In this episode of Soul of Travel, Season 5: Women's Wisdom + Mindful Travel, presented by @journeywoman_original, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Kirsten Gardner. Passionate about the people, landscapes, and cultures of the Americas and Asia, Kirsten is the Co-Founder of Outlier Journeys, a small tour operator offering thoughtfully crafted private adventures for the modern explorer. She's been lucky to spend her entire career - all 18 years - working in various arms of the tourism and travel industry, and was particularly inspired by her time with Clark Kotula Representation, where she worked closely with independently owned luxury lodges throughout Latin America that were deeply committed to conservation, cultural preservation and supporting local economies. Kirsten is an advocate for slow travel, time in nature, digging into the multiple facets and narratives of a place and of small, under-the-radar hideaways that redefine luxury as something extraordinary and rare as opposed to homogenous and highly repeatable. Christine and Kirsten discuss: · How a powerful experience during Kirsten’s Semester at Sea Program changed how she thinks about travel, what it means to be a traveler, and how she can bring that awareness into her work at Outlier Journeys · Some of the ways she advocates for independent properties · How she layers impact into multiple facets of her business · Looking at personal journeys, leading through loss, and developing grace and a workplace culture that honors the broad spectrum of humanity Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Kirsten Gardner. 🌎​​​​​​​​ To read our episode blog post, access a complete transcript, see full show notes, and find resources and links mentioned in this episode, head to the Soul of Travel Website.  Make a difference by making a donation to Lotus Sojourns on PayPal.  Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts. 🌎​​​​​​​​ Visit Outlier Journeys to book your custom global travel experience. Connect with Kirsten and Outlier Journeys on your favorite social media network! Facebook / LinkedIn / LinkedIn / Instagram 🌎​​​​​​​​ Looking for ways to be a part of the Lotus Sojourns community? Learn more here! Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women. Find solo travel trips for women over 50 on JourneyWoman. Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @lotussojourns and @souloftravelpodcast. Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Kirsten Gardner (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo. Support the show