Episode 244 - Amanda and Asnath Kessy, Still Waters Safaris
In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 6: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Amanda and Asnath Kessy, Co-Founders of Still Waters Safaris in Tanzania.
Amanda Kessy is Managing Director and Co-Founder of Still Waters Safaris. Together with her sister, Asnath Kessy, Co-Founder, they create luxury, immersive, personalized safaris across Tanzania, including wildlife adventures in the Serengeti, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, relaxing on Zanzibar’s beaches, and immersing in authentic local cultures. Still Waters Safaris connects guests with the heart and soul of Tanzania.
Amanda is passionate about sustainable travel, making sure every journey is unforgettable for their guests while also giving back to local communities and supporting conservation. For her, travel is more than seeing beautiful places; it’s about meaningful experiences, connection, and leaving a positive impact.
Local Roots in Tanzania’s Tourism
Amanda and Asnath share that the origins of their passion for travel and connecting with others began with their father’s leadership. In his work, he taught all three of his daughters discipline, humility, and, of course, how to travel. Together with their mother, a veterinarian who shared her appreciation for animal life, the family visited national parks and wildlife often. But their visits to the parks weren’t just about seeing the “Big 5.” From a young age, they learned about being quiet and present, connecting to nature and culture.
Amanda shares the moving story behind the name that has become synonymous with mindful, soulful travel experiences in Tanzania. “I was on my maternity leave for my daughter, my second born. And then I was reading my Bible and I had it in my mind that we needed the name, and time is up. And I saw this… a verse that said, He lies me beside the still waters. And I'm like, wow. I mean, these still waters could be like our happy place, like a place of calm… So I thought how, why, why not call it Still Waters?”
It’s both brand and intention—a calm, grounded place they hope every traveler finds. That sense of stillness and mindfulness shapes how Amanda and Asnath build trips; each moment is savored.
Still Waters Safaris spans classic wildlife itineraries, cultural immersion, relaxation, and mountain treks, all crafted with safety, empathy, and meticulous care. Each itinerary is tailored around a traveler, not a template. The result is that guests consistently feel cared for, seen, and at ease from start to finish.
Because they operate where they spent so much time and appreciation all their lives, Amanda and Asnath share that their work has an everyday impact with a long-term vision rooted in community. Describing the company as “profit-for-purpose,” a portion of all the profits rotate to tangible community needs, from hospital bills to local support.
But that’s only the beginning.
Women Leading in a Male-Dominated Industry
Amanda shares that starting up their company brought with it a neverending chorus of ‘you can’t.’
“It’s like only men can be able to get into these spaces,” Asnath adds. She shares of one particular moment in which a tourism application was presented to them with the idea that they needed an “experienced male counterpart” to help them fill out the application, even being told that they needed to pay a man to help them submit it.
“So we went through the form, and we filled it out, and it was detailed, so many pages. But you just read and fill in the information. We actually thought there are questions about maybe having experience in the industry. That’s why we felt, or wanted to understand. But it was just a basic form.
“They create some sort of fear. They're like, no, you won't be able… there's no support anywhere… for women, and also you don't see them as in, seeing is believing. So the numbers are also not matching… So when they say this, maybe it creates some sort of fear and everything. I'm glad we didn't back down. That did not stop us. And we kept going.”
They quickly learned to stand firm in their abilities and beliefs, a confidence that has even led Amanda to leave her career in banking and business management to pursue Still Waters Safaris full-time.
Their commitment to challenging the ideas and systems that hold women back does not stop with their own leadership. Amanda and Asnath work with the intention of inspiring girls to be tomorrow’s guides, drivers, and tour operators, a sector of tourism and travel that is male-dominated worldwide, but especially in Tanzania.
To do this, safaris and tours lean into cultural understanding and tradition, highlighting village time, coffee-making tours, and homestays where guests wake, cook, and share daily life with families.
For their guides, responsible guiding when it comes to both culture and wildlife are non-negotiable. Each partner must respect boundaries without crowding migrations – an increasingly difficult challenge for Tanzania and South Africa – and commit to prioritizing future generations over ‘the perfect shot.’
Asnath’s advice to women eyeing male-dominated spaces is simple and strong: start, then learn as you go. “The sun is big enough to shine on everyone,” she shares.
What Travelers Should Carry Home from a Safari
When traveling to Tanzania, come for the Big Five, but leave with empathy and leave your checklists behind. Amanda and Asnath hope travelers take home a deeper understanding of people and place, how culture, traditions, and land are woven together, and a clear sense that the most powerful memories happen in connection. Adding travel to your life is something that will pay you back in abundance; as Amanda says, “Your money will come back—but not your time.”
“ We can’t judge ourselves against others or even against the version of ourself that doesn’t exist yet, because we’ll get there.”
Soul of Travel Episode 244 At a Glance
In this episode, Christine, Amanda, and Asnath discuss:
What it’s like to grow up with a parent in the travel industry
The value of international education and careers
Following joy and building a business rooted in sustainability and community impact
Reshaping the safari experience through women’s leadership
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To discuss advertising or sponsoring an episode, reach out to Christine at souloftravelpodcast@gmail.com.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
Visit Still Waters Safaris for authentic, luxurious, and personalized experiences that allow you to enjoy the wildlife, beaches, and nature of Tanzania.
Connect with Amanda, Asnath, and Still Waters Safaris: Email / Instagram / Facebook / LinkedIn
Learn more about Still Waters Safaris’ upcoming trip with chef and activist Miyoko Schinner.
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goal #3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Sustainable Development Goal #4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Sustainable Development Goal #8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Sustainable Development Goal #9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Sustainable Development Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Sustainable Development Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Sustainable Development Goal #13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Sustainable Development Goal #15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Sustainable Development Goal #17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
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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Soul of Travel Episode 244 Transcript
Key Words: women’s travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, social entrepreneurship
Christine: Welcome to Soul of Travel podcast. I am your host, Christine, and for those of you who are watching the video, it's obvious, but today is extra special because I have two guests.
And for those of you listening, you'll meet them both soon. Um, I am very excited to be inviting, um, two sisters who are based in Tanzania to the podcast, Amanda and Asnath, who are the co-founders of Stillwater Safaris. Um, Amanda and I had a beautiful meeting in Manhattan earlier this year. I had attended Wits and um, it's the Women in Travel Summit and.
I had one meeting on my calendar and I was like, oh, well that's kind of a bummer, but let me see. And then I started reading and I was like, listen, this is the only person I like. I would have picked her out of the whole pile to meet. And so I was standing by her table anxiously awaiting for our 10 minute chunk of time to roll around so that we could connect.
Um, and it was a beautiful connection that led us here. So, um, welcome to both of you. And I cannot wait to bring this conversation here to the podcast. I am going to take just a moment as we begin our conversation to let each of you introduce yourself. And since there's two of you, we'll do a thing where I can call on you so we, we know who we're speaking to. But, um, Amanda, since I already mentioned a little bit about our connection, let me turn it over to you first to just share, introduce yourself and share a little bit about your work.
