The Evolution of Faraway Footprints

I blame Instagram.

About a year ago I made the decision to no longer be a travel agent. I loved my agency (and still do, LoveLand and Sea Travel), but I learned the hard way that customer service is not for me! Of course, I had some really wonderful clients and some who were…not so much.

The problem? Unrealistic expectations without the budget to back it up. But I don’t blame them! I blame instagram.

I COMPLETELY understand that not everyone has a 5-star luxury budget. I myself am a budget traveler to my core! But when I travel on a tight budget, I also keep my expectations in check.

On social media, you’re seeing a heavily curated, photoshopped version of the world. But in the real world, things go wrong: flights get cancelled, seaweed and dirt exists, it rains, crowds block your view, your hotel room slippers might accidentally be two different sizes (yes I got yelled at for that).

I did the best I could to manage client expectations and find them the best bang for their buck, but it’s true when they say you get what you pay for. I felt like I was constantly being faulted for things I had either warned them about in advance or were out of my control completely. So I decided to step away.

But here today I still feel like I have a lot of valuable knowledge to share, so it’s time for Faraway Footprints to take on new life.

When I studied photojournalism, they drilled into our heads that our job was to TELL THE TRUTH. No editing. The real story. So that’s what you’re going to get here from now on.

I started Faraway Footprints as just a fun way to share my notorious ‘foot selfies’ everywhere I went. You may still see these pop up occasionally, but now I’m going to pivot to focus more on showing you how these destinations and attractions live up to the hype (or to the cost). No filters. No photoshop. Just the truth about travel so you can go into your next trip with realistic expectations.

I’ve been working hard to revamp the website, and soon I’ll have some actual products like travel guides and apparel, so stay tuned for more exciting things ahead by following on instagram: instagram.com/farawayfootprints (And yes, I do see the irony in complaining about social media…to promote my social media.)