do a live shot for The Weather Channel at 17,500 feet, Jennifer made the decision that they needed to descend to 16,000 feet. Her guide, John, pointed out that she showed tremendous mental strength.
“Your mental strength is going to to be the defining line between whether or not you will succeed or fail. And it is okay for you to do both.”
Focusing in and talking to yourself, Jennifer says, whether it’s a mantra shared from others or something from your own imagination, choose experiences that make you see the world differently.
This experience in Nepal gave Jennifer the time and space to ask questions, open up to shared culture and heartfelt moments, and access a level of vulnerability she had buried deep into herself as a leader in her field; as a top-performing TV professional and one of the first women to be head meteorologists, she had never felt like she could be vulnerable.
After this experience, she seeks opportunities to adventure and push herself into new and challenging experiences – like a recent yoga and surf retreat in Ecuador. She has learned to intentionally create time to rest, step back, and gain perspective.
A Primer on Visiting US National Parks
Jennifer knows that most folks want to travel to the Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Rocky Mountain National Park – and that July and August are the busiest times of year for these most popular parks. Her tip? Head into the park early, as early as dawn in some places, to see high-traffic areas before the traffic peaks between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dawn and dusk, she explains, are also peak times for viewing wildlife.
If you do need to head into the park during peak hours, research picnic locations (and be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles!) or take a look at other less popular areas within each park.
Experiencing parks after dark is a special experience in itself. We have several National Parks listed as International Dark Sky areas, where stargazing and experiencing the stars create unforgettable moments.
If you can, especially in the American Southwest, visit in November or February. You get to sleep in, and while days are a little shorter, you won’t experience nearly the same crowds as you would during the summer.
Jennifer’s favorite: Yellowstone in winter, the best time to see the wildlife in action.
Soul of Travel Episode 141 At a Glance
In this conversation, Christine and Jennifer discuss:
The magic of National Parks and National Park Service sites
The most overlooked opportunities in US National Parks
The most difficult-to-reach US National Park
Ideal times and strategies for visiting US National Parks
The spirit of adventure and how that drives our travel
Jennifer’s recent trek to Everest Base Camp in 2022
Shared commitments to women’s success in travel and tourism
Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Jennifer Broome.
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Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goal #11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Sustainable Development Goal #13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
Learn more about Jennifer Broome and Broome Endeavors on her website, Swept Away Today.
Visit the National Park Service website and download the National Park Service app for more information, weather notifications, downloadable maps, and more.
Follow Jennifer on your favorite social media network!
Facebook: JenniferBroomeTV
Instagram: @jenniferbroometravel
TikTok: @jenniferbroometravel
Twitter: @jenniferbroome
YouTube: Swept Away With Jennifer Broome
LinkedIn: JenniferBroome
Pinterest: Swept Away With Jennifer Broome
About the Soul Of Travel Podcast
Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. In each episode, you’ll hear the stories of women who are industry professionals, seasoned travelers, and community leaders. Our expert guests represent social impact organizations, adventure-based community organizations, travel photography and videography, and entrepreneurs who know that travel is an opportunity for personal awareness and a vehicle for global change.
Join us to become a more educated and intentional traveler as you learn about new destinations, sustainable and regenerative travel, and community-based tourism. Industry professionals and those curious about a career in travel will also find value and purpose in our conversations.
We are thought leaders, action-takers, and heart-centered change-makers who inspire and create community. Join host Christine Winebrenner Irick for these soulful conversations with our global community of travelers exploring the heart, the mind, and the globe.
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Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Jennifer Broome (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.
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Soul of Travel Episode 141 Transcript
Women’s travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, women leaders in travel, social entrepreneurship
Christine: Jennifer Broome and I are both based out of Denver, Colorado, and we met when I moderated a panel earlier this year at the Denver Travel and Adventure Show about working from anywhere. I also loved her talk on exploring national parks, and I knew that you'd love to hear from her here on the podcast. Jennifer Broom is a freelance, multimedia, travel and environmental journalist for broadcast, digital and print outlets, including aaa, the Weather Channel, local, now, the List TV show, Matador Network News Break, and multiple television stations in top 50 markets. She has 29 years of experience as a television meteorologist and anchor. She is an on-camera travel and outdoors expert, host and reporter. She is also a content creator, blogger, and speaker. She is traveled to all 50 US states, 170 US National Park service sites, including 37 national parks, 44 countries and four continents.
Christine: She was awarded Honorable mention for the 2022 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year, which is the most prestigious travel journalism award in North America. In our conversation, Jennifer and I talk about the magic of National Parks and her quest to visit all 424 National Park service sites. She shares some of the most overlooked opportunities in the parks, the most difficult to reach park that she has visited, and how to select which parks to go to and when is the best time to visit, depending on the experience you are looking for. Jennifer also shares some of her adventurous spirit and her recent visit to Everest Base Camp in 2022. Love these soulful conversations. We rely on listener support to produce our podcast. You can support me in amplifying the voices of women by making a donation on PayPal. The link is in the show notes. Join me now for my soulful conversation with Jennifer Broom.
Christine: Welcome to Soul of Travel podcast. I'm really excited today to be joined by Jennifer Broom, who is a freelance journalist and meteorologist, and we got to meet earlier this year when we were both on a panel at the Denver Travel and Adventure Show, and I loved that conversation so much, so I knew I wanted to bring some of that to the podcast. So welcome and thank you so much for being here. Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here. Thank you. Well, to begin our conversation, I would just love to turn it over to you, actually, Jennifer, give the opportunity to tell our listeners a little bit about who you are and what you do in the space of travel and outside of travel as well.
Jennifer: Well, I'm one of those people who for many years, uh, worked to travel, uh, when I was a full-time meteorologist, uh, which I've been now, oh gosh, for 29 years. A long time <laugh>. Um, but when I was full-time, I was really discovering that I just loved to go somewhere on the weekends, new experiences. So in 2017, I took a leap of faith and decided that I was gonna go on a journey to Joy. Um, I had lost my only sibling, my brother, in 2016. And that was really the catapult for me to dive into my heart and soul and decide that I need to go find adventure. I need to go find what makes my heart happy, and in that journey to joy. And I wasn't sure how long that was gonna be, uh, when I started my path of being 100% freelance as a travel journalist and as a meteorologist, and started with an incredible road trip from Denver going up to Glacier National Park.