Amanda: you very much Christine. Thank you for having myself and Asnath to this amazing podcast. And I must say it was an honor to connect with you in Manhattan in, I think it was in May when we connected. It was an honor to connect with you, and I'm glad that, um, our connection is taking us places.
And I know this is just the beginning. There is more, more and more to come as women who are kind of doing something in the travel industry. So, yeah. So just to introduce myself, um, for those who do not know me, my name is Amanda Casey and I am the co-founder and director of Stillwater Safaris. This, uh, is a travel company based in Tanzania.
We have, we're located in a region called aia, where we are born and raised. Myself and my sisters, we born and raised in aia, and I myself am a mother. I'm a sister to two beautiful young sisters, Asnath and Anita. I am a wife to Tony and I. Yes. And we are blessed with, uh, two kids. Um, our son is a, he is, he is five and our daughter is Anaya who just turned three.
Yeah. I am also an MBA graduate. I went to school in, I went to university in India, did my, um, bachelor's in business management whereby I specialized in marketing. And thereafter I came back home, um, worked for a bank and in the midst of that, also signed up for my MBA. So I'm an MBA graduate as of now.
And I'm, I also happens to work for a bank here in my country for 10 years. So right now I have, I just resigned from my employer about a year ago just to do what I'm doing with the travel in the travel industry full time. And, um, just to say a little bit about, what Stillwater Safaris is before Asnath jumps into introducing herself.
So, Stillwater Safaris is a safari company that is based in Tanzania, and it is a local, female owned company. It is owned by myself and my sister Asnath. And we focus mainly on safari. We focus on cultural experiences, um, our beautiful beaches of Zanzibar of course, and also, um, uh, the Mount Mountain t Trainging such as Mount Kili, Majaro, and other mountains such as Mount Marro that are found on this side.
And we do not only offer these services in Tanzania, but also, um, we have partners in our neighboring countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and as well. Um, we also do some activities in, in South Africa where Asnath is based. She handles most of the activities or that are on the other side. But, uh, for the most part on this, on the eastern side is I handle everything.
So, and we are also, um, proud members of some as organizations. And these are, we, we are proud members of local, uh, associations such as, um. Tarau, the Tanzania Association, um, two operators and um, TLTO. We are also members of that. And for the international associations we are members of APTA and proud members of Wheat.
So yeah, these are the associations and we soon going to be joining an another two international, um, associations and after that we'll put them up on our website for you guys to know what we are, who we are partnering with. Again, that's us in a nutshell. I can keep talking, but that's not over to you.
Christine: Thank
Asnath: you, Amanda. Thank you, Christine. Yes. As yeah, Amanda. That's, um, my older sister come after her, as she said earlier. We are a family of three girls, and I'm the middle child. As you know, the middle child is the one who always leaves home and stay very far, stays far away from home. So I live and I'm based in Cape Town, South Africa, uh, as Amanda said earlier.
Yeah, so, but I also did come here to, I did my studies here in the University of Cape Town in engineering, and I also did my postgraduate here to specialize in quantity surveying, which I am still practicing. Uh, I practice as a, a senior vieta engineering firm here in Cape Town. And. I remember we as in sitting, um, my sister and I and we're like, we need something together.
And I think tourism and having a tour company was the one that came into our minds easily because. We lived with it, our father did it. Our father, that was the bread and butter for my dad and we saw him doing it from like a young age.
So we always see two workers. So we've grown up seeing that with our holidays. We are mostly in the national parks. Our school trips suppose it was easier for them to organize. So we have seen it being done and we are like, you know what, um, why don't you try this? I remember Amanda brought the idea up and I was like, there's so many tour companies.
And uh, my sister always tells me something, which is so beautiful that the sun is big enough to shine on everyone. So. Even if we open ours, we will find our customers, we'll still find our people, we'll still find people who we can provide services and the world is big. So, and then I was like, okay, let's, let's give it a try and yeah, here we are.
And must say, Amanda has been driving it quite well, as you say, you guys met, she goes to these conferences. I'm also, yes. I'm a new mom of an eight month old, so I couldn't join the trip in May 'cause I was in maternity leave. And I'm also a wife, and yeah, I'm, yes, a daughter and a sister as well. So yeah, Amanda has been driving Stillwaters, uh, for the big part of it.
And, um, I do mostly the Cape Town side. I do also tours here and all the beautiful activities that you can get to do in Cape Town. Uh, yeah, that's in a nutshell, that's, that is me.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you both so much for your introductions and um, I am a mother of three daughters, so I much that you are three sisters. And it's also funny for me too, as she. Sharing, like match you with each of my daughters and see the how the, how the traits overlap
Asnath: Oh, that's
Christine: oldest sisters are always oldest sisters.
And how middle daughter is like, she would talk about herself the same way. So I love that. And I also think that truly there's something, um, I don't know if it's magic or sacred or. Special about three sisters. Like that is something in my life that has always come up and, um, even in like two or three different cities, my favorite bake shop was called Three Sisters Bakery.
But in, but just by random coincidence, that just happened to be what they were called. And now I have three sisters and here I'm connecting. Um, but I think that that is, um, I, it's just a special connection, so I just wanted to acknowledge that. And, um, I, I love that.
Asnath: Yeah, just to piggyback, uh, on you again there. Previously, we actually did have an idea of calling the Three Sisters because people refer to us like the three sisters. The three sisters. We actually, we did brainstorm of using that as our company name.
Amanda: I'll, I'll also add on that and tell a little bit, um, of a background story about, uh, how we came, how we came up with the name still, what is, because clearly we, we, we wanted three sisters and then later we thought, oh, maybe put it, um. Um, triple A because we are all, all our initials start with a, like, we're like, okay, but that's not bringing something like we wanted.
Uh, also a name that meant had a meaning behind it. It was not easy. I must say, Christine, we, we had names like back and forth until we were like, okay, now we need to make a decision, otherwise this will, will not be making any progress. Like, I had to be on top of it. And then I remember I was on my maternity leave for my, my daughter, my second born.
And then I was reading my Bible and I'm like, but I, I had it in my mind that I, we needed the name and time is up. Like it's, it's about time we need to do something. And we had put now a deadline, like, by this time we need to have a name. And it was like, what? It was like four days before the deadline. And I'm reading my Bible and I, I was reading Psalms, we are Christians.
And I saw this, he, he, the, the a verse that said he lies me besides the still waters. And I'm like, wow. I mean, these still waters could be like our happy place, like a place of calm, like, you know, that sort of thing. So I, I thought how, why, why not call it Stillwaters Stillwaters company? Something, something.
