ABOUT DONNA
Let me introduce myself and my company, DreamMaker Destinations.
DreamMaker Destinations and I are about a special kind of travel—not just getting from point A to point B but traveling to expand horizons and fulfill dreams. Travel in today’s complex world can be intimidating and my commitment is to provide my travelers all the information and support they need for a wonderful journey. Sharing my own travel experiences, will, I hope, encourage others to explore the world.
The dreams were always there, but in reality, travel did not start until I was in my 30’s. Now I’ve managed to explore over a hundred countries, staying in accommodations ranging from a family's living room to five-star hotels, sailing on ships ranging from a small research vessel to an elegant ocean liner, and touring by trains, buses, and automobiles. Enjoying local cuisines is often an important part of travel, and I’ve tried my best to experience new tastes, if not always successfully.
I believe at some point travel becomes more than check marks on the world country list. It becomes about making connections and feeling a part of a world community. We leave a legacy when we travel, and we create wonderful memories for others as well as ourselves. Travel means we can step out of the box for a while, we can fulfill a long-cherished dream, we can meet people and experience other cultures.
I want to encourage everyone, especially women, to take that first step. There is no better time than now to explore the wonderful little streets of Prague and Vienna that just ooze beautiful music, or to nibble samples of chocolate truffles all morning in Brussels, or to walk all day in the Cotswalds before sharing tea and biscuits at a country inn.
I also believe we should not limit ourselves by age. Now is the time to hike the Annapurna circuit in Nepal, or ride an elephant in Thailand, or explore the African jungle in search of mountain gorillas. The joy of accomplishing a dream will banish any initial hesitation and trepidation.
As any traveler knows, part of the joy in travel comes from sharing stories, and I love reading the reading the tales of travelers from Freya Stark to modern bloggers. More than a little of my inspiration comes from the great 14th-century explorer of the Arab world Iban Battuta who wrote “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
Places I Have Traveled:
CENTRAL AMERICA
Belize
Columbia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Panama
CARIBBEAN
Antigua
Bahamas
Barbados
British Virgin Islands
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Haiti
Jamaica
Martinique
St Kitts/Nevis
St Lucia
Trinidad & Tobago
Turks & Caicos
US Virgin Islands
SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
French Guinea
Guinea
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
NORTHERN EUROPE
Denmark
Estonia
Finland (Helsinki)
Latvia
Lithuania
Norway
Russia (parts)
Sweden
WESTERN EUROPE
Belgium
France
Germany
Ireland
Netherlands
Switzerland
United Kingdom (Great Britain/Wales/Scotland)
EASTERN/CENTRAL EUROPE
Albania
Austria
Bosnia & Herzegovenia
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Hungary
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovenia
SOUTHERN EUROPE/MEDITERRANEAN
Greece
Italy
Portugal
Spain
Dubrovnik (Dalmatian Coast with parts in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro)
Malta
Sicily
WESTERN ASIA
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Iran
Turkey
Ukraine
MIDDLE EAST
Abu Dhabi
Bahrain
Dubai
Jordan
Lebanon
Israel
Oman
Qatar
Syria
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
CENTRAL/NORTHERN ASIA
China including Inner Mongolia
Mongolia (Outer)
Russia
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
INDIA/HIMALAYAS
Bhutan
India
Ladakh
Nepal
Sikkim & Darjeeling
Sri Lanka
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Borneo
Cambodia
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Japan
Korea (South)
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Thailand
Vietnam
SOUTH PACIFIC
Australia
Cook Islands
Fiji
Marquesas
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Tahiti (Society Islands)
NORTH AFRICA
Algeria
Egypt
Libya
Morocco
Tunisia
WEST AFRICA
Benin
Gambia
Ghana
Mali
Sao Tome & Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Botswana
Congo-Brazzaville
Ethiopia
Kenya
Madagascar
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zanzibar
ANTARCTICA
Antarctica
ICELAND/GREENLAND
Greenland
Iceland