5 minutes with …. Jeni Reeves

November 7, 2023

Introducing …. Jeni Reeves, Operations Executive

Please tell us a little bit about yourself

My love of travel started with camping trips in Germany (rain and slugs featured highly!), and went on to studying modern languages at university, working as a waitress in Switzerland, teaching English in Japan, and finally working for a cultural cruise company which involved travel to a wide variety of countries. I’ve always been fascinated by the differences between cultures and ways of life, and love visiting places that are a bit off the beaten track where language, food, customs etc are different to our own.

How long have you been with Different Travel? How did you get involved?

I started working with Different Travel in summer 2022; my kids had gone to university and I was working in a school office but getting itchy feet and had always wanted to return to the world of travel. And then an opportunity to work in the operations team came up so I grabbed it! Since I joined DTC I’ve been involved in putting together itineraries and making sure that our trips run as planned.

What was your first Different Travel trip? What made it special?

My first Different Travel trip was to Morocco where my group trekked first in the desert and then travelled to the mountain village of Imlil; it was a magical trip, the vast expanses of the desert, its constantly shifting landscape, and the experience of camping out under the stars, which was then contrasted by a trip to the mountains where our walk took us past spring blossoms and thundering waterfalls. But it wasn’t just this that made the trip special and different; getting to know the people who’d pushed themselves outside their comfort zone so that they could raise funds for causes close to their hearts made the whole experience so unique.

What has been your most memorable Different Travel adventure to date?

I’ve just returned from Spain where my group walked the final 114km (70 miles) of the Camino de Santiago. We experienced atmospheric misty mornings as we set off at sunrise, and walked past fields of corn, and through dense woodlands with sweet chestnuts and acorns tumbling around us. This led us to explain the story of Chicken Licken to our somewhat perplexed guide Silvia! Along the way we encountered pilgrims from all round the world many of whom had walked far further than us. The trip for many was meaningful and spiritual, and we all at times walked and chatted with others but then also found time to enjoy the solitude of being alone with nature.

If you could go on an adventure with three people (past or present, real or fictional) who would they be and why?

Ansel Adams & David Bowie for great photography & music, and my mate Jackie – travelling with her has always involved adventures into the unknown!

What is your ultimate dream destination?

I’d love to visit countries that retain their unique cultures and have not become too Westernised or commercialised – Albania is high on my list, as is Cuba.

Which Different Travel adventure appeals to you, and why?

There are many, though I’ll leave the mountains to other people – I’d love to do our trek to Jordan ending at Petra , and I love the far east and would love to trek in Vietnam or Thailand

What do you love about working with Different Travel

It’s a small team and everyone actually cares about the job they’re doing and about making our trips a success for the people who go on them. Everyone I work with has a can-do attitude which is really refreshing. And of course we all get hands-on experience of taking part in the trips we run – what’s not to like!

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