I had a long name to it. And then now I send it to my sister. I send it to us and I'm like, Hey, I think I have, I think we have a name. She's like, what is it? So I send Stillwaters. Travel company limited something, and she's like, ah, I think I'm, why, why? She asked me why. And I told her why. And she's like, yeah, I'm happy with still waters, but I don't like the way it rhymes in the end.
How about still waters then safaris, because the s and the S you see that way we just trying to make it rhyme and, you know, still have the meaning. Like we, we pray that Stillwaters becomes, it becomes a company, not just for, not just to make us get a happy place, but also others, you know? Because we had the vision of empowering women, giving back, and we had a lot, lot, lot going on as we were doing all this.
So now she's like, no, let's, let's make it resonate with something I like. She like, I like the, I like the name, I like where it comes from, but it also needs to have a rhyme, like at least till what a safaris goes nicely. I'm like, okay, so we like that. Yeah. Yeah.
Christine: I love that. And I think, um, before we got on this call, um, as not, who I had not met yet was asking, you know, where, why Soul of Travel? What's your podcast about? Um, you know, so she could understand what my intention is for the conversation. And we were talking about what Soul of Travel is and you know, for me I was explaining that it's this thing that we can't really explain because it's deeply personal, but it comes out in our work and it's that point we check in.
And to me, when I hear you talk about that, that. Idea of still waters. That's your check-in point, right? Like that's the, the place you hope your travelers land. It's the place you are trying , to bring to them, and that feeling and that kind of special intention that you have for your experiences. So I really love that you shared that with me.
And I, I think for many of us that the name, not even just because it's how other people will recognize us, but that name feels really important in our small businesses because we're trying to share a lot about who we are as quick as we can. And so, um, I, I really appreciate you sharing how that came about.
Um, I know that you mentioned that you grew up in the industry, um, that safari was a part of your life, both in your family, in your father's business, but like, just. Within the space that you lived was tourism, but I'd love to hear a little bit more from you about how, how that kind of shaped where you are today and how that influences what you want to offer and maybe how you want to stand out in the industry as well from what you've seen throughout your lives.
Asnath: Um, I think I can start. So I think, um, I'll start as I said, yeah, our dad used to do this and uh, when my dad used to do so, it means he was self-employed and my dad would drop us at school before he head to, and then he was so adamant about time, but like for him to drop us to school before he gets to work.
Like he, he has to drop us first before he goes to work, but we have to get up a bit earlier so that he can do the drop off and then head to work. And I. It always blew my mind as in why he will get so annoyed that we are not on time. 'cause you report to yourself. But that taught me discipline. It's your own business.
And I'm like, you are not going to report. There's no boss waiting for you there. Why? What? What's the problem if we are like 10 minutes late and everything? He is like, no. As in like, and then that's when he taught me the first principle of like having this, even if it's your own business, like if you need to start work at 8:00 AM you need to be there at 8:00 AM So I think that was the first thing that I learned, which is so good for my dad, is that he was reporting to himself, but he had to be true to himself and always arrive in time and get there on time.
And I was like, that is really hard. Like this screen is. Tough to teach. You need to have it in you. And, and I think for him, he was like, this is what, um, I'm earning a living here to provide for my family. So I have to wake up, make sure everything's right, get there on time, and then give out, you know, quotations and like do the work.
And back, back in that time, technology was not like that. So they had to wait for the tourists to arrive in Russia, drum around, and then they get the tourists as they land. So it was like, if it was tough, you need to be out there outspoken, trying to get people, try to, you know, competitive, give competitive prices to bid and everything.
But my dad was always on time with everything. And that discipline, he taught us from the beginning discipline. And then he also taught me something about, um, what I learned from him as in like, yeah, you might be very smart, you went to school, you have all your degrees. And thinking that. Respect and being humble because I remember, I, I used to like, yes, I'm in the magazine again.
I'm top of my class and everything. And he was like, you need to learn how to be humble. And for me, he has, he had that, this thing, he was always very humble and he is like, treat everybody with respect. And so I think that build us so much as in like he'll treat everybody respect and most so like the discipline, the discipline of having that in his own business.
And I was like, if you don't have it, your business will crumble. So it was like, uh, one-on-one business class from him there. Yeah. Especially on the desk. Yeah. And humility. Yeah.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you so much. I
Amanda: Yeah, well, adding, adding on to that, I think also, um, that made a lot, lots of friends, like connected with so many people from like that, that people that came in and he took them out on the travel. He connected with them and brought some of them home. From time to time he would call mom and be like, Hey, I'll be coming home with some friends, and they would love to meet you guys.
They wanted to meet his family, so he brought them home and these people will also connect with us, you know, then we were still in primary school. They would buy us, they'll bring us chocolate, sweets, you know, we are like, Hey, this, you know, it, it was, it was, it, it felt good from then because we, we started getting, uh, exposed to meeting with different kinds of people, so also that that was something.
And then again, our dad also would like, you know, you see the safari cars, he owned them and then they would park at home. So every morning he would wake up and check each car one by one. Like he would check each car one by one. Like he would open the barn and he would call us, like if it's not a school day off, or if we still have some time, he would call us to show us like, yes, come see how we're doing it.
Like he will show us how to check the oil, how to check if the car has enough water, how to do what, make sure you make sure the car is clean. Like we would help with some cleaning. If there's something that needed to be cleaned, we would make sure that there's water bottle for the guests. If the, if the car was leaving, let's say for the airport, we would make sure we test the charges.
If the charging ports are working, you know, all those small, small things. Yeah, we, we knew how to do that from the get go. So. It, it kept us exciting, like, who's checking this camp, checking this camp, doing this. So that was also a thing, and he was so proud. Like, Hey, I, I, I got, I got girls, but there they have some boy stuff in them, like, we can do this,
Asnath: And I think that that speaks to attention to detail. He was very particular. So you move from one cat to the next and you check it's a checklist. And having a checklist, like they, they seem, and now I'm thinking obviously I'm tagging a name to eat what he was doing, but exactly, that was his checklist.
Every car, you check oil, you check the water in the engine and everything. After you finish, go inside, are there water bottles for people to drink? Is this going to the airport or this going straight to the safari? No, probably we need like a full, uh, free cooler into the boot. Is it packed? Is it in, is it, yeah.
And like, and we did that and for us it was fun. We were helping him and everything, but like he had checklist and attention to detail was another thing that he had and we learned from, from him from the beginning.
Amanda: adding to that as well. I mean, from the time to time that we visited, um, the parks, we visited different parks from time to time. Like, let's say we are on, we are on holidays, or there was an event, we, maybe our cousins came over and we went to the park. When we got there, it was not just about wildlife.
Like, you know, most of the times you go there and you, you want to see the lions, you want to see the elephants, but sometimes you would just drive and then get to a point and just park the car and just say, tell us to like, like stay quiet. Like be calm and just watch this and just be here and just, you know.