Jennifer: 'cause that one had been on my list for so long. It was this almost like a mecca for me of I've got to get to glacier. Well, that year also happened to be 2017, a year of a lot of wildfires across the west, and including in that were significant ones in Glacier National Park, where a historic chalet burned down. So we had to do some tweaking with that trip. But what started with one road trip of over 3000 miles still continues today, <laugh> in that I'm still continuing on, uh, visiting across the United States. I mean, I've been to all 50 states. Um, I specialize in outdoor and adventure travel is something near and dear to my heart because it does combine my love of weather, my love of travel, and love of outdoors. Um, and I just enjoy sharing the journey along the way.
Christine: Yeah, I love that you mentioned the, the Glacier National Park being your Mecca. I I grew up not far from there. So I grew up in a little town called Pulson Montana, which is on the base of Flathead Lake, um, and spend a lot of time in that area. And I do that road trip every year, every summer <laugh>. So I'm very
Jennifer: Familiar here. Well, I tried. I've tried, I've tried now twice going to the Sun Road. One, the wildfire stopped me the second time Snow stopped me. So I'm hoping <laugh> and the next time I go back, maybe the third time will be the charm, and I'll actually do the Iconic drive. Um, I've been all over Glacier, which it is spectacular. But you are so lucky to have grown up in such an incredibly beautiful area. You grew up there and I grew up on the other side of the country, uh, down in the south, in South Carolina, in Greenville, South Carolina. So, you know, I'm like you, it's like I love my hometown area too. It's so special.
Christine: Yeah. And it's one of those places that, I mean, obviously, you know how stunning that area is, but I totally took it for granted because I, I just looked out my window, you know, at the Mission Mountains every day in this lake. It's actually my screensaver on my computer, so I can see it now. But I, I just kind of assumed every place must just be as beautiful as the place I'm so lucky to have grown up in. And, um, you know, later in my career, I was working for a company based outta Seattle, and one of the very first trips they asked me to guide was this train journey through Montana. And we were going basically to where I went to for college football games where I went to college past my grandmother's house up to Glacier. And I thought, oh, how frustrating, because I know all of these places, and I, and you, you, I could go to like the Galapagos or Sea of Cortez and no, you're sending me to Montana. But through that and bringing travelers through that and witnessing them see Glacier for the first time, and just like have them well up with the awe of that experience, it really changed my perception of the place I grew up, but also like how to experience destinations and, and not to kind of miss what's literally in front of you.
Jennifer: Well, and the importance of the local guide, that local insight. You know, I, I'm like, you, you know, when I, I travel all over, um, a couple of things I always do are, you know, I do book, if I'm solo traveling, I book into boutique hotels or boutique ends. I just like that security level of having somebody else seeing me come through the main door, or a camera that is in the lobby where there is some record of my comings and goings. And a lot of times with those boutique hotels and ins, I will al you know, I'll ask, do you have a local guy? Can you recommend a local guy? Because that's where you get the insight. Versus just going online and trying to find my own. Um, it's starting with that, that connection of where you're staying. And I'll honestly tell you like places like Ecuador, um, keto, a phenomenal guide there and, you know, got to go and experience some things that if I would've just booked with a guide service online, I might not have gotten the same experience as I got, uh, with the boutique, uh, boutique hotel. And by the way, it's called Friends Hotel. If anybody's going to keto stay there, it, it's one of these that's very budget friendly. But, um, the experience, uh, is so rich, um, to be able to go there and, and, you know, I mean, stand on on the equator was pretty darn cool. So <laugh>, at least for this weather nerd and this geography nerd, I, I, you know, I was just overwhelmed with excitement and, um, enjoy to be able to experience that.
Christine: Yeah, I, I would agree with, with finding local guides, because I feel like when I was younger, I wouldn't wanna pay for that extra service or I would just be determined to do it on my own. And then again, working in the industry and having that opportunity, now I'm really disappointed if I'm traveling somewhere and I don't have a guide and, and you see something and you're curious about it and you're like, oh, wish I had that person right here. Who is the expert that could add more value to what it is that I'm experiencing.
Jennifer: But I think both of us too, also there is the importance of have the guide, but then in your itinerary, make sure you leave some time open so that you can go back to something that you experienced and really loved. If you're doing a city tour or, you know, make sure you do kind of find that balance of you don't wanna always be go, go, go. Um, you've gotta have that moment of, well, yeah, I do wanna go sit in that cafe or go sit by that lake or go hike a couple of miles up that mountain, or, or whatever it may be. Mm-hmm.
Christine: <affirmative>. Yeah, I think that is really important, especially when you have a short amount of time you wanna pack in every minute, but it's so good to leave breathing room and what I always call the room for the magic that you can't plan for. You have to leave kind of space for that to unfold itself. Um, well, I would love to hear from you, I know you have traveled a lot and we're tapping into that a little bit already, but what was one of the most powerful or transformational travel experiences that you have had?
Jennifer: Well, obviously that first road trip, uh, when I did go 100% freelance, uh, you know, I was leaving the world, uh, television, the only thing I had known professionally full-time, my entire career. Um, it was very daunting, it was scary, it was exhilarating. Um, there were just so many feelings and emotions I was going through. And also a chance for me to give myself the permission to grieve. Um, because right after my brother passed away, I accepted a job to host an, to host a TV show, and to launch a TV show, um, back in Houston, Texas. And I hadn't had the time that you need to grieve. And so that road trip by myself, um, was so critical in me changing my life. And I, ironically, when I left Houston, I actually drove out while Hurricane Harvey was moving in, in 2017. And I knew that if I didn't drive out, I would never change my life if I turned around and went and did what I had done to my, my entire professional career, which is to be on television.
