Dear fellow adventurer; I thought I'd take a moment to share with you a little background on where, and why I am so passionate about travel, and sharing the gifts of travel with others. In the quiet corners of a small town, I was once a little girl with big dreams, navigating the fractured landscape of a broken home. In those tender years, daydreaming became my refuge, an escape from the harsh realities that surrounded me. With each fleeting moment lost in the vast landscapes of my imagination, I'd conjure visions of faraway places, places where I could spread my wings and soar above the limitations of my confined world. The peeling wallpaper and creaky floorboards of my reality faded away, replaced by the vivid colors and sounds of the unexplored world that existed only in my dreams. As I grew older, the yearning to turn those dreams into reality intensified. The desire to break free from the constraints of my small-town upbringing fueled my determination.
And so, in my early 20's I embarked on my first journey, a leap of faith to Italy with a group, too afraid to venture alone. I vividly remember the moment I emerged from the underground subway to find myself at the bottom of the Spanish Steps in Rome, the church bells ringing as my eyes beheld Italy for the first time. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears streamed down my face as I marveled, "Look at me — in Italy! A place I never thought I'd ever go." Over the next 22 years, I explored countless corners of the world, each journey a step further away from the constraints of my past. Yet, like the sweet symphony of life's melodies, I recently found myself drawn back to Italy almost to the day, decades later.
Emerging from the same subway, my eyes once again fixed upon the Spanish Steps, and this time, gratitude welled up within me. I sat in that moment, reflecting on the courage it took to embark on that first trip and the transformative power that travel had bestowed upon me. Now, as I extend the hand of wanderlust to others, I carry with me the echoes of that first journey to Italy, a testament to the courage that resides within each of us. The gift of travel is not just about discovering new places; it's about unearthing the strength and resilience within ourselves. With every shared adventure, my hope is to inspire others to embrace the unknown, to rewrite their narratives, and to find gratitude in the moments that unfold when we dare to spread our wings and explore the world beyond our wildest dreams. Grit & Gace Adventures is more than just a travel company, it's an invitation to every woman to discover the fearless spirit within, waiting to be unveiled through the transformative power of travel.
Yours in friendship, and adventure
Penny
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