So it made us like not only just focus on the wildlife, but also connect to the nature. Be there fully, which was something. So it got us like, oh my God, when you are, when we are in town, we always felt like, ah, we, we, we, we wish we went on a safari. So that we just get to be there and enjoy and enjoy the nature and the culture and people there are different, you know, it kind, its started bringing, bringing it in like, like that is the place to be.
That is the place to go. You see, like, to find peace to become, to get to see life in a different way. To get, to enjoy life in a different way and more beautiful way, I would say. Yeah.
Christine: , oh, I love this so much. This is so fun to watch you both sharing and I love watching each of you respond to, as the other sister is talking, like, oh yeah, I remember that. Oh, I forgot about that. Um, so that's really fun for me, um, just to kind of witness this, um, shaping of your experience. And I, I love this deep reflection of, of things that maybe yeah, you know, in your childhood you weren't realizing you're internalizing and that those things are becoming your internal compass in and how you're gonna move through life.
But, um, witnessing you, reflecting on that is really beautiful. And then seeing how some of those things are coming into place in your business. And, you know, as you were just, um, saying Amanda, about. That stillness. I mean, the irony is not lost of this still waters idea, right? That this is the, the intention isn't necessarily, you know, it's, as we say, it's the journey, not the destination, right?
That stillness is often in between. These things that we think are important are actually not important. It's everything in between those two points. And so, um, I really love just seeing that in your story, how integrated that is into how you're actually operating and what you really want travelers to experience.
Um, before we get more into your business, um, you had mentioned that you know that Amanda, you started in banking and as nott, that you are still working in engineering and. You know, you have these other careers, but what was it that really inspired you to, you know, create something of your own in Tanzania?
What do you think you were looking for in your lives that led you to create this business?
Amanda: Thank you. I can, I'll take that first. So sorry. So. We, we started this because we felt like, yes, there's still so many safari companies in Tanzania, but still there was, there's still very few female owned safari companies in Tanzania. And then we also had it in mind that we don't just want, yes, we want to make money.
Everyone wants to make money. It's gonna be a business. We want to live our lives through it. We want it to be a happy place. But again, we wanted, we really, really wanted to give back to the community because like back home, back where we are now in Tanzania. And so I believe it's in all, all African countries.
I would say rather, I mean there's still so many people that, that cannot even afford a meal. I would say. Cannot even afford a milk. Cannot. Like there's, there's so many people in hospitals that cannot be, cannot go home just because they've not been able to pay their hospital bills and stuff like that.
So we wanted to get our niche whereby we can give back and be proud and be like, oh my God, we, we, we are doing something. Like we, we wanted it to be very intentional, like in giving back. So like as of now for, for our sake, for our company, we have, um, we have like, we have six, we have six different, um, not, not people, but six different, let's say like organization or places where we, we decide to give back.
So like every portion of the profit that comes in, we decide. So this time it goes to a point A. This time it goes to point B. This time it goes to point C. So we really wanted, yes, we wanted to make money, and number two, we wanted to give back. And number three, we wanted to empower women. And this is the one thing we told ourselves, like, it's going to be us and we are going to be a different and, and we are going to be the difference.
And we are also going to, uh, inspire other women who are, are hoping or wishing to do something, but yet they, they're in the shell feeling like, like this is, let's say this is a male-dominant industry. This is a male. What, what? It could not necessarily be a travel industry, but any other, they could probably learn from us or see how we did it.
They could, if it's the travel industry, they can as well join. If it's any other industry that is male-dominant, they feel like they kind of like it, but they're worried that it's just for men, then they can go for it. So these are, these are were some of our main, um, inspirations I would say.
Christine: Thank you so much. Um, Asnath, did you wanna add to that?
Asnath: Not so much, but I can say okay, based on like, um, as we said earlier, we are a family of three girls and, um. Yeah, Tanzania is very so Cherokee and Yeah, everywhere. So we felt like when we had a tour company, it's like, almost like giving homage to our dad is something that our dad did. And it is like, it'll still have, it is like, as in we address ourselves still with our, um, like as not Casey, you know, like our dad's side of the, it's like, it's almost giving homage to our dad as well as the company for us.
The three, you know, the three girls and Yeah. 'cause like we go get married off to other families. Yeah. So I think that was something like, to keep it, to give him also something like, as in like, it was something that he inspired us to do. He, like, we went to school through this. Like, he put us to school. We, we had food, you know, so it's like a bit of homage to also our dad and,
Amanda: And also just to add on that, I, I think we didn't mention, our mom is also a vet. Our mom is a vet, so you can imagine the kind of environment grew up into. There was no way we were not doing tourism.
Asnath: Yeah. And obviously, I suppose Christine knows that's her mom's
Amanda: I, I did tell her, I believe she's,
Asnath: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, and that she also has
Amanda: so our mom is also Christine, like yourself.
Christine: Oh no, I
Amanda: Oh really?
Christine: tell me. So that's, that's
Asnath: Yeah.
Christine: Um, yeah, we are definitely destined to meet. Um,
Amanda: Oh wow.
Christine: um, and that gives me so much hope, um, as well for, um. What my girls might become someday. Because as I'm sure remember maybe when you were little and younger, like there's a lot of tension when you're getting, trying to get attention. Um, sometimes that is difficult. So, um, well, I wanted to talk a little bit more about, you know, this, you know, being a woman leading in this industry and especially, you know, safari companies can be or cannot, can be, are very male dominated, dominated spaces.
Um, what has it been like to be one of the few women owned businesses in the safari industry in Tanzania? Um, what have you experienced? Have there been any, any challenges or any, you know, unexpected benefits to stepping into this space?
Amanda: I, I'll, I'll take that. So I feel like us being women first, like you're saying this, tourism is like a male dominated, um, industry. And for us being women, it has made us, um. Offer this service with empathy, attention to details. Of course. Like everything, we are very, yes. And, and then also the personalized services.
Like we would not just sell itineraries. That's why even when you go to our websites, you not find as much really, because we believe every client is different. So we, we, we have the time, we have the patience to treat every client as they come because we know they're all different. So we, we, we don't mind creating hundreds in itinerary in a day because that's us.
That's how we, that's how we we stand because we know every client is different. So we treat, we, we, we give them what we treat them differently. And also, um, the other thing I would say is, is like most of the feedbacks that we get from our guests is that they, they always say that they, they feel comfortable with us and they feel cared for.
You see, so it means we are, we are doing, we are doing the right thing. I mean, as women, we, we are doing the right thing. We know we, like, we've made sure, like for example, for our sake, we've made sure that our company is insured. We make, we, we pay attention to every small details. Like we, we make sure that we are there as the client arrives at the airport.
I am there myself. If Asnath is on the ground, she's there. It's either me or her, or both. If then it's not all of us. There's someone who's, there's a woman from the operations team who's going to be there. You see like, we'll, we'll be there. When you arrive, we'll be there when you depart and sometimes we are with you throughout.
