 | Jean Pickard, CTC, DS
Email: jean@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Adventure and Luxury Travel - specializing in France, Japan, Bhutan and other off-the-beaten path areas of the world
Expert Bio
From Timbuktu to the San Diego Zoo, Jean Pickard is as comfortable in a two-person pup tent on the Kenyan plains as she is in the Guv’nor’s Suite at The Stafford Hotel in London.
Her wanderlust has taken her all over the world, from the highlands of Papua New Guinea to the lowlands of Uganda, the glaciers of Patagonia to the volcanoes of Kamchatka…the more exotic the better for Jean. And she loves to share her sense of adventure and wonder by creating special journeys for each of her clients.
Jean has been a travel consultant for 33 years and earned her Certified Travel Counselor degree in 1984. She also holds a “Destination Specialist” for the Pacific Rim, Hawaii, Mediterranean Europe, Latin America, France and Caribbean. Jean has also been named by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the best Travel Consultants in America.
jean@explorationsltd.com
My Recent Trips
The favorites:
ZAMBIA: Where else can you dangle your feet over the edge of the world’s largest waterfall; paddle a canoe alongside hippo and crocodile; and fish for one of most renowned game fish on the planet? Head to the end of the alphabet to find….Zambia. Located in south central Africa, you’ll feel like you’re at the end of the earth--pristine scenery, great animal viewing, and no crowds. At the end of the day, the accommodations make Mr. Stanley forget all about Dr. Livingstone. Add sunsets on the Zambezi and you’ve got the travel experience of a lifetime.
MADAGASCAR: When I told people I was going to Madagascar, some said, “Oh yeah. I saw the movie.” Well, I smiled and then, out of view, I laughed because c’mon, the movie was animated. And then I got there, to the world’s fourth largest island off the east coast of Africa, and son of a gun, it was just like the movie! Amazingly lush rainforest come right down to the edge of powdered sugar sand beaches, which slope gently to sparkling turquoise water. It isn’t too good to be true! And the lemurs…the lemurs, with their big eyes and their bushy tails, staring down at you from their treetop perches. The people are friendly and the cities are full of energy. Madagascar lived up to the movie and then went far beyond our expectations.
MAURITIUS: When your trip to Madagascar is over, you can go from beautiful beach…to beautiful beach, an hour and a half flight away on the island of Mauritius. You can keep your hiking shoes handy if you like, but why not get out the flip flops instead? Bring along that book you’ve been dying to read, because you’ll have a hard time finding the combination of relaxation and luxury you find on Mauritius. Some of the world’s top flight resorts are there with a level of service hard to match anywhere. Mauritius, mmm…delicious!
BHUTAN: Nicknamed the "Land of Dragons", Bhutan is a Himalayan kingdom which allows a limited number of tourists to visit each year. Consequently, the warm and welcoming Bhutanese are as curious about us as we are about them. Bhutan is a land of Tibetan Buddhism and joyous festivals with pristine mountains and untouched forests. It is a country that has taken a look at the rest of the world and decided that it likes itself just the way it is.
MONGOLIA and SIBERIA: The Land of the Great Genghis Khan and one of the most remote countries on earth, Mongolia is a land of the astounding Gobi Desert and the high Atlas Mountains. Home to wild ass, yaks and wolves, Mongolia's free spirited nomads have roamed this startlingly beautiful region for generations. Trek with local herdsmen across the Gobi, stay in traditional "gers" and try a bowl of "aitag" (fermented mare's milk) if you dare! Then, from Ulan Baatar, take the Trans-Siberian Express to the area of Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake. There you can search for nerpa seals, the world’s only freshwater seals and visit Olkhon Island, the legendary birthplace of Genghis Khan.
FRANCE: There’s nothing quite like the Seine at night, with the buildings beautifully lit and Parisians strolling arm-in-arm. Unless it’s Normandy, with it’s WWII landing beaches, or Brittany with it’s rugged coastline and traditional ways. Maybe it’s the chateaux of the Loire or the vineyards of Bordeaux. Or perhaps it’s the undiscovered corners of Languedoc and the Dordogne. Or it just might be the lavender fields of Provence and the glitz of the Rivera. Nowhere else combines glamour, history, romance and beauty like France.