Jennifer: Uh, speaking of safety, telling you, you know, tracking the storms, getting you through those spending time, uh, you know, hour after hour through numerous hurricanes, um, you know, I really felt like if I didn't do it, my heart was telling me my life wouldn't change. So that one road trip that I went on from Denver up to, you know, really, really going up to Glacier and going on to some other places, um, it also really sparked for me my love. I think of national parks and our national park service sites going beyond just the 63 national parks. So that one was super pivotal for me. Another one was one I did in 2022, and that was trekking to Everest Base Camp. Um, by far, physically, mentally, spiritually, the hardest thing I've ever done. Uh, I found the importance in that it's 80 miles, but then you also have to do a climatization hike.
Jennifer: So my trek ended up being a total of 90 miles. First of all, I had no idea that I could physically do that. Um, it's 13 days. Um, somehow the trail is going up both ways. I don't know how that's possible, but it is. Um, but it really does test you. And I had my trek, uh, leader who happens to be a dear friend John, when I hit Base camp. 'cause I was not feeling good at base camp. I was just flat out tell you. Um, and I was doing some live shots for the Weather Channel. And, and you know, I mean, I, I had a lot of things going on and not feeling good, really nervous about not feeling good at 17,200 feet at the Rock. And then we went in, um, 'cause we had special permission to go in and have lunch with one of the expedition companies.
Jennifer: We went all the way up to 17,500 feet, which is the start of the Icefall. And just standing there going, okay, I've gotta do a live shot in four and a half hours and I don't feel good. And there's weather coming in and we're gonna be trekking back in the dark to Gork. She, and we ended up, I made the decision of like, we gotta go back, we've gotta go back down. Which again, somehow was going up the 16,900 beam. Um, and John looked at me right before the live shot and he just said, I am so proud of you. And he said, you have a mental toughness that you didn't know you had. And it took somebody else recognizing that for me to see it in myself. And after he did it. And af after he said that, and I did my live shot, and I have no idea how we got the signal because the clouds were coming in and the Everest link, you know, it was touch and go, but somehow we got got the, the signal out and it just meant so much that somebody else told me something, saw it, saw something in me.
Jennifer: And that, that mental strength and how important the mental strength is over the physical strength. Physical strength is important when you're doing some type of activity like that. But your mental strength is going to be the defining line between whether or not you will succeed or fail. And it is okay to do both. 'cause I've done both. Um, you know, and, but it's the one thing of when you get to that point in life of going, I don't feel like doing this. We all have those days, whether it's getting up on a Monday morning and you've got to go, you know, go to work or dealing with, you know, 50 different things going on with your family. We all have that moments of, oh, just how do I get through? And you have to really focus in, I think, sometimes and talk to yourself. And I relied on a couple of things to get through, um, a couple of mantras from other people.
Jennifer: One of those being, um, a Peloton instructor. Um, you know, I mean, just words from others that I was able to, um, to use to give me the strength to get through that. So I think anytime something makes you look at yourself and reevaluate where you are, it makes you see the world differently. Sometimes that can happen in an instant. Sometimes it's one trip, sometimes it's over days or months. Um, but if it makes you look at the world differently, that's a valuable lesson. And I also feel strongly of when I was in Houston and I talked a little bit about, you know, I left during Hurricane Harvey, I walked away from hosting a TV show, and I truly feel like my lesson of learning the things that I didn't like in that seven or, uh, 13 month period that I was in Houston, that was a much more valuable lesson to me than knowing the things that I like and love.
Jennifer: Um, you know, and, and I really took the time to look and go, okay, what is it that I didn't necessarily like? Why was it so difficult? Um, why, you know, what was going on? Why, why did I not necessarily give it the fair shake that I should have been? Obviously going through personal trauma does play into that, but those lessons when you sometimes go, why did I have to learn that one? Give it some time. I mean, let it, you know, let it really just let, let it sit for a little bit. And there will be a moment where you'll get full clarity on it, but make sure you come back to that moment and make sure you come back to the lesson to allow it to come first circle, uh, full circle, and allow yourself, um, the grace to learn the lesson of the things that you don't like in order to really enjoy the things that you like and love.
Christine: Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, there's so, so many things I wanted to kind of go back and touch on. Um, one of them being kind of the, the mental gymnastics that you go through in some of these sorts of activities that actually become the thing that is the most powerful lesson. And just kind of thinking of so many moments when I was in the, in that space where, you know, you're kind of making the decision, like you said, do I go on, do I, is this where I need to stop? And then, you know, how important it is to be able to actually make both choices. And I think we always, we tend to align stopping with failing. And that, that isn't always true. That the pushing through may actually be in fact kind of the failure. Um, because you do need to learn how to listen to your body and assess situations and trust and all of that.
Christine: Um, but those moments of like how you literally get yourself to the top of the mountain, I think in your case, and the one I'm thinking of in my own mind is, um, so powerful. And then to be able to call on that strength in other places in your life, I think all the time I'll be like, this is so hard. And then I'm like, is this as hard as the time you x, Y, Z? And I'm like, oh, no, okay, we've got this, this is not as hard as that. And then also that that point that you mentioned of someone reflecting your strength back, you or you know, what they're witnessing in you, because in, in your mind, when you're in that moment of struggle and doubt and insecurity and all these things you're trying to get yourself through, you forget about all the other things that may have happened because you're focusing so intently on this kind of one moment or this one experience or emotion. And, um, to have people reflect back your successes or your strengths to you in that moment, I think is, is really, really powerful. And, and to kind of surround yourself in travel and in life with, with people that do that for you.
Jennifer: It really, for me, it was profound because, you know, I had worked in television, uh, for so many years, you know, and, and really had, have, have to have thick skin when you work in television, <laugh>, you know, I mean, you're gonna hear it all. Um, and it is such a subjective medium and you know, some people are very nice, but some people can be very cruel. And now in this age of social media, we see it with, you know, the trolls that are out there and the bullies that are out there. Um, you know, and I was one of the first female chief meteorologist in the country, um, you know, back in the early two thousands and really doing something that was personally groundbreaking but also groundbreaking for other females in the industry, um, that I was in developing that thick skin in a lot of ways, I lost the ability to be vulnerable and a type a personality.
