Time, and more specifically quality time well spent, has become the most important factor influencing my overall contentment and satisfaction.

If there is one thing I will take away from 2020, it’s that time is, truly and fundamentally, the most precious thing we have. It defines us – who we are right now, and who we will be. We are taught that time is endless, and somehow we have learned to break it down and measure it with a clock and calendar. But, the memories of significant people and big moments that highlight our journeys are what we ultimately carry with us, and will continue to shape us, as we move onward – certainly not the clocks and calendars we pack full of moments in the hopes they will be special.

When I travel on holiday, I am increasingly mindful of how I spend my time. Time, and more specifically quality time well spent, has become the most important factor influencing my overall contentment and satisfaction.

In my twenties, I was happy to fill my travel time managing the intricate arrangements and details for myself, while chasing the best experiences a destination had to offer. I was convinced that this was the most spontaneous, efficient and economical way to holiday, and that I was winning at travel life.

And then it happened. I returned from a much-anticipated journey to Bolivia, disappointed and unhappy that I had spent a good deal of my time on holiday sorting through a series of scheduling mishaps, which cascaded to all of my transport, transfers, sightseeing and accommodations I had organized over many months of effort. I spent days negotiating new plans, which ate away at most of my discovery time. I was exhausted, unhappy, and I knew I would need to return to Bolivia again one day, to make up for lost time. I relayed my unfortunate circumstances to my traveller friends in my social circle, who confirmed this had also happened in their own travels, and this seemed to be an accepted, inevitable rite of passage – a predictable outcome of independent adventures that just had to be accepted.

I wondered if my expectations were just set too high.

After more trips booked on my own and travelling with a variety of tour companies, and again having rather uneven results, I wondered if my expectations were just set too high. Several continents and many travel companies and styles later, I realized my time was just too precious and important to waste. One of my colleagues patiently listened to me lament my disappointments over a business lunch, and persuaded me that the time was right to consult an experienced, professional travel advisor, who would get to know me, ask all of the right questions to figure out what I liked and didn’t want, and who could match seamless travel experiences with reliable service ratings and standards. Truthfully, I wondered if I would even like it. Trusting someone with managing your precious time can be a bit of a challenge for those of us who have adapted to relying on our own devices to get results.

Fast forward to my current travels with Insight Vacations (and Luxury Gold, which sets the bar for affordable luxury experiences), and trusting that my time is focussed on holiday pleasure and appreciation. I am delighted to leave my worry and compulsive need to manage the details to the team charged with impressing me with premium standards of quality, and delightfully unique experiences, eliminating friction at every touchpoint.

Travellers, and their professional travel advisors, rely on Insight Vacations to deliver the “Art of Travelling in Style”, thoughtfully stretching all that is good from holiday time. Insight Experiences, Make Travel Matter Experiences, deliciously authentic dining, commitment to travel and stay in style, the inherent camaraderie and personalization of smaller groups, and, of big appeal for me personally, seamless, stress-free travel and passionate support of travelling with purpose.

When I want a richly detailed, enriching and soul-satisfying experience, I leave it to a professional. I consider it an investment.

Don’t get me wrong. There are times when I grab a quick flyaway or road trip getaway, grab some sunshine, float in a swimming pool, and will organize the details myself. Every travel style and structure has its place, and not every traveller wants the same things. And that’s okay. When I want an intricately detailed, enriching and soul-satisfying experience designed to feed my curiosity, I leave it to a professional. I consider it an investment. The more time we spend in quality investment, the more we receive quality returns. If we are lucky enough, over time, we can appreciate the gifts and lifelong memories that quality travel investments continue to bring. After all, time is the most valuable of all our resources – the most precious thing we have. Shouldn’t we spend it well?  

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