TROPICAL ISLANDS: One of Jean’s specialties…from the powdery soft sands of Anguilla and Providenciales to the mountains of Dominica and St Lucia, the islands offer a wealth of diverse activities. You can be as busy as you want with choices like snorkeling trips, deep sea fishing, sailing and diving or as lazy as you want with a beach chair, a good book and a pina colada. Finding the right island can sometimes be a challenge, but once you’ve found it, you just might not ever want to leave!
VANCOUVER AND VANCOUVER ISLAND: This is the one place that draws Jean back time and time again. The city of Vancouver is culturally diverse and set in a stunning setting. Backed by the Coast Mountains and fronting the sea, there is no prettier city anywhere. Great hotels, fabulous shopping, incredible restaurants and Stanley Park, the largest urban park in North America, makes Vancouver a destination to please everyone.
Add to that Vancouver Island, with the gentle English city of Victoria and it’s beautiful harbor and Parliament Building. There are the Gulf Islands, like Salt Spring where artists are in residence and the pace of life slows down. Then there is the rugged west coast, where North America meets the Pacific Ocean. You can hike among giant fir trees and along windswept beaches. There is whale watching, kayaking, nature trails and after all that, you can come back to a world class resort, treat yourself to a spa treatment and dine on the freshest seafood imaginable.
|  | Jennifer Campbell, CTA
Email: jennifer@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Luxury Leisure Travel - specialization in Spain, food and wine itineraries, space travel
Expert Bio
Jennifer Campbell, CTA, is a dynamic entrepreneur, executive and travel consultant with a focus on Spain, space travel and food and wine itineraries. Her varied experiences, in combination with her attention to client relations and satisfaction, have continually contributed to her professional accomplishments.
In 2005, Jennifer’s passion for travel inspired her to become a Partner at Explorations, joining forces with industry veteran Jean Pickard. At Explorations, Jennifer oversees day-to-day operations, industry partnerships and develops the strategy for the growing luxury agency. In 2006, Jennifer was named a Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Agent, one of only 47 in North America permitted to sell flights on Richard Branson’s space shuttles. She has garnered considerable praise and attention due to her status with Virgin Galactic, increasing her versatility and appeal as a travel agent.
In addition to space travel, Jennifer’s personal passion for food and wine provides a good background for creating food and wine programs and itineraries. While a lifetime of travel has taken her all over the world, her favorite spots include Thailand, Spain, South Africa, Turkey and India.
A native of Atlanta, Jennifer is also a Certified Insurance Agent, which has given her an understanding of complex financial matters. Jennifer’s executive experience has advanced and supported her work in travel; her drive and energy continuously help her to achieve success.
jennifer@explorationsltd.com
|  | Flay Muellenbach, CTA, DS
Email: flay@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Adventure and Luxury Travel
Expert Bio
Flay started in the travel business in 1988 and has lived in the Atlanta area her entire life. She has adventured all over the world, including exciting trips to New Zealand, South Africa, Botswana, Italy, France and Costa Rica. Flay has developed an interest and expertise in planning romantic honeymoons anywhere in the world and booking exhilarating adventures to Botswana, Costa Rica and southern Africa. A Destination Specialist for both France and Costa Rica, she is well-versed in designing ventures to both. Flay enjoys planning trips as much as taking them, as she is anxious to share her passion for nature, architecture, scenery, food and culture.
flay@explorationsltd.com
My Recent Trips
COSTA RICA and NICARAGUA: Flay traveled to these extraordinary Central American countries by Windstar cruise, where she enjoyed the beautiful flora and fauna, took a canopy zip line tour, went on an ATV Rainforest Adventure, and hiked and snorkeled on the Osa Peninsula.