Jennifer: If you're that, then you also can relate. Um, and that's what that 13 days of trekking in Nepal with the most stunningly beautiful scenery and even more beautiful people, and the culture that is so different from how I grew up, but so embraced me and allowed me to ask questions and opened up the culture in their hearts to me, um, you know, really kind of for me gave me a chance to say, it is time to be vulnerable. It's time, it's okay for people to see me cry. It's okay for people to see me struggle. Um, we're all human and I feel like for so many years, you know, being that person on the green screen and, and especially, you know, being one of the first in, in, in my field, you know, really having to have that, okay, you've gotta stand tall and, you know, whatever's going on in your world outside of the 30 minute block that you're in a newscast or an hour block that you're in a newscast.
Jennifer: All of it has to fade away while you're on air and you have to look, you know, happy most days. And of course when there's storms coming through, it's a whole different ball game. But, um, but what it really taught me was that it is okay to be vulnerable. And, and that was a, I'm still a work in progress on that one. <laugh> I'll say every journey. Um, you know, I feel like it's, I now look at travel a little bit different. Um, I do look for those moments and I actually seek out opportunities to not necessarily just go and adventure, but I recently went, um, to El Salvador and I specifically picked a place that was a yoga and surf retreat. Um, knew nothing about the owners, which both of them happened to be Americans. Um, he's from Georgia. Um, she was a yoga, a well-known yoga instructor in, in Colorado for over a decade.
Jennifer: And, um, had, you know, it was just kind of one of those things of like all the stars align. Um, but I gave myself a couple of days to just allow myself to rest. Um, and to, which is really hard <laugh>, it's, it's, you know, I think a lot of folks, if you are, you know, like that type a personality, it is one of the hardest things to do to say rest, calm down, step back a little bit. But you have to, um, you know, that whole thing of self-care. Um, you know, I wish I would've known that phrase, honestly, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, you know, being 50 years old now. That's something I wish I would've known when I was starting out because, um, it, it's critical and vital and, and that work-life balance. Um, I honestly, I sucked at it for <laugh>, you know, and it's still something that I think I struggle with a lot of folks do. Um, how do you find the balance, even in a freelance career? Um, you know, it, it's always constantly balls up in the air, but remembering those moments to slow down and allowing yourself to to be vulnerable are definitely some life lessons again, always a work in progress. And I'm okay to say that.
Christine: Yeah. No, and I think that's so relatable. I think so many women, especially the women that I've spoken to on the podcast that are, you know, high achievers, women that have been reached, you know, leadership positions and they kind of look at the person they created in order to achieve those goals often has been so dedicated and committed and like you said, kind of type A and rigid and regimented and, and really, uh, leaning into that kind of masculine energy and not allowing for self-care and pause and, and reflection and some of those things that we do need to create balance. So I love that you kind of have learned some of those lessons through the travel experiences that you've had.
Jennifer: Yeah. And, you know, and it's, for me it's, it's, it's nice to be able to share those too. Um, you know, I I, when I came back, uh, from Nepal and was able to, you know, watch some of the videos and, um, and I could see, I almost could see the change happening in myself from the start to the end, uh, of the trek. And it's the first time I've actually, I think, witnessed a transformation like that happen. Um, you know, we've all had different moments in life. You know, I can remember, um, when I was, you know, chief neurologist in San Antonio and I didn't get, they, they didn't renew my contract 'cause they were going in a new direction. Um, you know, it's a big slap to the, to your face to, you know, your ego takes a huge knock. But it ended up being the best thing that could have ever happened to me because it really made me go on and start searching and, and finding my true passion and love of the outdoors and sharing those stories and going on adventures and really doing something.
Jennifer: Um, you know, I, yes, I do the extreme adventures, but I also do a lot of things that are quite approachable too, because I want people to go, um, and experience destinations. And I'm, I'm fully aware not everybody wants to go hike 5, 10, 15 miles. Um, but you know, that's, I try to balance. Um, but really going and, and allowing a destination to teach you things, um, you know, I have a tremendous love of history, uh, and I think that's why I spend so much time in National Park service sites because I think, especially American history is fascinating to me. And, you know, really going back to that American history class in high school, so often I'll go, oh yeah, I remember reading that, you know, in the history books. But then to see it and to see, you know, where different people, George Washington was inaugurated, um, you know, in New York.
Jennifer: Um, you know, and, and to see different sites and to see some of the ancient sites of the people that were here hundreds of years, uh, before us in some cases, even thousands of years. Um, you know, those to me are fascinated and they're right here. Um, I feel like the United States is, the United States is an underrated travel destination for, for Americans. Um, we have so many incredible place people during Covid started going, wait, we really do live in amazing place. But, um, you know, I'm always a fan of explore your own backyard, explore your neighborhood, explore your city, explore your state, then go on and branch out and, and start seeing the rest of the us And, you know, yes, I love international travel too because it does teach you about different cultures and different ways of life. Um, but I, I am a huge proponent of spending time and exploring our own country too.
Christine: Yeah, I love that. Um, well I would love to jump into talking about National parks, as you've mentioned, that is one of your favorite types of experiences. Um, and so I would love to hear a little bit more about how people can take advantage of these spaces and maybe explore some of the overlooked opportunities and ways people can start to select where they wanna go. Because there are so many options once you do start exploring it, it might seem pretty overwhelming. So I'd love to to talk about that a little bit.
Jennifer: You know, I first, uh, I know everybody wants to go, you know, to the most popular ones, and I, I totally understand 'cause they're amazing. Um, that ranges from Smokey Mountains, uh, right there in Tennessee and North Carolina to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado to Zion in Utah, grand Canyon and Arizona. Um, you've got Yellowstone and Wyoming, you've got Yosemite in California. Um, and in particular, if you do want to go to those places, realize that July and August are the busiest times of year. But I also understand that's when a lot of fa families have the time to travel. So if you are gonna go do those highly popular national parks in those prime two months, the tricks are get up early, go into the park early, the busiest times for those parks are gonna be between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Um, and so if you want to go see the high traffic areas, for example, in Rocky Mountain National Park, bear Lake is one of those iconic spots that people have to go to.
