Carlos Munoz and I went to the same school in Cali, Colombia: Colegio Bolivar. We met up on Facebook after many years, and when I saw what he was up to, I had to learn more! Here's what I found out.
Hello Carlos! What is your company called, and when did you start it? WanderTHEMES Experiences. I started working on it in my head in 2014. Real steps began in February 2016. My registration in the state of Texas is July 17, 2016.
What do you do? We do custom designed theme travel. Our team is uniquely knowledgeable about the world. We have traveled and lived everywhere. We can take you to places, events, and activities no one else can! So let us know where you would like to go and/or what you would like to do and we will design your trip for you. We also have our signature experiences that have excited travelers before you.
Being the owner of WanderTHEMES seems like the dream job for travel buffs. How did it come about? Actually as an advertising/marketing professional all my life I really focused on how people experienced life and things. I was driven by a desire to find out the why of people's and nationalities' behaviors and how they affected others. You, Jeannie, had a unique experience in Colombia and your Colombian-ness shows just like it does the other MKs (that's missionary kids).
I also started a Master's in Historical Research later in life (almost finished--in thesis stage). My focus is the Mexican Revolution, a country I lived in for 11 years and where my kids grew up. I, too, have a little Mexican-ness, it's in my heart. It is this search for deeper things and other countries that took me to create WanderTHEMES. I want to help people write many travel stories and have travel change lives. When the moment came to change careers and technology allowed it, I started WanderTHEMES.
What has been your favorite travel experience with WanderTHEMES? My first booking. It was with a group of horseback riders from Cali's
Club Campestre (that's Country Club) who now live in Germany, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Bogota, and Cali. They wanted to re-connect and I created an experience on a ranch between Idaho and Wyoming. They are going to drive 40 unbroken horses 140 miles in 6 days. It'll be a full experience, with a chuck wagon, tents, and all. great horses. They are so excited!
The travel researching new places and things to do is always my favorite, but as a moment, I would say that was it.
What is your favorite story about your travels with WanderTHEMES? Last year I went on a trip with a group in Mexico. We caved for many hours in the dark, rappelled down holes in the ground so deep, 40-foot trees grew way down at the bottom. The days were full of intense experiences, like jumping 20 feet into the water in the dark. We had to trust our guide and just jump--the water was down there. We then floated down an underground stream for a long time, crossing caves the size of cathedrals. When we got to daylight we actually missed the dark! Needless to say, we became very close to the group and I realized how these intense experiences connected us on a deeper level.
And finally, since this is "A Writer's Cup," what's in your cup? Depends on the time. I drink black Colombian coffee in a big cup so it's not a
tinto (a small cup of sweet coffee). About 3 cups in the morning. Water most of the day, because I dehydrate easily. Soda the rest.
To find out more, go to the WanderTHEMES Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/WanderTHEMES/
their website:
http://wanderthemes.com/
or Instagram: @wanderthemes_travel
Thank you, Carlos! Maybe we can design a trip based on The Existence of Pity and see the sights in Cali, then head to San Andres Islas like Josie did! Thanks for your time, and happy travels!