So you see there is a way and, and we, even if we are not with you throughout, we make sure every day on daily basis, we check you in the every day. In the end of the day, in the morning we message you, we check on you. Like, Hey, is there anything? Are you okay? Is the driver okay? Do we need to change anything?
Just to make sure the small, small details that could probably be taken just for granted are all in order. Yeah.
Asnath: I think I can, uh, I can talk about, as you asked Christine, the challenges that we got. I think one of that is like, I remember was a time when we were trying to really. Register the company and everything. And obviously in the offices, they are only guys. And I remember them telling us, are you guys crazy?
Like, why would you want to do this? First of all, you want to be successful. And I was like, that was quite demeaning, as in like the helping us fill the phones and say like, first of all, you can't do this. You like, why, why would you want to do this? Like you're women? Like this is very taxing. It's like only men can be able to get into these spaces.
And I remember a time, it was two weeks into the conference that Amanda and you went the year before. And then, um, we tried and then they were like, they, they just told us the form to fill for an application. It's so. It's so detailed, you won't understand it. You need like an experienced male counterpart.
So we went through the form and we filled it and were like, it was detailed. So many pages, but you just read and fill the information. But Christine, you'll be sure, like we actually thought there are question about maybe being, having experience in the industry. That's why we felt or want to understand.
But it was just a basic signing in form, which was very detailed, but already like, if you would've listened to this man and you'll be like, no, no, no, you actually can't do this. And they actually did tell us we must look for somebody and pay this other man to help us fill the form. And we're like, okay, let's check this first and go through it.
And we're like, is this the same form? As in like, so I feel like there's so much negativity and fear. Fear is like the moment they see a woman, like, like from the offices, which is very unfortunate, as in like where you need to empower, tell people everything is possible. They already go in with the negative.
They like, they create some sort of fear. They're like, no, you won't be able. And it was, it was so there's no support anywhere, even in the boards and these boards that we register and we, we, we are under them as in like, there's not a lot of support for like the women as in like, and also you don't see them as in like, sin is, sin is believing.
So the numbers are also not matching. So when they say this, uh, like, oh, maybe it creates some sort of fear and everything. And I, I'm glad we didn't back down. That did not stop us. And like we kept going. And especially after when we're able to sign in and. Actually it was approved and we went through and we are like, thinking back, we're like mostly the things, the other things that they say we couldn't do probably should be also easier.
And yeah. And, but also they also, there's that general thing as in like, as you said when growing, the advantage that we have is our dad was in the business and everything and I was like, at Dr. Like the drivers? Yes, they are still, most of the drivers who go to the Safari, we have like a few women, but most of them are, are male drivers.
And they'll try to court you and give you, and they'll basically tell you something about the car, think you are woman, they're lying. They're just trying to get money outta that. So we had to learn quickly and we are just like, no, no, no. And through our day we're like, no, no, no. That can really not cost. We can actually do.
Accounting we, okay. We also went to, we can under, we understand how things work. So that really also like it's challenges like those, you can't truly trust anybody who is gonna come to you 'cause they already see you. A woman is like, yeah, I'm gonna make money out of here. 'cause probably they don't understand the business, they don't know what they're doing.
So I can get away with this, which is so unfortunate because like they should treat us like eco counterparts and actually also give us fair pricing. So it's until later on they figure out, oh, we know what we are doing. And they're like, oh, oh, oh, okay. We can treat the system with them here or, yeah. So those are the few, I don't know if that answered
Amanda: I, I, I'll add on that. So, Christine, the number of times that I have heard in my ears that you cannot do this is countless. Like I cannot count. I remember even when I was quitting my, uh, full-time job in the bank just to do this, I was hearing people were, people were coming to me and they were like, are you crazy?
Are you, are you out of your mind? Like, who does this? Like you're going to do, you, you're going to just do a safari company and then what? Why don't you just do it together? Because that you can never make it. It will take you 10 years to at least do something to even maybe break even or what? I'm like, you know what?
I will go because it is what I want and I will give it a hundred percent and I will make it. But still. So you'll tell that to someone and someone will be like you out of your mind. You cannot be serious. Like, this is crazy. Like this is not even something that's making sense. But we are glad that we have each other and we have very supportive husbands and supportive parents that always.
Tell us or help us reach, to reach our dreams, our visions, our goals. Because clearly without them, it would also have not been very easy. But I mean, our husbands are always like, go, go, go. You've got this, you've got this. I remember our first, our very first, um, expo, the very first expo we did was in was WTM We attended in South Africa, in Cape Town.
And we were there with both our husbands and they were there cheering for us, taking pictures of us who were very nervous, not sure what we're supposed to do, how we are going to present this. It's our first time not knowing how to, you know, do anything. But they were there, they were recording pictures of us, they were taking pictures.
Then they were, you know, cheering us, praying for us and our parents back home also. You know, so that, that's, that's ca that's kept us moving and we are grateful. And, but for the other part, it's, it's not, it was not easy. It still is not easy. Yeah. We've also been conned a lot of times. Because we are women, we've lost lots of money in the process simply because we are women and you know, there's, there's still a lot we have to deal with, but now we are going, we are doing anything we do, we do with open eyes, like, hey, we need to, you know, be very keen because we don't want to be taken advantaged anymore.
Yeah,
Christine: Yeah. Um, thank you for sharing that. And you know, I can only imagine as an entrepreneur, as a woman who started a travel business and in the adventure travel space. I mean, gratefully there's so many more women. And today versus when I started, it looks so different in the us but. I remember when I was young and interested in this part of the industry and going to my first conferences and, you know, there's 600 men in vests and you know,
Amanda: I know.
Christine: and, and a few other women.
And I thought, oh, I definitely, I don't know if I'm supposed to be here. But I had known then that in adventure travel, it was the first place where I heard people talking also about conservation and talking about communities and talking about, um, sustainability. And I was working on my master's in sustainable destination management.
So I thought, I know I have to be here because this is people who are talking about travel the way I wanna talk about travel. But I had to keep, you know, just believing I could be there as a woman. And now like I said, it looks very different here in the US so I'm grateful. But when you're starting a business to hear that many nos, because man, you need yeses.
'cause it's so hard. Um, the grit that it takes to just keep going. Even though, and like you were saying, Asnath, if you were like, you know, they told me I couldn't do this because this form is too hard and too complicated for me. And I got to the end and I realized it was tedious but not difficult. What other lies might they have set out for me to believe?
Um, like that's such a powerful awareness and also so frustrating. That, that has to be the experience, that you can't go into it with the same support that a man walking in to create the same business would have. Um, a again, and we're just gonna keep coming back to this, but to my three girls, like, you know, they have caught onto that sentiment early on, and I will tell you, they get so mad when they see gender injustice.
Like, they're like, do you know that my female teachers don't make the same amount of money as my male teachers and there's only like three of them. And, um, they just, they're like, will I have to make less money for doing the same work? And they, they just already know. And I guess I'm sad that they're kind of already fighting, but they, I'm grateful that the wool isn't over their eyes like they already know and they can already kind of see.