Jennifer: Um, in Zion, you want to take the shuttle and go in, um, you might want to hike part of, of the narrows as well, get in early. So if you can get into the national parks before 9:00 AM um, really even get there, you know, start going in at, at at dawn and also realize that the wildlife is gonna be a lot more active. So if you have the goals of in Yellowstone, you wanna see the bison, you wanna see the wolves, you wanna see the bears, um, you need to, and the deer and the elk, you need to go when the animals are more active. And that is gonna be at dawn and dusk. So kind of think in terms of how can you do, um, national parks and get in a little bit earlier and then when it is that busier time, do your research ahead of time and go and find a great spot for a picnic.
Jennifer: Make sure you pack in and pack out anything that goes with you into, um, any national park or any, um, really just any federal lands, any open space. Um, make sure it leaves with you as well. But during that busy time, maybe that's the time that you can kind of say, Hey, alright, so we're not gonna do old Faithful right now. Instead we're gonna go maybe do this other hike, um, or go and experience another part of the park like Yellowstone Lake that might not be as crowded during that prime time of 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Um, if you can experience a park after dark, that is a phenomenal experience and a very unique experience. Um, we do have quite a few national parks, um, and not just spaces here in the United States, but really talking around the world of these international dark skies, they are becoming very popular.
Jennifer: Um, but getting that feeling in, in you in a place like Moab, if you're in Arches and you can see a sunset and then start to see the stars appearing, it is such an experience to realize when you're looking up at the stars, that you're looking at the same stars that ancient civilizations looked at, that people all over the world, you know, weather is one thing that we all share. The night sky is one thing that we all share, and it's something that you, you know, we all like when you're looking at the Aurora Borealis, how excited people get. Um, you know, when you can see it sometimes in the northern tier of the United States, or why people like me, um, you know, travel to places like Iceland and Fairbanks, Alaska in an effort to try to see those Northern Lights for maybe if you're lucky one time in your life.
Jennifer: 'cause they are absolutely beautiful and phenomenal. Um, so those are some ways that I think, you know, if you can adjust that and then the times of year, um, if you can, uh, especially into the, uh, American Southwest, some of the best times to travel to those very popular Moabs, Zion, Bryce Canyon, go into Grand Canyon. Um, those areas are spectacular in November. November and February are secret seasons because you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn. Um, you can, you know, sleep in a little bit. The days are a little bit shorter. So you do have to account for that, but you don't have the crowds. So that's also, I think, if you can think in terms of, of looking on those shoulder seasons. October is a, is a fabulous time to travel to now. I love experiencing international parks in winter. Um, I will say Yellowstone in winter, that is my favorite season to experience Yellowstone because it's the best time to see the wildlife.
Christine: Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, I haven't had that opportunity yet. I, I lived in Yellowstone, um, one summer and I was working just outside of the park in West Yellowstone, in the town of West Yellowstone. So as you were talking about those early mornings, I had to be in town at five 30 in the morning usually to open up the bookstore and coffee shop I was working at. So I had the extreme privilege of driving from like Madison Junction area out of the park on the long road that leads out into West. And every morning I would see moose and bison and deer and, you know, all sorts of things. So I definitely agree like that felt just like the most incredible thing or getting up really early. And because I was in the park, I could go see well faithful and, and, and nobody would be there.
Christine: And then, you know, if I came home at noon for some reason, someday it was just like the worst experience in the park. But if I came home at night after I got off shift at like nine 30 or 10 30, it's still like twilight up there. And again, like the park becomes such a different experience. So I definitely agree with, if you have the opportunity to take advantage of those like shoulder times of day as well as shoulder seasons. Um, I would love to get there in the winter though, and experience what that is like. 'cause I, even growing up in Montana, I still have never witnessed that.
Jennifer: So I got to watch Old Faithful go off with, um, well my guy Dean and I, and about, I mean, it was like eight other people. I mean, we had nine or 10 people total at four 30 in the afternoon. Um, you do have to keep in mind in Yellowstone, uh, during the winter, a lot of the roads are closed, the majority of the roads are closed. Um, and so I mean, I snowmobiled and did an overnight snowmobile adventure. And I would say it was one of those things that I didn't know it was on my bucket list until <laugh> it was until I checked it off my bucket list. Um, but even I feel like, like experiencing the national parks, I love going into, I've done, um, you know, Moab, I've done Canyon lands and Arches in January. Um, I did fiery furnace with my best friends at the time.
Jennifer: He was 18 year old son. Um, and we were like two of six people in all a fiery furnace, which is an area that you do have to be permanented in, um, because you can get very lost in there. But, um, you know, to have that experience and to have delicate arch, the most popular spot in Arches, um, to be able to do that with 20 people versus the hundreds of people that you'll have to do it with in the summertime. By the way, if that is on somebody's list in the summertime, just because of the temperatures, please get up early and do that. Make sure you wear tennis shoes. I know a lot of people think, oh, it's only three miles round trip. Um, well it is a, um, little bit more of a daunting three miles for a lot of people. It is on slick rock.
Jennifer: Um, there is some full exposure, uh, as far as tricky spots. You gotta watch your kids in certain areas, um, if you are doing delicate. And I think that's some of the stuff that sometimes when people look in, in, in the book or just look in, um, you know, the guide, uh, information that, that the newspaper that you get when you go into a national park and say, oh yeah, that doesn't look too bad. Um, when it does say moderately strenuous or, or something like that. Make sure you have the proper gear. And if you are going into a desert, um, scenario, which that area is, make sure you have plenty of water. Um, and something that I always do as, as a big road tripper, I always have a gallon of water and I keep it in, um, a stainless steel, um, you know, uh, you know, reusable, um, water container.
Jennifer: Um, and you know, I always have that no matter what. I mean, people look at, look at my car and they go, why do you have so much emergency stuff? I'm like, look, stuff happens. And being a meteorologist, I'm a little bit more in tune to, you know, the kind of weather and things that can happen. So there's certain things that are in my emergency kit are all year long. Certain things that I have more in winter when it comes to, you know, you gotta have more, you know, the, the, um, you know, the windshield wiper, antifreeze fluid and that sort of thing. But like, you know, there's, I always have, um, several layers of jackets I have, you know, I mean, make sure that you have flashlights that work, um, you know, extra pairs of shoes. I keep an extra pair of flip flops and an extra pair of kind of tennis shoes and hiking shoes in my car at all times.