SOUTHERN AFRICA: In March of 2006, Flay voyaged to Botswana, where she went on a game-viewing safari and Victoria Falls, the breathtaking waterfall situated on the Zambezi River, which forms the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
FRANCE: Traveling around the South of France, Flay visited Monaco, Nice and Cannes. The highlights of her trip included the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean, passing the gorgeous French countryside and enjoying the food that makes France famous across the world.
EASTERN EUROPE: While visiting Prague and Budapest, Flay enjoyed the architecture and culture of these stunning cities.
|  | Phyliss Brassey, CTA
Email: phyliss@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Adventure and Luxury Travel – specialization in western Europe (particularly Italy), northern and eastern Africa (Kenya, Egypt, Morocco), food and wine
Expert Bio
Phyliss Brassey’s 40+ years of experience make her a sought-after gem in the travel industry. The naissance of her expertise sparked out of a passionate curiosity about day-to day life outside America. (Her years spent living in Aviano, Italy—years that included the birth of her son—gave her a rich taste of non-American life.) Her driving motivation is to share her discoveries and appreciation of different cultures with others. Phyliss takes pleasure in creating individualized trips for each person with whom she works.
Equally enthused about travel to exotic Kenya as she is about sojourns in charming Wales, Phyliss enjoys immersing herself in the lives of the locals anywhere she visits. She considers western Europe her specialty and particularly delights in the exquisite food found there, both in the gourmet restaurants and in tiny shops along the streets. Experiences closer to home are not to be forgotten though—she is quick to praise noteworthy stateside trips to boot.
phyliss@explorationsltd.com
My Recent Trips
SPAIN—Phyliss has been continually surprised by all that Spaniards embody. She has found herself particularly enraptured by Spanish food and drink. While certainly no one can pass up Italy’s chiantis or France’s crème brulées, Spain’s tapas, hams, and wines (particularly from the Rioja region) more than hold their own in Europe’s epicurean scene.
ANTIGUA—An ideal destination for honeymooners and families alike, Antigua’s stunning beaches cannot be resisted for long. A perfect place to lounge or try out a new water sport, the island seaside also prides itself on resorts complete with tasty cooking classes and chic spas. One can easily sense the English feel of the island, and the balance of classy formality with Caribbean casualness makes a trip to Antigua a well-rounded experience.
ENGLAND and WALES—From bustling London with its spectacular theatres to idyllic countryside houses in its rural parts, Great Britain is replete with history and natural beauty. The gardens to be admired throughout the country are more spectacular than Lewis Carroll’s playing cards could dream of creating by “painting the roses red.” And one mustn’t pass up the classic entertainment that England still boasts—horse races and polo remain some of the nation’s remarkable attractions.
|  | Viki Couch, CTA, DS
Email: viki@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Cruise groups, Honeymoons and Destination Weddings, Multi-generational Travel
Expert Bio
A fourth generation Atlantan, Viki first became interested in travel when she visited the tiny fishing village of Arbroath, Scotland to attend her brother’s wedding. Enthralled and intrigued by Scotland and its culture, she realized there was much more located outside of Georgia’s borders to see and learn.
Even though Scotland has her heart, Viki’s years of travel consulting have taken her to a multitude of destinations including breathtaking Hawaii, scenic Nova Scotia, laid-back Mexico, and a plethora of locales throughout Europe and the Caribbean. Her abundance of experience in coordinating cruise groups, honeymoons, and destination weddings make Viki a talented asset in the travel industry.
viki@explorationsltd.com
My Recent Trips
The CARIBBEAN: On St. Martin, strolling through the open markets, frequenting the bistro cafes that line the streets, and enjoying the French feel of the island provides inordinate pleasure. Viki loved the shopping – especially the textiles and clothes – and relaxed on Orient Beach, her favorite place to unwind while upon the island. In addition, St. Lucia, a rather distinctive Caribbean island because of its mountainous and lusciously green scenery, is gem where there are to be found a number of new and noteworthy properties in particular.
