Hello, I’m Your (almost) Fearless Leader
I grew up in Oregon under giant trees and beside full rivers. Photo by Ruben Mishchuk.
By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Maybe you’ve been over to the About Us page and read my short bio. What I want to do here is dig a bit deeper and tell you more about who I am and why I founded Bold Spirit Travel.
Ready? Here we go…
Who: I’m Regina Winkle-Bryan, founder of Bold Spirit Travel LLC and tour facilitator. I’m really into traveling and have been to 35 countries, give or take.
I’m an Oregonian, an Aquarian, a pescatarian. A writer, a reader, a creative. A smoothie-maker, not much of a baker. Map-lover, dog-walker, green not black olives. Spouse, friend, daughter, sister. A globetrotter, a yogi, a flower-sniffer, an amateur gardener, a leader, a dancer when I’m in the right mood. A stargazer, wine over beer, chocolate always. An educator, a sun-worshipper, a wilderness backpacker, a beauty-seeker, a rain-listener, a bullshit-avoider, sparkling over still water, hot sauce on pizza, Stevie Nicks fan, Spanish speaker, truth-talker, decaf only, open-minded. A methodical planner and a multi-passionate entrepreneur with a Mediterranean heart and a Northwestern soul.
I love to travel. Here I am in Cambodia a few years back with a giant Buddha. Wanderlust has led me to over 35 countries and I am not done yet.
Where: I currently reside in Seattle, Washington, land of the Puget Sound, where seals leap and orcas travel in tight pods. I’m drawn to the immense natural spaces within and around Seattle. The slope of Mount Rainier on a sunny day, glowing and fierce like a white tooth. The jagged zipper of the Cascades and Olympic Mountain ranges, snow-capped and formidable in the winter and spring, but wonderlands of adventure in the summer and early fall. I walk the trails in Discovery Park down to the beaches. I watch herons fish at low tide along Alki. I say weekly, “This is such a beautiful place.” And I mean it.
When: But I’m not from Seattle. I grew up between the big rivers and drizzly forests encircling Portland, Oregon (where I now lead tours). I lived in Oregon until my early twenties, and then I moved abroad. I called a cloud forest home for a while along the steep hills of Monteverde, Costa Rica. I traveled all over Mexico and Central America in lumbering buses before settling in Guatemala—land of eternal spring, vibrant trajes, and volatile volcanoes—for two years. When I was done with that chapter, I moved to Barcelona, Spain, where I spent ten years eating tapas, swimming in the Mediterranean, not wearing enough sunscreen, and meeting soulful, inspiring friends. Eventually, I made my way back to the United States. I launched Bold Spirit Travel from my office in Seattle in 2019.
These days, I live in Seattle, Washington. I love it here. It’s wonderful to wake up and see Mount Rainier pop up out of the cloud cover. Photo by Eric Zhang.
What: I’ve been writing about travel for years. I’ve worked as a writer, translator, blogger, and journalist since 2006. If you’re curious about my work as a writer, you can take a look at my portfolio here.
When I was living in Barcelona, I wrote about Spanish culture for various publications. My writing work took me all around the country, and I ended up exploring more of Spain than most of the Spaniards I know. The far-flung Canary Islands, the turquoise waters of the Balearic Islands, the peaks of Asturias, the dusty and ancient Camino de Santiago—from north to south, there is little of Spain I have not traversed. Readers often contacted me asking about where to go in Spain and for other travel tips. Eventually, I realized that I should start a tour company and take people to the little-known places I had visited across the Iberian Peninsula and beyond.
I’m not sure why it took me so long to receive the inspiration to start Bold Spirit Travel. When I reflect upon the decision, I can only conclude that it is because I had to be in the right place both geographically and emotionally. I needed to be here in the United States to start the company, not in Spain where I was for a decade. And, I suppose a few things needed to shift for me on a personal level before bringing this new project to life.
Here I am in Trastevere, a wonderful neighborhood in Rome. My colleague and I lead epic journeys to Italy and one of our stops is Rome. Check out those blue flowers around the worn doorway. Gorgeous. Also, you have to wear huge sunglasses in Italy. So important. We like to stay in the Trastevere area when we visit.
Why: This might be the most important question on the list—The Why. Why do any of this?
It’s about being bold, of course. Challenging myself while encouraging you. I want you to pursue whatever sparkly dream you’ve been holding back all these years. And if you don’t have any idea what that dream is, then I want to provide a catalyst for finding it. Travel can do this. Groups of awesome, brave women spending time together can do this. Sometimes we just need to get out of Dodge and acquire a fresh perspective in order to understand how our lives could be different…better.
We all need mentors. I wrote about this quite a bit in another article. When we join forces, we can show each other what is possible. We can share advice, connections, a bottle of wine, a good story, cab fare. We need more opportunities to do this. Also, most of us need more FUN in our lives. Amirite? That’s what I provide through Bold Spirit.
I’m also really good at planning amazing getaways. It’s my jam. I’m both creative and meticulous and that is the right combination for a tour operator.
I enjoy a tour around big city Barcelona as much as a wilderness backpacking trip. Here I am in the Zion Wilderness on a hike to Kolob Arch in Utah. Some of our Bold Spirit Travel journeys take you to wild places!
How: I lead trips both in the United States and internationally. You can find out more about these journeys and sign up to come with me on one here.
I want us to connect. Are you following me on Facebook or Instagram? I am pretty active on both platforms and would love to see you in those virtual spaces.
Of course, you can also stay in touch by signing up for my newsletter. Bonus: when you sign up, you get a free travel resource.
Your turn. What are your What, When, Why, Where, Who, and How’s? What brings you joy? Where do you come from? And most importantly, where are you traveling to next?