Jennifer: And the most critical thing that you can have is to have that extra water. Um, it is, it's vital when, when you're on road trips and, you know, some of our states, if you're going through and not just in the United States also in in other countries as well, but like, I kind of think of places, well Wyoming is one where you can have wide open spaces and you can go for a long time and not see a place to pull over and stop and get gas or, um, you know, a place to, you know, pop in and, and get some food or drinks. New is another place. Um, I always kind of say, especially if I'm traveling by myself, if I hit, um, uh, a half a tank, then I'm sitting on empty. Um, you know, it's really important to kind of make those plans, make sure you have all the emergency gear.
Jennifer: Um, you know, I always have trekking poles, uh, in my car at all points in time because, you know, what happens if there is an accident and, and I have to hike up an embankment or something. Um, I guess I'm kind of a doomsday thinker on, on that kind of stuff, <laugh>. But, uh, you know, but I, and I've been in news business way too long, perhaps and seen too many stories and watch Dateline perhaps a little bit too much <laugh>. Um, but uh, you know, I think you do have to be prepared so that you prepare for the un uh, for the unknown, for the worst case scenario, uh, so that it doesn't happen.
Christine: Yeah. And I, I think, you know, that's just, uh, something I think really interesting to bring to people's attention is that road trip travel isn't something that people think a lot about. And if they approach it as the same as another kind of vacation travel, I think that's where you end up in those situations. And again, growing up in Montana, like I had a really great understanding of traveling for vast expanses without there being any sort of resources or stores or anything. So I very much grew up with that mindset and kind of plan accordingly. But if you're coming from the East coast or something where, you know, cities are next to each other for, for hours and for days, it's a very different way than if you're thinking about driving from south of Colorado towards Grand Canyon. There might be, you might go six hours <laugh> without really seeing anything, but like a very small gas station. And like how you have to think about that and plan strategically. I, it is really important. I think if people are, are curious about this kind of travel, especially in the West, it's just a very different, uh, just a different way of thinking about how to prepare for what you are setting yourself up for.
Jennifer: And always listen to your gut. Your intuition is, will never lead you as stray if you feel, especially as a female solo traveler, if you feel a little uneasy, get yourself out of that situation as quickly as possible.
Christine: Yeah, I think it's, uh, travel is such a good way for cultivating that intuition and, and really respecting and understanding yourselves. Um, I would love to hear from you, what is maybe one of the most interesting national parks you've gone to or one of the most difficult for you? I know you're, um, pretty well versed in this kind of travel as we just talked about, but even, you know, for you, what maybe is one of the the most interesting or difficult places?
Jennifer: Well, there, there are some that, uh, I certainly love. Um, I will say Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of my favorites. It is up in North Dakota, so it does take a little effort to get there. Uh, I actually went and fall, so it was not super crowded, but it is one of the places in the country where you can see wild horses. Um, and it's spectacular. And being there in the fall, we had bison traffic jam after bison traffic jam. Um, and if you've ever been in a national park and you know, you kind of have to keep going, um, and moving through, you know, you get them some space, but you gotta keep moving, uh, very, very slowly as well. So, um, that is a place where you will have wide open spaces without crowds. Um, one of the more difficult ones, it was kind of an interesting thing that I did, um, uh, in, uh, late April, early May, was that I went to South Florida and there are four national park service sites, or three national parks and a national preserve in South Florida.
Jennifer: And a lot of people think, okay, well there's the Everglades that is the most popular one. That is the one that I spent the least amount of time in. I went next door to Big Cyprus National Preserve and had a phenomenal experience. I actually saw the alligators in Big Cyprus and didn't see 'em in Everglades. Um, so I would also suggest making sure you're looking at other national park service sites, but also when you're at a national park, look at the areas around it. Um, there's going to be national forests, there's going to be state parks. Those will give you a national park experience without crowds. If you're looking to do things like rock climbing, um, you wanna go, uh, ATVing or you know, off-road vehicle, vehicle, you wanna go biking without crowds, um, you wanna just hike or camp without crowds. You can find typically more spaces with less crowds in those areas.
Jennifer: But on that trip, um, I had, um, in addition to Everglades and Big Cyprus, we also had Biscay and Dry Tortugas. I had a dear friend that joined me for the Biscayne Dry Tortugas, 'cause Dry Tortugas was on both of our bucket list. Biscayne is most unusual because 95% of that park is underwater. Um, the best way to do that is to take a tour with Biscayne National Park Institute. It is a nonprofit, um, that is, um, there to really help with research and to basically help fund the park. Um, you know, it is waterways, so there is no charge to get in to get into Biscayne. Um, but it was such a unique experience to go out, um, on a boat. And then we got to sail back in. We went out to one of the lesser known, um, keys. And it was also when I found out when I got back that there's, uh, on the other side of it, the sea turtles.
Jennifer: Um, they have some nesting and in the wintertime when the sea turtles are there nesting that, of course it's protected, but they'll, uh, actually do these kind of trash days where they'll, um, kind of coordinate and you can go on a trash day and go help clean up. And there's trash that comes from all over the world because right on the other side of that, you've got the Gulf Stream. Um, you know, you've got, um, you know, huge cargo ships that are coming through right outside of Biscayne Bay. Um, so there is that trash that's coming from Europe, Africa, south America, the United States. Um, and it's a, it is a way that you can actually see that national park and really do something good. Um, and that is a unique experience that I would say search out, um, in national parks to see what kind of experiences where you can travel for good, um, and do something like that.
Jennifer: Dry Tortugas is one of the more difficult national parks to get to. You really have to plan for that. Uh, it goes from Key West and the only way to get there is by boat or seaplane. Um, there's, there are ferries that go, and that is of the ferry and seaplane options. The ferry is of the cheaper of the two. Uh, it is a little bit longer. Um, I opted to do the seaplane because I wanted to see it from above. And we were flying at 500 to 700 feet above the water. So we were able to spot sea turtles, stingrays sharks, uh, you know, it was such an incredible experience to look at the water and really see the color change based on how deep or shallow the water was. Then you fly in, um, to dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson, um, which was, I didn't realize when we got there.
