BY TISHIN DONKERSLEY, M.A.
H.C. Anderson said “to travel is to live,” and sometimes, when you feel stuck, all you need is a journey to kick your spirit into high gear and set you on the right path again. Lindsay Taub and Lanee Lee, founders of Voyage Vixens, a web series and online magazine dedicated to Eat, Play, Love adventures around the globe, believe in this motto wholeheartedly. Combined, they’ve covered over 42 countries and counting. As travel journalists, they know what it takes to make a great vacation–and it’s not sitting by a pool with a magazine. Think of it as the Elizabeth Gilbert model, unpolished and on steroids.
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Although traveling experts by trade and experience, even they make mistakes when on the road–sometimes innocent and sometimes outright ridiculous. Held captive by nuns in Puerto Rico? Stranded in the middle of Mexico with no money? Jumped ship in Istanbul?Hard to believe, but these are real scenarios these two women have faced, and survived to tell about it. They can’t seem to keep out of trouble. But that’s also why they travel–to figure out if they’ve got the chutzpah to get out of sticky situations and still have an incredible adventure. As adrenaline junkies, they are always in search of the next high that will push them to their physical and emotional limits. They often joke that if they’re not wearing a helmet and a harness, something’s wrong.Like a modern-day Thelma & Louise, Lanee and Lindsay are true friends with opposing and flawed personalities just trying to figure out life’s complexities. As they practice the tweaked Gilbert-esque model of Eat, PLAY, Love, you’ll gasp, you’ll laugh, but most importantly, you’ll be inspired to get out that passport and voyage like a vixen.We caught up with them to find out what it really means to voyage like a vixen, as well as other travel tidbits: GL: So, what does it mean to voyage like a vixen, exactly? Lanee: It’s saying YES! And welcoming into your life whatever is thrown at you so you can test your limits and say, “Heck yeah! I did that! I survived that! I learned something.”Lindsay: For me, it’s about allowing yourself the freedom to be the best, authentic version of yourself, which often only happens when you’re on the road. GL: What’s your favorite travel quality in Lindsay, Lanee? Lanee: Her ability to navigate and negotiate in tough situations. GL: Vice Versa? Lindsay: She’s up for anything. GL: What’s on your must-see destination list for 2013? Lanee: Cuba, Tasmania, Australia, and New Zealand. Can’t wait to go rolling down a hill in a human-sized hamster ball! (Zorbing) Lindsay: I agree, but I’d add Cambodia or Vietnam to the list. And we’re heading back to Africa this year, which I’m really excited about–to Namibia and South Africa this time! GL: Greatest fear about traveling? Lanee: Leaving home without essential documents (passport, etc.). Or that I might never return home because a destination has captured my heart so much, I have to stay. Lindsay: Believe it or not, I have a fear of flying and get emotional before long flights. Something about not being in control, stuck in a plane for so many hours, and the turbulence freaks me out. GL: How do you deal with your fear of flying, Lindsay? Lindsay: I listen to music that relaxes me and just visualize where we’re going to be when we land. I literally imagine the plane and everyone in it surrounded by this beautiful white light of safety. The other thing I do is tense up every muscle in my body as hard as I can for as long as I can and then let it go, and that seems to help calm me down. And drink wine–that helps too. GL: Your can’t-live-without travel accessory? Lindsay: Music. Gotta have my music. And Wi-Fi. And Aveda calming oil. Lanee: Power! I don’t leave the house without my FatCat phone charger. GL: Female travel hero? Lindsay: I’m not sure she’s a travel hero per say, but I admire Jane Goodall and her incredible work with gorillas. Remarkable woman. Lanee: Anthropologist Margaret Mead. Her book, Coming Of Age In Samoa, published in 1928, challenged the concept of “normal.” She was 23 years old when she did her fieldwork in Samoa.
Photos provided by Voyage Vixens |
