Carly Renshaw - Wellness Travel Specialist 
Jessica's 2014 Year in Review
- Details
- Category: Virtuoso Travel
Wow, another exciting year has passed by. This one was roller coaster of events and emotions. I would like to share my highlights of 2014 with you…
Firstly, let's start with work. I am loving my job as a Wellness Travel Advisor at Renshaw Travel. This is an avenue Carly (my sister) and I have been pursuing together for the last 3 years. We get to be creative and entrepreneurial which is a lot of fun and very rewarding. We launched this website, www.luxurywellnesstravel.com, earlier this year for The Renshaw Wellness Collection. I have been busy writing all the articles for it which I really enjoy.
In addition to our office in my favourite place in the world, Kitsilano, the world is my office so I was able to have some wonderful work travel experiences; I visited Maui, New York, Montana, Iceland, Greenland and Mexico.
In September of 2013 I was flying back from London to Vancouver. It was a clear day and I was able to see out of the window to the vistas below for the majority of the flight. As I peered out the window I noticed the amazing, never ending glaciers of Greenland. I looked out in wonder and thought, “who goes there? Can anyone travel there?”
After growing up as an athlete, studying kinesiology, working as a personal trainer & volleyball coach before my current career in Wellness Travel, you can see that my passion and expertise lies in the realm of physical activity and physical activity promotion. I live by the motto “Use it or Lose it”, in regards to aging and physical abilities. If we continually move our bodies and train our muscular system and nervous system we can continue to do the things we love to do as our life progresses.
Kamalaya Koh Samui is a multi award winning wellness Sanctuary and Holistic spa ideally located amid a tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. With lush tropical vegetation, ancient boulders, cascading streams and 1.5 miles of idyllic private beach, Kamalaya’s natural setting is an integral part of each guest’s experience. Centered around a monk’s cave that once served Buddhist monks as a place of meditation and spiritual retreat, Kamalaya’s essence is expressed in its name, ‘lotus (kamal) Realm (alaya)’, an ancient symbol for the growth and unfolding of the human spirit. 
As I walked through the Keflavik airport I noticed a sign, “why burn coal when you have fire?” This reiterated what I was most excited for about travelling to Iceland….. Hot Springs! Iceland was never part of the original landmass Pangea and was formed all due to Volcanic Activity, similar to the Hot Spot under the Hawaiian Islands. So where there is Volcanic Activity there are hot springs with healing powers all around the country!
Are you feeling over worked, stressed and want to regain a sense of balance in life? To help combat this increasing and largely hidden phenomenon, The BodyHoliday has designed the Corporate Wellness Programme all with you in mind.
Wouldn't it be incredible to see Tiger on the Prowl at the Masters? Experience centre court at a Wimbledon Final? Participate in the spectacle of the Super Bowl? How about viewing a Champions League game at Emirates Stadium? 
Ananda is a luxury wellness spa located in the Indian Himalayans. This peaceful and tranquil destination spa is located near the city of Rishikesh, which is India’s spiritual centre. Rishikesh was made famous by a visit from the Beatles in 1968. Ananda spreads across 30 acres surrounded by Sal forest and the holy Ganges River. 
Ecuador is a jewel of a country located on the middle of the Earth. This country, about the size of the state of Oregon, is home to 14 million people, 25,000 species of plants and 1663 species of birds. As seen in its name Ecuador (Equator) is host to the closest point to the sun which is located at the top of Chimborazo Volcano. Ecuador is made up of 4 distinct regions. They are the Amazon, the Andes, Pacific Coast and Galapagos Islands. All areas are distinctly different and are special in their own way.
I was on a Virtuoso Study Tour and I was traveling among 12 other travel advisors from across North America. Unfortunately the Amazon rainforest was not a part of our itinerary but I did visit the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest. This is a 3hr drive out of Quito, the nation’s capital. In the cloud forest I stayed at Mashpi Lodge. This is one of two Virtuoso Properties in the country. Mashpi Lodge is located on a biodiversity reserve. Ecuador’s biodiversity is a major reason why it is so beautiful. As soon as I entered the forest it felt like I was in the movie Jurassic Park.
Chewton Glen is a Luxury Country House Hotel & Spa located in England on the edge of the New Forest National Park. This Relais & Chateaux property is 90 miles (approximately 2 hours) from Central London by car and is situated in one of the richest historical parts of England. At Chewton Glen you will stay in one of the glorious contemporary Treehouses which are set high on stilts in a wooded valley.