The MEDITERRANEAN: Viki took a spectacular cruise around the Mediterranean Sea that included the most stunning areas of France and Italy. A spectacular highlight of the area is the breathtaking French city of Cannes, appropriately made famous by the many films shot and awarded there. Italy boasts the Amalfi coast and opportunities to hike through Cinque Terre, where the five villages can be explored, by way of the gorgeous Via Dell’ Amore trail.
The BALTIC: A cruise such as the one Viki enjoyed can include stops through Helsinki, Finland, an unassuming fishing town; noteworthy European cities like Stockholm and Copenhagen; the little-known country of Estonia and more. In particular, Sweden’s Visby Island is like a trip back in time—located just 60 miles off the coast, it holds a walled medieval city and beautiful scenery that includes a cheese farm.
In addition, words can hardly express the fascination to be felt while in the port of St. Petersburg. One of the best views of the city can be seen from a canal cruise on the Neva River. The Hermitage is not to be skipped over—it’s a palace that was established by Catherine the Great and that holds world-famous paintings (Renoir, Matisse, and many more). If you’re one of the lucky ones, you can experience a private tour of the Gold Room, whose name logically comes from the fact that it is a room filled with excessive amounts of gold, jewels, and diamond-covered scepters. Don’t miss one of Catherine’s other palaces (her summer home, in fact) in Pushkin—the history that one can immerse oneself there in is nearly unfathomable.
|  | Melissa Gallant
Email: melissa@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Adventure Travel, Family Travel
Expert Bio
Adventure travel is more than a passion for Melissa Gallant and her family – it is a way of life. Whether on a family exploration of the Galapagos Islands, Japan, Israel, Jordan, Peru or Turkey, the Gallants have learned how to get the best out of travel.
Melissa began her travel adventures early in life. She was raised in the Mississippi River town of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, by parents who wanted their children to see every state from the back seat of the family Buick. They almost made it – missing only Alaska and Hawaii (Buicks, alas, do not float).
Melissa accepted her husband-to-be’s proposal on a glacier near Eiger Station, a small hotel stunningly situated half-way up the Eiger Mountain in the Swiss Alps. As an MBA student at Washington University, Melissa returned to Europe to work abroad in Belgium, spending her weekends discovering all things European in her little rental car.
From sleeping under the stars in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, Jordan, to rafting down the Jordan River in Israel to landing in a seaplane on a glacier near Mount McKinley, Melissa has amassed a wide world of travel experience that she is ready to use in creating the trip of a lifetime for you.
melissa@explorationsltd.com
|  | Maggie Barton, CTC, DS
Interests & Specialties
Luxury Leisure Travel
Expert Bio
Travel-enthusiast and world explorer Maggie Barton has been an expert travel consultant since 1985. She is particularly talented in creating spectacular honeymoon trips and fun family vacations; Maggie specializes in the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. She has been an Independent Contractor since 1993.
Her passion for travel began when she lived on the coast of Brittany at the age of 10. Since then, she has traveled to Alaska, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and has made over thirty trips to Europe. Her wish-list of travel destinations includes Mt. Everest and the Seychelles.
A native Atlantan, Maggie attended the Westminster School and continued on to earn a B.A. in Psychology and B.S. in Geography from Mount Vernon College in Washington D.C. Maggie has two children and enjoys ice skating, walking, hiking and trekking; she also enjoys getaways to the mountains and the beach.
magtrips@comcast.net
|  | Suzanne Ballew
Interests & Specialties
Adventure and Luxury Travel
Expert Bio
Suzanne Ballew started her travel career in 1989 planning natural history tours for Zoo Atlanta. Through the years, she has become a natural history specialist of sorts, traveling to Africa several times and visiting 8 different African countries to date. Now she plans gorilla trekking tours for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Int'l. Suzanne came to Explorations in 1995 and is a certified Destination Specialist for Africa, Central/South America, and Spain. Born in Panama, she has a special love for Central and South America, where she has planned an upcoming trip. On her wish list of travel destinations is Prague & Budapest, Hawaii, Italy, China and another trip to Africa.
stballew@mindspring.com
Suzanne@ballews.net
www.gorillatravel.net
My Recent Trips
RWANDA: Suzanne traveled to Rwanda twice to go trekking for gorillas where she traversed first by car, then through farm fields, then through dense forest to see one of the 7 different groups of gorillas, who were as close as 10 feet away.
