One of the greatest things about Amazing Journeys is, well..the journeys themselves.  Traveling to Alaska, Costa Rica, Australia, Europe or South America are destinations that fulfill lifelong dreams and help make us all more worldly and appreciative of other walks of life.

But a journey can be an incomplete experience  if you have no one with whom to share it.  Like a tree in the forest needs other trees to grow, prosper and evolve…so do we humans need others to share in such landmark experiences as seeing life & history in another land.  From here, friends are made.  A team of players share the thrills of competition, a couple share the birth of a child, a committee helps steer the future of a community center — these are all examples of the attachments we have to needing and desiring the company of others.  These are also examples of how friends are made.

Through Amazing Journeys, friends are made by sharing a common experience together; that of visiting another land.  Taking pictures, going on a hike, sitting with a new acqaintance on a bus ride, sharing a meal, sitting in the jacuzzi or just chatting with someone while strolling through the streets are some of the most meaningful shared life experiences, and friend-making opportunities while on a tour.  We know this premise very well as we instruct all our tour guides to not be offended if there’s chatter going on while a tour is in progress. Our groups love to chat!

But that’s the process…and the meaning behind traveling with a group.  Traveling with others brings a world of perspective, adventure and the unexpected.  It brings a potential for new friends that no other venue can offer.  The experiences that AJ-made friends share together are life changing and special.  And sometimes even matrimonial–over 100 individuals have found their soulmates on a previous Amazing Journey.

As Amazing Journeys embarks on our Reunion Weekend this Friday, we relish in the thousands of  friendships that have been made over the years along our travels.  We’ve made friends, yes, but the essense of our joy is witnessing the endless array of friendship and courtship that comes with being a travel member on an Amazing Journey.  As our new friend Arlene stated in an email to us upon returning home from our recent Alaska cruise/tour:  “Hopefully this will be only the beginning of our friendship. You said this trip would create wonderful new memories and friendships that would last a lifetime and already I see this coming to fruition.After I returned home, following my incredible two week trip, I felt “Alive”, busting with pure joy, exhilaration and happiness. Thank you for an incredible and outstanding trip and experience!!”

Whatever you garner while traveling, the memories will last a lifetime…but the friendships will change your life, over time.

There’s great meaning to the phrase “that’s what friends are for”