How those systemic barriers are in place and that they are gonna have to be more agile to navigate them. Um, so I, I just commend you on saying yes to yourselves over and over. And also for listeners who are maybe if you're starting your entrepreneurial journey, always knowing those people that are your yes people are your most important people.
Because I still call them, like just a couple weeks ago, I was having one of those moments where I was like, I don't think I'm doing anything right. I don't think I'm having any impact. I don't, you know, you start questioning everything you're doing. I'm like, oh God, I need a yes person. I texted her and I'm like, I need you to talk me off of this ledge right now because I'm starting to, to to doubt everything I'm doing.
And um, so you know, that's kind of what's taking away from hearing you speak about those experiences is those people in your corner are. Endlessly valuable and that I, I just hope that women like you continue to break down these barriers so that that's not in place for the women who behind you.
And the, you know, that's one of the questions I wanna ask you is what do you hope that your leadership shows other women in Tanzania about what is possible?
Asnath: I think, uh, if like, uh, as I said earlier, sin is believing. So like if they see we made it through and they're like, oh, I can start, like, um, man and Ascent have had a business and it's going through and as in like they're female. They're females in a very male dominant industry. I'm like, that is a big change, like of mindset.
It helps your mindset and like that changes quite quickly, as in like, I wish we also had, we had seen, but I know as an ex example, I have a friend who just started also a ment and she's female. I think she was also one of our big in inspir uh, uh, inspirations. Yeah. And she's based in Namibia and we're like, wow, you could do this and everything.
And I was like, actually, let's try and do this for also Tanzania and everything. And we are like, and as, as I say, it is like, obviously all the fears will be brought up and everything, but I'm like, the moment you just do the one thing and you see that it has gone through and you're like, okay, surely let's go into the next step, like. You started with two people. We are like, I remember our first, our first ever trip was like just two people. And we're, oh, we went mad. We were so anxious, we were sweating. Oh, it was, I will never forget. And then now we can take 12, eight at the same time. We can have four trips coming like at the same time, operating at the same time.
And I remember that's the stress now is not as much as the stress of your first ever client. And it was just two people. And I was just like, yeah. And when you get to the other side of it, everything else seems like, okay. Yeah, actually it is doable. It, it is really doable. So I hope we, we get to inspire other women, not only in the offices, you say in the tourism industry.
Anyone who is wants to, any women who want to tap into an industry that is male dominant and. And they're thinking, uh, they're thinking twice or think it was like, don't think, like, think when you are in it. Like do not really rethink, like when you're in it, just start. Just start. And then you'll be, I think you'll be so shocked on the turn of events and then you'll be shocked as in like how we can actually do it better and yeah, because like I currently also the engineering industry, it's a very male dominant industry.
I remember in my university class we are a class of 105 students and there are 12 girls. So obviously that gives you really what we come out into the industry. Yes. You don't expect to have, 'cause even the people who study like women are already discouraged. So that's what I'm saying, it has to start from the beginning, like tapping into it from the beginning.
For us to have more women in this, they need to more female companies in tourism. For us to have more women in the tourism industry. And just like that, I'm saying like back in school, more women had to study that for us to have more professions in that industry. So you start from the get go. And for us, how we are doing it is like imp actually, uh, employing women like the people that we work with, with the, okay.
It's a bit tricky with the drivers and the guides because obviously, as I said, again, if not a lot of women are getting into studying to become a guide or starting to become a professional to a driver, it means you won't have a lot in the industry. So the change needs to start from back there so that we can have, 'cause they're like, yes, we want to employ, we want to have more women, we want to employ female workers.
But because the system is already there, it's a very male dominant industry. So why must I even try study? Or get into that industry. 'cause I know they're gonna take the female, the male guide over the female guide. So I think it's creating that awareness like now things are changing, like we should have more, more, more women should get into the industry and then like people should empower also these women, but hiring women.
And that can only set when we have female-owned companies where we see that we have seen that before. So that we can hire these women and ensure that there's a difference. We want more women in the industry and create that change. I know for us it can be a small, but you need to start from somewhere in early seven.
You need to start with something. So for us, I'm like, we already are changes in starting with a few women that we have in our company. That's how
Amanda: I will, I will also add on to that, um, it's something that our mom always said, like if you go, if we went to our mom and we were like, Hey mom, I feel like I, I mean, I think I wanna do this, I wanna do this, but eh, I don't think I can do it. I think it's, it's very difficult. She would ask, ah, so who's doing that?
I'm like, ah, but the others my mom would ask, are the others doing it? Yes. Ah, they can, they're doing it. Yes. So how many, how many eyes do they have? Do they have two eyes like you? Yes ma'am. They have to eyes, do they have the same nose? The the like you? Yes, they do. Do they have the same ears, mouth like you?
Yes. Do they have two hands? Yes. So what makes you think that you're different? What makes you think that you cannot do it? Do that. That always play in the back of my head. Every time I feel like I cannot do something, I'm like, Uhuh, what? What? What do they have? Do they have, are they like me? Do they have two hands?
Do they have eyes? Do they have nose, mouth? I mean, why? Why can't I do it? You see? So yeah, that's also something I felt like share to other listeners who could probably be thinking like, Hey, maybe they're doubting themselves or they're wondering if they can do anything like we are doing or anything else different.
I mean, you can always do anything and you can always become anyone you want to become, as long as you put the hard work and pray. Yeah.
Christine: Thank you. And I, I think, you know, as both of you were just saying, it's sometimes we get stuck at the beginning because we're imagining the version of ourselves that's actually going to be like 10 versions of ourself down the road doing this thing, but we're not there yet. So yes, that seems like I can't do that.
And you're like, well, yeah. Right. You can't do that yet. Like you are gonna to grow and evolve and learn and go through the process and you will get there. It's, you just can't judge today's self against this version of self because. a journey and kind of again, like what we were saying, right?
Like all the things are gonna happen along the way that will allow you to have the skills and the knowledge and the connections and all of these things to get to this point. And I, I do think it can be really daunting. And when I started my company, having been in the industry and working for huge companies and seeing all the systems they have in place and the employees and all of that, I'm like, I can't do that.
And then I had to realize like, yes, that's true. You can't do that like today, but today I can do this and this is gonna set the wheels into motion to eventually get here if that's where still aspire to be as I go the process. Um, so I, I think like both things are valuable, like. We can't judge ourselves against others or even against the version of ourself that doesn't exist yet, because we'll get there. Um, Asnath, I keep seeing you starting to jump in. Did you wanna add something?
Asnath: I think in the moment while you're speaking, but it just skipped my mind already, it's, I'm not sure what I.