KENYA: While in eastern Africa, Suzanne traveled to Masai Mara, where she stayed at the tented Little Governor’s Camp and observed African animals on safari.
SOUTH AFRICA: Suzanne surveyed the big five majestic African animals-- lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalos—while on Safari in a game preserve adjacent to Kruger National Park.
|  | Puran Arons
Interests & Specialties
Adventure and Luxury Travel, specializing in individual travel through Europe
Expert Bio
Puran Arons is a native of India. She grew up in Pakistan and immigrated to England to begin her career in the travel industry. After almost a decade on the Continent, Puran moved to the U.S. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe and cruised to several exotic destinations including the Orient, Japan, China, the Greek Isles and the Black Sea. In her spare time, Puran enjoys visiting the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands, loves to ski and is an avid biker. She specializes in leisure travel and enjoys planning extensive cruises, tours and personalized itineraries for domestic and foreign travel. If kayaking through Alaskan waters, ballooning over the wine country of France, exploring the last frontiers of Antarctica, or biking down the Halekala volcano in Maui is your idea of family vacation....then look no further. Puran enjoys booking for today’s savvy traveler, who wants to be challenged and educated. She can recommend whale watching from Baja to Hawaii, glacier skiing in New Zealand, a cruise up the Amazon, an African safari, a golf trip to Europe or an ecological tour in Costa Rica or the Galapagos Islands.
puran@explorationsltd.com
|  | Rozelle Putnam, DS
Interests & Specialties
Luxury and Adventure Travel, specializing in Southern Africa, Switzerland, Austria; and Regent, Silverseas and Crystal cruises
Expert Bio
Rozelle has lived and is living a “wonderfully full” life Adventurous at her core, she has chosen to adopt an attitude of optimism that allows her to “capture the full expression” of each of life’s moments. Born and educated in Cape Town, south Africa Rozelle has lived all over the world, including London, where she was a high fashion model, Germany, Angola, Namibia, where her children were born, and most other sub-Saharan countries. Travel is a way of life for Rozelle, she has visited all seven continents and over 100 countries; the list is still growing. She began planning excursions whilst living in Namibia and has continued escorting groups over the years to Thailand, Indonesia, South and Central America, the Falkland Islands, Scandinavia, Antarctica, Turkey, Egypt Jordan, India, Australia New Zealand and Easter Island. She loves to share her knowledge with “intimate groups of like-minded friends.” Her favorite places to visit in the world are the game parks of Southern and East Africa. Rozelle has lived in Atlanta since the late 70’s. Most of her family lives in the Atlanta area, besides her granddaughter, who recently left to study abroad at Stellenbosch University outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Rozelle is escorting a group to South Africa this spring; and looking forward to an upcoming Crystal cruise to Iceland and Greenland in August.
rozellevl@bellsouth.net
My Recent Trips
THAILAND: People all over the world have recognized Rozelle’s extraordinary spirit. While adventuring with a group through Thailand, a jade carver presented her with a small Buddha, a chip from a larger jade Buddha being carved in a temple to honor the King’s reign. On a subsequent trip to Thailand, a monk blessed the Buddha in a temple in Chiang Mai. She has it with her at all times.