Jennifer: It is the largest masonry structure in the Americas, so it's the largest brick structure in the Americas. And that fort was critical because it protected the Mississippi River, Mississippi River, new Orleans, Gulf of Mexico, and a massive trade route coming around from the Gulf to the East coast. Um, so it kind of explains why is this fort, why was it there, um, that took 30 years to build. And, um, so that one, you know, like I said, does have, does take a little bit of planning. So do things like if you want to go and experience, you know, national parks and national park sites at a place like Hawaii, you know, takes a little bit more planning, uh, to, to do some of those. But they have huge rewards, the ones that take the most work and forward thinking. Um, you know, I would strongly suggest make sure the national park, you wanna go to that, uh, check to see if they have a reservation s uh, reservation plan, um, you know, the timed entry if they have that.
Jennifer: Um, some places like, uh, Muir Woods National Monument, it's year round. Um, and that's just outside of San Francisco. And the reason they have that year round is because of limited parking. I mean, it is in a neighborhood and the road to get there is like this wide <laugh>. It's, it's like one of those that you might need to plan a little bit, but there are certainly ways to visit and there are quite a few, you know, go experience the ones that everybody wants to experience, but also go to the ones that are a little bit lesser known and, and more unique to.
Christine: Yeah. And what is the best resource for listeners to find out information, like you mentioned of, you know, timed entries, ticketing, parking, all, all of that kind of thing that you need to think about when you are planning these trips?
Jennifer: Um, I think it's super important to go to the National Park Service website. Um, then that way you can kind of put in what National Park you wanna look at. I'm also a huge proponent of downloading the National Park Service app. Uh, with that app you can actually save it for offline use. And in a lot of our national parks, we all know you lose cell service. Uh, and that gives you the ability, if you've downloaded it ahead of time, it gives you maps, it gives you information. Um, I remember using it for the first time when I was in Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and there were so many little tidbits of information when we were doing the chain of CRA drive that if I hadn't downloaded that beforehand, we would've completely missed. And it kind of was fun as we were driving to the next one to read a little bit and go, okay, here's what we're gonna see at our next stop, so that you already had a little bit of information before you got there.
Jennifer: So I strongly recommend, um, doing that. And you'll, it also gives you the alerts if there's weather closures, if there's, you know, Yosemite right now has one of the major roads is closed because of flooding damage from so much snow melt and so much rain. Um, that road is likely gonna be closed, they're saying potentially all summer into the fall, uh, because the damage is so severe and the road is unsafe for even limited traffic on it. So those alerts, um, you know, even as we get through the summer and you're going through in the summer and fall, the kind of the heart of the wildfire season, which I feel like these days we really don't have a season anymore. It seems to be a year round now. Um, but it has all those alerts that are really important, whether that's a weather related alert, um, or just road related, um, closure related.
Jennifer: That's super important. I would also say we were talking a little bit about weather, um, not just when you're doing, you know, outdoor and adventure travel, but really when you're traveling anywhere, look at where you're going ahead of time. You know, like look and see what the forecast is gonna be for one thing. It'll help you pack. Um, and if you're traveling with me and I'm taking a long rain gear, you better take it <laugh>. Um, you know, but it's, it's, it's one of those of look ahead of time and then when you are in a place, give it a quick look in the morning, you know, kind of go, okay, well what's the weather today? That way you are informed, you know, what's coming your way, especially if you are doing the outdoor and adventure travel. Um, you know, you get into the summer, summer primetime season of those afternoon thunderstorms. That's why we always say, if you're gonna go hiking, um, you know, and you're gonna summit a mountain, going to do some higher elevation hiking, make sure it used to be that you could say, we off the summit at at noon. Well now it's really, you need to be coming down from summit. You need to hit it by 10 in the morning and be on your way down. Mm-hmm.
Christine: <affirmative>. Yeah. Thank you for sharing all of that. And I, especially, I love the, the resource of the, the National Park app. I have used that traveling with my daughters and it's so great to have it. And I hadn't at first thought about it, the fact that you'd be offline as soon as you enter, but that was definitely the case and just all of the different resources and fun for them too, to be able to like search through it and learn about things and share things. So I think that's so great. Um, well, before we end our conversation, Jennifer, um, how can people, if they wanna follow along and learn more from you about this and about your quest to visit all of the national Park service sites, where can they find you?
Jennifer: Oh, well, my website is swept away today.com, so you can find me there. Um, you can also, I guess the easiest is on Instagram. It's at Jennifer Broom Travel and it's broom with an E on the end. Um, you know, my dad, my dad and my aunt had to be a little different. They were the family members that added the e when <laugh> when they were, uh, young growing up in northwest Georgia. So, um, but yeah, those are great places to find me. And as you said, yeah, I'm on this crazy quest to go for all 424 National Park service sites because why just do all 63 national parks, <laugh>, gotta go, gotta go for something a little bit more. And, um, you know, it, it's, it's interesting doing it. A lot of folks ask me, how do you do it? And, and when you get to a point, you gotta start clustering them and, and, um, and it's something I love to speak on too.
Jennifer: And, and I thoroughly encourage, just get out. If, I mean, get to the, get to a national park, look at some of the other National Park service sites, those national monuments are more snackable, more doable in a half day or a full day. They often come with tremendous history lessons that will make you think and really spark, I think some great conversations, uh, wonderful for families to do. Um, you know, they, they really are quite interesting. Um, and each one of them is very unique. Sometimes they're very small, uh, like Freedom Hall in New York is, is a small one. Or you can go to a place like, uh, Gila dwelling, uh, national Monument in Southwest New Mexico that just the drive to get there alone is part of the adventure. Um, so, you know, they all offer unique experiences. But yeah, hit me up on, on social. I mean, I'm on all of 'em. I'm on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, um, you know, and shoot me a message if you've got a question or something I can help you with then, um, you know, I'm always, always happy to, to share the information too.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you so much. And I know I, I was on the panel with you at the Denver Travel and Adventure Show, but then also got to listen to yours specifically on this. And it was just, um, it just really inspired me to think about national parks in such a different way and, and, and how much maybe we take it for granted. So I love being able to bring this to the podcast and podcast and get people excited about that. Um, to wrap up, I have a few rapid fire, rapid fire ish questions. Um, uh,
Jennifer: Oh,
Christine: The first one is, what are you reading right now?
