How & why & what lead me to become a travel professional! Like most people's path to work- life balance & happiness it took time with all the normal challenges. Never giving up on a dream, believing in oneself are key elements in overcoming negatives in life; it's all worth it!
**After 20 plus years in retail, from clerk to merchandiser to regional to V.P. of operations I had a hard lesson in lack of satisfaction and rewards for my achievements. I took a step back, slowed down life accepted a position in an office at an Insurance company & Bank in Denver, Colorado. It was fine no stress plenty of time for home life and no travel. I had years of significant travel both professional and personal.
One night at home I was channel surfing and saw a photo of a train on PBS so I paused to see what this was all about, it was an hour long special about a private luxury train in the US that was running year round itineraries in the US and Canada. I watch in amazement at the glamour, classic style and most of all the relaxed almost surreal mode of travel. A vacation that would take you through the back yards of America and into wonderful cities and to attractions all over the two countries. I was hard to believe, in today's modern era of travel that there was rail travel other than Amtrak for a true rail vacation, or a land cruise for a lack of the right term.
Next morning in my cubical over morning coffee I scanned the help wanted adds in Denver and saw a curious add for the American Orient Express Train, servers and bartenders needed? I thought about what if I went to work for the train as a server, why not? I would be able to travel on this amazing train experiencing rail travel of the past with a modern flare. Who's to say I can't do this? Well, it turns out I applied, showed up in a fancy suit to the amazement of the hiring person. She said most people don't come to interviews in an Armani suit with a power tie! I said I really wanted the job, with my vast travel in the past it might be a great match. She agreed and offered me a position as a server trainee. I asked when would I start, next season? She said tomorrow you'll fly to Chicago and meet up with the train. Hmmmm, that wasn't going to happen. She decided to give me a week to resign and get my things in order for a 6 week hands on training opportunity paying a daily wage of less than 2 hours at my current work? I caught my flight, arrived and was shuttled off to a dark train car full of dirty laundry and no one to guide me to my crew quarters. The crew and passengers were off the train, it was being serviced while the passengers toured. I had a big concerned I'd just been "shanghaied" (if that's even a real term).
Two years plus passed before I knew it, I had become the onboard manager traveling over 360,000 rail miles. I never looked back, never regretted the 1/4 of a mile walk from end to end 100's of times a day, the 18 hour work days, 7 days a week, sleeping in shifts, overseeing everything from the flowers to cabins, to dining & bars to crew needs. It was amazing, as was the wonderful places we visited.
Please watch the video below if you'd like, it was produced in late 2000 - after my first two years on the train. At 11.28 minutes into the video, my "not so eloquent" way of explaining our voyages was unscripted honesty about the train, I was in heaven. I listened to our passengers about how they booked or discovered the rail trips, some on own as I did nut most with a travel agent. One thing that they seemed to have in common were concerns the agents knowledge in not allowing for train delays, flight interruptions and complete clarity of the product. Added costs involved in the journey and the fact the closet in their pullman cabin was about 6 inches wide. :-) To name a few of the surprises the passengers experienced.
Soon after I realized there was something missing. Real experienced travel professionals who actually know how to travel and what all the components are, expectations as well as unexpected hiccups was a much needed niche to fill. This was 20 years ago booking travel on the Internet wasn't a tool. (jumping ahead to booking on the internet in later years): "You can't learn how to or experience travel in a web-development room writing program codes for an "on-line booking engine". Nothing in life is more valuable than experience.
Today I'm proud to be a travel professional, thank you for reading my path to my agency. I'm extremely passionate about travel professionals and travel. I wanted to share this personal story with an opportunity for you to see me 20 years ago on film, me realizing my destiny. Yes that's a mustache, can't believe I sported that for all those years.
Happy trails,
Michael
One night at home I was channel surfing and saw a photo of a train on PBS so I paused to see what this was all about, it was an hour long special about a private luxury train in the US that was running year round itineraries in the US and Canada. I watch in amazement at the glamour, classic style and most of all the relaxed almost surreal mode of travel. A vacation that would take you through the back yards of America and into wonderful cities and to attractions all over the two countries. I was hard to believe, in today's modern era of travel that there was rail travel other than Amtrak for a true rail vacation, or a land cruise for a lack of the right term.
Next morning in my cubical over morning coffee I scanned the help wanted adds in Denver and saw a curious add for the American Orient Express Train, servers and bartenders needed? I thought about what if I went to work for the train as a server, why not? I would be able to travel on this amazing train experiencing rail travel of the past with a modern flare. Who's to say I can't do this? Well, it turns out I applied, showed up in a fancy suit to the amazement of the hiring person. She said most people don't come to interviews in an Armani suit with a power tie! I said I really wanted the job, with my vast travel in the past it might be a great match. She agreed and offered me a position as a server trainee. I asked when would I start, next season? She said tomorrow you'll fly to Chicago and meet up with the train. Hmmmm, that wasn't going to happen. She decided to give me a week to resign and get my things in order for a 6 week hands on training opportunity paying a daily wage of less than 2 hours at my current work? I caught my flight, arrived and was shuttled off to a dark train car full of dirty laundry and no one to guide me to my crew quarters. The crew and passengers were off the train, it was being serviced while the passengers toured. I had a big concerned I'd just been "shanghaied" (if that's even a real term).
Two years plus passed before I knew it, I had become the onboard manager traveling over 360,000 rail miles. I never looked back, never regretted the 1/4 of a mile walk from end to end 100's of times a day, the 18 hour work days, 7 days a week, sleeping in shifts, overseeing everything from the flowers to cabins, to dining & bars to crew needs. It was amazing, as was the wonderful places we visited.
Please watch the video below if you'd like, it was produced in late 2000 - after my first two years on the train. At 11.28 minutes into the video, my "not so eloquent" way of explaining our voyages was unscripted honesty about the train, I was in heaven. I listened to our passengers about how they booked or discovered the rail trips, some on own as I did nut most with a travel agent. One thing that they seemed to have in common were concerns the agents knowledge in not allowing for train delays, flight interruptions and complete clarity of the product. Added costs involved in the journey and the fact the closet in their pullman cabin was about 6 inches wide. :-) To name a few of the surprises the passengers experienced.
Soon after I realized there was something missing. Real experienced travel professionals who actually know how to travel and what all the components are, expectations as well as unexpected hiccups was a much needed niche to fill. This was 20 years ago booking travel on the Internet wasn't a tool. (jumping ahead to booking on the internet in later years): "You can't learn how to or experience travel in a web-development room writing program codes for an "on-line booking engine". Nothing in life is more valuable than experience.
Today I'm proud to be a travel professional, thank you for reading my path to my agency. I'm extremely passionate about travel professionals and travel. I wanted to share this personal story with an opportunity for you to see me 20 years ago on film, me realizing my destiny. Yes that's a mustache, can't believe I sported that for all those years.
Happy trails,
Michael