Rozelle has been on countless adventures, too many to name. Through out her life she has had spiritual and physical adventures, all a result of her “hunger for faraway places.” Living in the Namib Desert she looked out of her kitchen window at the worlds largest shifting sand dunes. She climbed through the Sumatran rainforest to see the Orangutans, went elephant trekking in Northern Thailand, swam with the Jackass penguins off the shore of Cape Town, spent the night in a Bedouin tent in Morocco, visited the dragons on Komodo Island, went hot air ballooning over the Serengeti, conducted the Hanover Symphony orchestra and soared over Mount Everest in a small aircraft. The list just goes on and on.
|  | Melanie Moore
Email: melanie@explorationsltd.com
Interests & Specialties
Honeymoons and Destination Weddings, Caribbean, Exotic Travel
Expert Bio
Fueled by her desire to always have the insider’s edge and accumulate knowledge of interesting tidbits, Melanie enjoys researching everything you’d ever need to know about your future travel destination. Melanie graduated from Georgia State University in 2005 with a BA in History, hence her undying passion for research and her thirst to experience other cultures. Her particular enthusiasm for the tropics has landed her in locations all across the Caribbean.
Especially skilled in planning destination weddings, Melanie engineered her own on Fripp Island, located off the coast of South Carolina. She has eagerly assisted numerous friends in the task ever since. It was her desire to make such ventures more than just a leisure activity that led her to join Explorations in 2008, enabling her to use her skills in a full-time capacity.
A true people person, one of her favorite aspects of destination wedding planning is meeting the different vendors from a particular destination. And while the pressure of nuptial planning might cause an average citizen an inordinate amount of stress, one of Melanie’s true talents lies in finding solutions to time-pressing problems. In addition to multiple events on Fripp Island, weddings have been performed under her command in Savannah, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
melanie@explorationsltd.com
My Recent Trips
PUERTO RICO: An island of well-kept secrets, one can stumble upon just about everything tropical here. From surfing waves in the town of Ricon to night kayaking through well-preserved bioluminescent bays, Puerto Rico holds a wide variety of leisure activities for just about any traveler. Vieques, a small island that’s just a seven-minute flight via puddle-jumper from the main island, houses the area’s most pristine and secluded beaches. Vieques is also a perfect location for a destination wedding. Melanie’s favorite off-the-beaten path experience in Puerto Rico? A Caribbean version of a bed and breakfast, the back rooms of a surfer’s shack manifested themselves as distinctive accommodations. The surfer-host himself was top-notch, bringing his guests fresh fruit each morning and allowing them the privilege of picking avocados from their windows.
JAMAICA: While not-so-recent, this trip is a favorite of Melanie’s. Far more than the hub of Bob Marley and all things reggae, the famous tropical island became an object of Melanie’s affection when she herself honeymooned there in 2007. While she spent much time at a luscious all-inclusive resort, her trip also took her many feet above sea level via the island’s zip line over lush vegetation. Jamaican sunsets have certainly earned their reputation as some of the best in the world—the best are to be seen from an early evening cruise and from the patio of the famed Rick’s Café. Beware though, if you blink at the wrong millisecond, you might just miss the talked-about green light that flashes just as the sunset expires. Melanie found many Jamaicans to be exceedingly gracious—her cab driver gave her the locals’ experience. He procured jerk chicken for her himself (telling her that it wouldn’t be the same if she asked for it from the chef) and exposed her to the island’s gorgeously famous waterfalls.
* Melanie is traveling to Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii in November—check back soon for updates.
|  | Anila Patel
Interests & Specialties
Adventure and Exotic Luxury Travel, specializing in India, Africa and South America
Expert Bio
Anila Patel, a native of India and born in Tanzania, lives an adventurous life full of trips to extraordinary destinations. An avid adventurer, she has climbed the likes of Yosemite's Half Dome, has hiked the annapurna region of Himalayas in Nepal, and has hiked to the base of Torres del Pain in Patagonia. She has skied Whistler, and sailed through Tahiti and many other beautiful islands of the South Pacific. She is a Destination Specialist for Africa and her passion for photography, people and culture have taken her to exotic corners of the globe including Botswana, Egypt, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, South America, Ecuador, Peru, Galapagos Island, and all across Europe. She is looking forward to future treks, voyages and adventures around the world.