Jennifer: Oh, gosh. Um, oh, it's Reese Witherspoon's, uh, book, um, uh, who was Kitty Carr <laugh>.
Christine: Um, well, we talked about this a little bit, so the answer might be everything, but what is always in your suitcase or backpack when you travel? <laugh>,
Jennifer: Uh, water, <laugh> water in a reusable container? Uh, almost always. Uh, that is a big one. Snacks, uh, are another one. Um, I typically always have some type of rain gear. Uh, I mean, <laugh> Yeah, that's, that's a given. Um, and, uh, portable chargers always have not just one more likely, two more likely three, um, and some sort of camera.
Christine: Yeah. Uh, to Sojourn is to travel somewhere as if you live there for a short while. Where is a place that you would love to sojourn?
Jennifer: Oh, back to Cortona, Italy. Oh, take me back to Tuscany. That, um, uh, a place that I haven't been Morocco.
Christine: Hmm. Um, what do you eat that immediately connects you to a place you've been?
Jennifer: Oh, pasta to Italy. Um, grits to the South <laugh>, that always takes me home in an instant. Um, I don't eat meat, so it's a little bit <laugh>, little bit different for me, but, um, uh, you know, any noodles for breakfast in Asia. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that's one of the, uh, one of the biggest delights when I traveled to Cambodia. Um, and really got my first experience of traveling in Southeast Asia. And then again when I was in Taiwan, noodles for breakfast is amazing.
Christine: Yeah. I was just telling my girls about that actually. We, they made me pod Thai for Mother's Day and I said, oh, I can't wait to eat this for breakfast. And they looked at me like I was crazy and I was like, oh, just wait till we go to Thailand and like, you get to have noodles all the time, which is obviously their like, main food group. So they were really excited to think about that as well.
Jennifer: Um, and you know what I mean, noodles are one of those foods that I mean really does, I mean, they're made with love, uh, but it is a staple in so many different cultures in so many different countries. Um, so I love that. I'm gonna, I'm going with y'all to Thailand. <laugh>. Yeah. Book me a room.
Christine: Please do. Um, who was a person that inspired or encouraged you to set out and explore the world? My
Jennifer: Dad, 100%. Uh, my father loved road trips, and I think that's why I enjoy kind of, um, getting in the car and, uh, honestly turning the music off and listening to nothing. And I, I often call it, uh, savor the Silence. Um, it's okay to be in your own thoughts. Uh, I love a good road trip. Um, and I love, he had a tremendous love for ancient civilizations too, so I feel like he was the one that kind of started everything. But my mom, um, she found a letter from my great-grandmother when my great-grandmother, um, took off and went to Cuba, uh, took a, a, a cruise down to, to Cuba. And this was many moons ago. Um, and reading that my mom always said, you got your love of travel from her side of the family. I, I truly feel like it's my dad.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you. That's a great story. Um, if you could take an adventure with one person, fictional or real alive or past, who would it be?
Jennifer: Oh, wow. Uh, one person really <laugh>. Um, I think somebody like Gandhi would be pretty interesting to, um, you know, somebody or, or Mother Teresa too would be another one. Um, it'd have to be somebody like that, that, um, embraced everyone, um, that also asked for nothing. Um, I think, you know, it's, it's a different way of, of looking at life. Um, and so I think either one of those, to me, if I ever had an opportunity, um, to do that, I, um, you know, I, I, yeah, one of those would be, be high on my list.
Christine: Yeah. Um, and the last one is, uh, soul of Travel is a place for recognizing women in the industry. Is there one woman you admire and would love to recognize in this space?
Jennifer: Um, honestly, uh, Jen Ruiz, um, you know, she's somebody like me who, um, I guess maybe because I can relate to her so well. Um, somebody like me who had, uh, you know, a very tough type a career. She was an attorney before. Um, she became a very well-known, um, travel blogger, you know, travel journalist. Um, she's doing amazing things, um, and, you know, for different reasons. And, but she's also someone who I feel like, you know, I'm the same way of sharing the knowledge, um, sharing what we've learned with other people and really has a strong desire for other p people to succeed in this space. Um, you know, that's super important to me. I love to see other people's wins and other people's adventures, uh, especially females, um, going on their own and, and doing something that's different and unique and different voices. Um, it's all important. So yeah, if you're talking about somebody current, yeah, she's a good one. <laugh>.
Christine: Yeah. I, I love
Jennifer: Jen. I'll be texting her and letting her know that <laugh>,
Christine: That you gave her a shout out. I was just thinking that I, I'll be sure to share it with her as well. Um, yeah,
Jennifer: Another good one though. I think, um, Kelly set go. Um, she's fun. You know, she was the first black female to have a, a show on the travel channel. She's a pilot, she's an adventurer. Oh my gosh, she's so much fun. She and I went dog sledding, um, in, in Quebec and just really got to know her so well, um, and just laughed. And I mean, she is so much fun, so smart. An incredible businesswoman, incredible businesswoman, um, and just a strong, fierce person. So I, I'd say give her, if you're not following her as well, so Jen on a jet plane and uh, Kelly set go are two that you should be following.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you so much. And, um, my listeners can go back and listen to Jen's episode for sure, if they wanna learn more about her story. And Kelly is on my wishlist of future guests, so hopefully you'll be able to hear from her. But thank you Jennifer, so much. It's such a fun conversation. I loved being able to have you on the show, and I hope people really learned a lot from you in listening to the conversation.
You can find me on Facebook at Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community, or follow me on Instagram either @lotussojourns or @souloftravelpodcast. Stay up to date by joining the Lotus Sojourns mailing list. I look forward to getting to know you and hopefully hearing your story.