What did I get myself into?

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What did I get myself into?

Christine Boecker • Mar 03, 2017

I remember it well… sitting on my parents’ patio in Johannesburg, listening to my uncle tell stories of his adventures around the world.

He owned a travel agency in Germany, and was escorting a small group of clients on yet another African Safari. His life seemed so interesting as he regaled us with his travel experiences in exotic places like Asia, South America and Australasia. I was mesmerized and inspired, and then it hit me – this was what I wanted to do too!

My graduation gift was a ships’ passage from South Africa to England, and so I packed up my belongings in one of those heavy silver travel trunks, and boarded the SA Vaal – a mail ship that commuted between Durban and Southampton in the sixties and seventies.

For a good chuckle, watch the promo video below.

We sailed north along the coast of Africa, weathered a storm in the Bay of Biscayne and eventually docked in the U.K., from where I made my way by train and ferry via Belgium and France to Germany. After a month of travelling I finally arrived in Remscheid – ready to start my career as a travel agent, just like my uncle.

It was exactly 40 years ago today that I set foot in TravelSchmidt for the first time. I was a keener – excited to take my first group of clients around the world. The destination didn’t really matter to me, as long as I would be travelling! As you can imagine, it didn’t quite work out that way…

Like everyone else, I started on the bottom rung of the travel agent’s ladder – as an apprentice. On my first day I was shown to my place in the rail department, where clients would purchase their train tickets to the next town, or sometimes a little further afield.

“Learn the commuter train timetable to Cologne” I was told. WHAT? I thought I was going to travel, not be an assistant to a train ticket seller... This was not what I had signed up for! I was devastated, and my dream of travelling the world was shattered.

Luckily, persistence has always been my strong suit. After finishing my 3 year apprenticeship I worked in many different departments of the travel industry and in many cities, be it arranging tour groups from Düsseldorf, or booking flights, hotels, trains, cars, ferries for large corporations and vacationers in Johannesburg – all without the internet. For a while I was a travel wholesaler and even pounded the pavement in Cape Town as a sales rep for various African safari lodges.

Exhibiting at the Vancouver Board of Trade
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Destination training
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Booth at the Ornithology Congress
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Connecting with global suppliers
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Fast forward to today and – although I have yet to escort a group, I am grateful for all the amazing experiences I've had in my long career as a travel agent. I absolutely love arranging wilderness safaris from my home-base in Vancouver BC where, every day I get to travel vicariously around the world as I research and design fabulous journeys for curious travellers.

Looking back, I could not imagine spending my days doing anything else. Over the past 40 years I’ve lived on three continents – Europe, Africa and now in North America. I've been privileged to visit and explore over 50 countries, so my dream of travelling the world did come true! I’m so thankful that I could carry on the family business and didn’t give up on that first day in March 1977 in the rail department of TravelSchmidt!

TRAVELBOECKER ADVENTURES celebrates 25 Years >>

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Christine Boecker

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Mid-century classic cruising - the way it was!

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Taking the Kids on Safari? Yes – you can!

By Christine Boecker • 07 Jan, 2023

I am often asked if one take kids on safari. As you will learn, the answer is a resounding YES! Taking my then 4 year old on her first safari changed the trajectory of her life. These, and other safaris have formed the person she is now, in tune with nature and animals.

India – a Land of Delights and Surprises

By Christine Boecker • 23 Dec, 2022

Admittedly I was a little nervous travelling to India – ok, a lot nervous! The prospect of visiting a country with a population of 1.4 billion sounded daunting. But my experience in this fascinating land was wonderful and will certainly count as one of my great adventures!