anilap22@aol.com
My Recent Trips
INDIA: Anila spent her Christmas in the Himalayas and New Years in sizzling southern India in 2006/2007. After experiencing the ultimate harmony between the physical and mental self with all the spa activities in a stunning world-renowned Ananda Spa, Once the residence of the Maharaja of Terhri-Garwhal, which is nestled in the foothills of Himalayas and overlooks the sacred river Ganges, is considered a top 10 Destination Spa. Afterwards, Anila traveled south to Karela, where she explored the backwaters, (the network of lakes, canals and deltas of forty- four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea ). From there to Munar, the misty, lush green hill station up in a Anamalia range in Kerala to explore the sprawling tea plantations. Finally Spending five days in Goa, the European capital of Southern India.
PATAGONIA: While in South America, Anila traveled to the Explorer Lodge in Torres del Pain National Park. In the heart of Patagonia on the Chilean side, she enjoyed taking long hikes and walks led by a guide through the stunning region. She was presented with different opportunities for exploration each day, all while absorbing the marvelous scenery.
|  | Caitlin Greene
Email: cate@cateandmasontravel.com
Interests & Specialties
France, Food and Wine Travel
Expert Bio
Since first visiting France as a teenager, Caitlin has developed a deep passion for exploring the world and hasn’t stopped traveling yet. While studying industrial engineering in college at Georgia Tech, she searched for outlets to feed this passion. She took on French language studies as a minor and managed to study abroad for two semesters, one at Oxford University in the United Kingdom and the other in Lyon, France. She loves helping others see the world so that they too can become inspired by their new travel experiences.
Shortly after meeting her husband, she moved to Monterrey, Mexico, where she worked and traveled around most of Central and South America. Caitlin enjoyed learning about the Latin American culture, and she even took away a few new skills along the way – like how to speak a little Spanish and how to make a killer margarita! After Mexico, Caitlin moved out to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she became familiar with the region, its tourist attractions, and the wine industry. She began to plan trips for school groups as well as her close friends to explore the city of San Francisco and the Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara wine countries
Caitlin later returned to Atlanta to pursue her MBA at Emory University. While at business school, she not only learned the fundamentals of running a business but also had a chance to explore new countries, this time in Brazil and Argentina. Yet, it was not until her temporary relocation to Paris, France, in 2009 shortly after graduate school that she really found her true calling. She loved her life as a Parisian (or at least a French-speaking American expat!) and never missed an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the French culture and cuisine. At the same time, Mason Miller, cofounder of C&M Travel, was living abroad in Antibes, France. After a reunion of old college friends there in Southern France, the two of them decided to join forces, chase their shared passion, and start Cate and Mason Travel Partners.
Caitlin currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and Mason is based in San Francisco, California. Nevertheless, the two of them manage to continue exploring their favorite parts of the world to stay current on their destinations and have a little fun while doing it.
|  | Mason Miller
Email: mason@cateandmasontravel.com
Interests & Specialties
France, Northern California
Expert Bio
Growing up on tennis courts all over the world, Mason's love and passion for travel and international cultures started at an early age. With a resume including finance, sports marketing, event management and advertising, her background is the exact pedigree needed to produce outstanding vacations for individuals and groups worldwide. She can even give you advice on jumping out of planes, running with the bulls, cooking dinner in the Sahara or getting tickets to the biggest sporting events around the globe.
With Business and Marketing degrees from Georgia Tech, Mason gained most of her experience in travel and sports while calling Atlanta home. Now a resident of San Francisco, Mason has taken her experience and knowledge of travel and the financial markets to the west coast, where she considers Northern California wine country a home away from home.
While living in the south of France, Mason met up with her now business partner and former sorority sister, Caitlin Greene to join forces and start Cate and Mason Travel Partners, a travel consulting and planning company and now an affiliate of Explorations. Through their passion for France and Northern California, they have combined knowledge to change people's lives through local perspectives on every destination possible. Keen to meeting new people and learning their travel goals, Mason and Caitlin use their expertise in luxury and adventure travel to provide once in a lifetime vacations for their clients all over the world.
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