Christine: Yeah, that's okay. I, I just, I really appreciate it and I, I think it's so important, especially when we're in industries and when we're in areas where those kind of overarching systemic, you know, beliefs, especially against what women may or may not be able to do, how important it is to just show up. And, and I also love that, that you were saying, you know, it just starts by someone seeing somebody else who. They feel looks like them doing the thing they wanna do. Like that is the biggest permission slip that we see out there. And so that bravery is huge. And when I look at the podcast and I see it kind of trickle out into all these corners of the world, I just, I kind of try to imagine like, you know, young Amanda listening and being like, oh my gosh, they did it.
Like that means I can do it too. And for me, that's, that feels like the most important thing that we're doing as a, a collective of women sharing our stories is, you know, not just sharing how we can do this, but like creating a place for other women to land and see that they can do as well.
Amanda: it's true.
Christine: Um, did you
Amanda: No, no, no. I'm, I'm just agreeing with what you're saying. I'm good.
Christine: Thank you. Well, um, before we wrap up our conversation, I just wanted to go back and kind of talk a little bit more about the experience. You know, we've talked about Tanzania itself as obviously a place that people love, that they aspire to travel to because of all of the incredible things that it has to offer.
But I wanna give you a moment to talk about like, if someone has just one chance to visit Tanzania, what do you hope they carry home with them? And, you know, that's probably not seeing this thing or doing this thing, but what, what do you really hope that they bring home with them from that experience?
Amanda: Well, I'll start with that. So for me, first I, I'll say one thing before I jump into it. So most people when they come in like to, when they request for itinerary or they want an exp to know what they can do when they're down here, they always say, I want to come to Tanzania. I want to come on a safaria. I want to see the migration.
I want to see the lions. I want, they all have their their checklist, right? Which is fine, fair enough. But here is where we come in and be like, Hey, you're coming to Tanzania. This is, um. This is the bucket list destination for many, right? So you are coming in. You are coming, yes. You'll see you are coming, yes, to see your, the lions, the migrations, the whatsoever they'll mention or maybe just to treat Mount Kilimanjaro or anything.
But we always recommend that. Please, yes, do that, but become because you are coming to this once in a lifetime destination, please, please, and please incorporate with the cultural experiences. Interacting with the locals. This is something big. This is something, it's always magical to me. Like I enjoy this experience.
I, most of the times when I'm around and not busy, I always tag along with them, with the guests as they go to interact to the locals, as we take them to the places where we give back to, you know, just for them to be around playing some games, like cards or anything with the locals. And that moment is always magical.
Usually when they're going there, they don't get it. They, they're always like, it's, you know, they're not sure of what, of what's gonna happen. But most actually all the times that we, when we are there, when we get there, it's always hard to live. Like, people are always connected. Like you. It's amazing to watch people from different cultures, people who have never met, you know, just connecting.
And as they leave, everyone is sad. Like, oh my God, um, I'm gonna come, when am I gonna see you again? When I could coming back? You know, that, that is always amazing. So for me. Other than just coming to enjoy the beautiful beaches, seeing the, seeing the wildlife and everything. I recommend that when people come to Tanzania, they should interact with the locals, experience the culture, you know, sometimes also include a home stay.
You know, we have families where people can go live with them, spend with them in a night or two. Just be there, be there with the families, wake up with them, do their daily activities with them, go to the market with them, cook with them. You know, there if, if there's no enough time, because I know also time is also.
A thing when it comes to most travelers, they, they have limited, limited time, but we, that's why we incorporate in the itineraries, like, Hey, this day you're going to go to the markets. You're going to maybe see them a size and be with them for x, y number of hours. And then you're going to meet, let's say they had zabe and they are TOAs, which are the tribes that you can only find in Tanzania?
We, maybe you're going to interact, we have some other activities called, um, the MA waterfalls in this place. You're going to do to experience the coffee, coffee tour, coffee tour experience. There you're gonna. Be with the locals and do the whole touring with them. I mean, it's something, it's magical. It's something different rather than just ticking off that I've seen a lion, yes, I've seen an elephant, I've seen, but what have you done?
What, what mark have you left? You know, you go, you dance with those kids or just handshaking a kid or an, any of the locals. It, it leaves something to them like, Hey, a a a guest came today and they smiled at me and they told me I'm beautiful and they, you know, just something. It leaves a mark to the ones you are visiting and also you live with something.
Yes. So that is the one thing.
Christine: Thank you.
Asnath: So like to end up, uh, I, I'll say like, uh, travel for us, I think it helps to build empathy and understanding of different cultures and create now the connections. And for us, that's what we want our guests to leave and say like. It's at times, yes. You know, as they said, you're coming from the big five, like the beautiful beaches.
But like you come into Tanzania and understanding as in like you don't only live with, yes, you'll see that and everything, but it creates a connection and an understanding of o other people's culture. And then also it also educates people as in like for like to understand their culture. When you understand somebody's culture, that's way you can also connect with them.
And also you can also lead with empathy. And like you say, okay, this is how they do things. This is how they dress and they dress like this because of that and this is what they do. And as a Amanda said, like. Doing like that home experience as in like doing what a local day-to-day does wake wakes up, goes to the market, sit at a certain kiosk and have a coffee, and, and have a coffee which is made from the traditional coffees, not the fancy coffee makers and everything that they grind there.
And then they take, which is the most purest form of coffee. And like you'll find people leaving reviews as in like, they've never had such an experience, beautiful, amazing coffee grinded straight with, you know, hard work. And you can see somebody doing that and then you tend to understand and like they live happy as like, yes, they saw the big fight, but what they are more fulfilled.
And for me, like it worked both ways. It creates also economic conversational, like. Beliefs and also respect for people's culture because you get educated on how people live and how people like run their lives. And also according to that, I don't know if you saw what happened recently in, uh, the Serengeti, um, during the, the, the migration and how like the tourists, they went so into like, as you know, when the animals are migrating, they, and they came and they blocked the animals from migrating.
As in like that forest is always such a. Such a terrible thing to see and what we are doing today because this world, that is their natural habit to learn where not to cross the lines, as in, and I'm, and obviously that I also put it on as tour operators. 'cause you really want to impress the visitors. So if the visitors is like the guest that, oh, take me as close as possible, yes, we do try.
But within reason. Within reason that you do not take this animal from the natural habitat. 'cause you want them, you want your great grandkids to come. Also see that and everything, but like to create a sfi, which is also sustainable. Thinking about the next person, not just. Me, me here, I'm here and I want to get this experience but not thinking of the future.
'cause I feel like that is what happened as in like, oh everybody wanted to get there and it caused such distraction. It, it's sad like such stuff does happen. But I'm think like creating comment that we are very cautious, we know our guys are cautious. There is a limit that you cannot go beyond. And I think like also that comes as in respecting people's culture or boundaries or stuff as in like, 'cause I feel like that is just that level of respect was not got for you to go an extra mile or for the visitors doing that and everything.
I was like, but it's their culture. If you need to cover up. You need to cover because that's their culture. You're respecting their culture. But also if you didn't know that is what you learn. You get that experience. And as I said, in the end, it creates good connection, empathy, and you understand where people come from and yeah, you see this whole like where we are, all one, we come from and it's always very interesting learning the different cultures and it's, it's, it is always very beautiful.
Yeah.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you both for sharing because I, I, I just. Um, you know, I, I think, and I, I've talked about this a lot on the podcast, but a lot of it is, um, just shifting how the industry shows up. And historically, our job has been to give travelers they want. Right. And our job has been to give them this, these unimaginable experiences.
And, and our job has been to do all these things. And now our job is to educate travelers why maybe they can't have the experience they thought they could have, or to help them to understand how tourism. and shapes what is existing in our environment and, and, and how if we want to have, like you said, longevity, then today that means our experience is maybe a little different.
It doesn't mean it's less valuable, it's just kind of this educational reeducation process. So I appreciate you sharing that. And also, it's funny, um, Amanda had sent me an itinerary that she put together and you know, I didn't even look at the, where, actually, I just the why when I read it. 'cause I was like, we're, we're not, it doesn't really matter.
Like I know, I, I just know like there's so much to see that I'm not gonna be disappointed with what we're going to do or you know, where we're going. But I, I wanted to see her why to to see. After all the conversations we have, that she pulled all of that magic that I wanted and to see, you know, like, oh, she picked this because of this thing or this because of this thing.
And then to me that knows like that backstory's being built and the foundations being laid, and then everything else will come from there. And so I just, I really appreciated that. And you know, for people thinking about their own travel experiences or through building things for clients, like, that's what I hope we can start to do is, you know, I sometimes believe it doesn't matter where you're going at all really.
Like there's just, it's all these other things that are the most important. So I appreciate. You know, having that conversation with you, um, before we wrap up our conversation, 'cause we've already come to the end of our time, which makes me so sad because I've loved this so much. With the both of you. Um, we have our rapid fire questions that I always do with my guests, um, because there's two of you, I think we'll go back and forth.
I won't have you each answer all of them, um, but we'll just move through them. And then the last one I'll give to each of you. Um, but the first question I'll start with Amanda again. Um, what are you reading right
Amanda: What am I
Christine: are you reading?
Amanda: Oh,
Christine: Is there anything
Amanda: oh, in terms of reading, I'm reading Wonder Women, wonder Woman from written by Beth Beth Santos. Yes. Yes, yes.
Christine: Amazing. Well that comes right back to our
Amanda: Yeah, yeah. I know. I got it, uh, in or in May, and I thought, yeah, I'm still, I'm still on it. Yeah.
Christine: Perfect. Um, and esna, uh, what is always in your suitcase or your backpack when you travel?
Asnath: Um, I always have a change of clothing, like, um, my, yeah. Yeah. I always have a change of clothing in my backpack for in case any emergencies. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Christine: Um, Amanda to sojourn, to me means to travel somewhere with respect as if you live there. Uh, where is someplace you would still love to sojourn?
Amanda: Oh, you mean where is, sorry. Can you come again?
Christine: Where, where is someplace that you would really love to go and spend some time being there and getting to know the, the place?
Amanda: Um, I think I would, um, I would love to, I would love to go back to Paris. I feel like I connected with that place very well, but I didn't have enough time, so I'd love to go and spend some more time there. Yeah.
Christine: Thank you. Um, let's see the next one, Asnath. Uh, what is something you eat that immediately connects you to a place you've been? So what's something you eat that reminds you of a place?
Asnath: It's called, um, it's from, it's from, uh, it's. Our traditional food from our motherland, from the slopes of Kilimanjaro, with made from these bananas, which are from Kilimanjaro, and ugh, that takes me home, gives me so much peace.
Yeah.
Christine: Thank you. Um, Amanda, I might know this, but who was the person that inspired or encouraged you to set out and travel the world?
Amanda: Oh, the person that's inspired me to travel the world. Well, I think my husband first because he, he really travels a lot and he keeps telling me stories from time to time. So yeah, he's the one person, yeah.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you. Um, and then Asnath the, um, next question for you. If you could share an adventure with one person, fictional or real, alive or past, who would it be?
Asnath: No, that would be my husband.
Christine: I love that. I mean, that just goes to show how much both of your partners have been behind you this journey, so I
Asnath: Yeah, they have.
Christine: Um, I'll ask each of you, um, soul of Travel is a space for recognizing women that you admire in the industry. Who is one woman that you would love to recognize here on the podcast?
Asnath: I can start.
Amanda: going.
Christine: Sure.
Asnath: oh, I'll, um, I think I would love to recognize, uh, her name is Sister Ella. She owns Laia Travels. Yeah. She is a powerhouse. She is my friend from, we went to university together and I think she started a tour company. She's based in Namibia. And it was basically as a joke as, and now she is, yeah, she has a whole to accompany and they're big buses that you just, it a written lia travel.
I remember driving around and seeing this bus written to accompany name and I was like, wow. From, yeah, she's doing amazing thing and inspire me. And I think she was the one who also really helped us is like, you can do this. Like you go, like nothing will stop. Like just that. Just start with that one and everything will flow.
So she is very inspir, she is inspired me so much. And her being also a woman and very young. Yeah.
Christine: Thank you.
Amanda: Well, for me, yes, sister inspires me as well, but I have so many that I admire. But for today, I would really love to recognize the women behind the scene in tourism. You see, there's so many women behind the scenes such as the porters, the guides, community leaders, and these women are mostly not really highly recognized or put on the spotlight out there.
But today I would love to recognize them. And of course these women, um, I mean, I would say their, their strengths and dedication really inspire me endlessly. And yeah, we hope we also get to be inspirational to others. Yeah.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much. And again, just thank you so much for joining me and for this conversation and, um, even more so I can't wait to come and see you travel and, um, be a part of your, your community. I just, yeah. I'm so grateful for our connection and, um, and for your, for your time and wisdom that you shared with us
Amanda: you.
Asnath: Christine, you should Thank you so much. You should also come to Cape Town.
Christine: Yeah. ha I haven't been, just watch out. I'll, I'm known to show up places
Asnath: know who to call?
Amanda: thank you very much. And just one more thing for the listeners, I mean, for any of them who would love to support us, they can do that by following us on our social media platforms, visiting our website, and also, um, booking a trip with us, sharing about us to their family and friends. I mean, this will all be helpful and they will not only be supporting a female local owned company in Tanzania, but also giving back to the community and living in Mark here in Tanzania to the community that we,
Asnath: Hmm hmm. And anybody, a female who wants to start a company or something and wants to reach out for the, anything? Any advice for the Yes, we are open. We are open. Just team. Yeah, you, our social media
Amanda: And we're also telling everyone to travel, travel, travel, because your money will come back, but not your time. So, travel, travel, travel. Yeah.
Asnath: Yeah.
Amanda: Yeah.
Christine: I agree. Thank you
Amanda: Thank you Christine.
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.