What does it feel like spending an entire week in Fijian paradise on a TradeWinds yacht, sailing between islands, eating incredible food, diving, snorkelling, kayaking, reading, relaxing and taking a break from it all?

I would of course say it’s fantastic, but it’s much more than that.

To have an escape from life and concentrate on you for once, to relax and fully unwind from your life worries, is not just a great holiday, but somewhat of a necessity. And what better way to do it than by joining a TradeWinds yacht for a sail around Fiji. 

 

I was on a boat with two crew members and just five guests in total (the boat capacity is 10, however due to last minute cancelations, we all enjoyed a very intimate experience).

The week in Fiji truly took me by surprise. I’ve been gallivanting the world with basically no downtime. Up to this point, I’ve had one day in 3 months where I did nothing. Everyday I have been exploring and editing the content I was creating. It’s the kind of life we’re all used to – slightly chaotic.

When I got to Fiji, my body and mind didn’t know how to react to having a small handful of relaxing activities to do.

But I surely did a great job of not doing much.

 

My tan came along nicely, the cocktails went down easily, the laughs were plenty, the walks on the breathtaking Fijian islands such as the island from the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks connected me back to nature. The salt stayed in my hair throughout the week as I swam and dived my little heart out. 

Fiji itself is truly a little hidden gem. The people are incredibly nice, the islands are surrounded by the brightest blue warm waters I have ever seen, the coral is impressive and the weather is near perfect. 

During the week, we were lucky enough to visit a local village to enjoy a traditional Kava ceremony as well as listen to the beautiful singing of the Fijians. We also joined in on a little dance with the locals!

We had a chance to shop the village markets, where I got myself a beautiful necklace and others picked up huge Conch shells, hand woven bags and beautifully designed sarongs.  

 

One of the highlights from the week was getting our sails up, something I’ve never previously had the joys of experiencing. Having the wind push us through the open ocean provided me with an overwhelming sense of freedom.

Sitting in the bow seats with your legs overhanging and the wind on your face as you’re piercing through the waves resembles a small rollercoaster. You can’t help but feel like a kid again and be filled with happiness.

My only complaint of the whole week is that the experience wasn’t long enough.

The luxury boat became a great cocoon of comfort for the week and it was hard to part from it all. 

 

Who would I recommend Fiji to? 

 

Anyone that wants a true break from life. This is the perfect time to unwind, to have time for yourself and to recharge your batteries.
Anyone that loves the ocean, sailing, great food, cocktails, the sun, diving and snorkelling.  

 

This holiday will leave you ready to tackle the challenges and hustle of life for months to come.

-Sorelle Amore

During her trip to Fiji, Sorelle stayed on a TradeWinds yacht through THIRDHOME. Click here to view all TradeWinds yacht options that you can reserve with a THIRDHOME membership.

Sorelle Amore won THIRDHOME‘s “Best Job On The Planet,” which garnered more than 17,000 applications from around the world. In her position as a Luxury Travel Connoisseur for THIRDHOME, she is traveling the world, staying in 12 luxury homes.

THIRDHOME is the exclusive luxury property and travel club that enables second home owners to exchange time in their home for stays in spectacular destinations around the world. Click here for more information on how to become a member.

What is it like to spend a week on a TradeWinds yacht? Sorelle Amore, THIRDHOME’s Best Job On The Planet winner, shares her experience of staying in a TradeWinds yacht cabin during her visit to Fiji. 

Members, want to go on your own all-inclusive yachting adventure? Click here to browse TradeWinds stays, and get ready to plan your next trip!

Click here to learn more about joining our luxury travel club.

Ever planned a wedding? It’s a seemingly never-ending gauntlet of picking linens and politely arguing with vendors. The honeymoon, in theory, should be a welcome reprieve from all the stresses of wedding planning, but travel planning can be just as demanding. That’s why THIRDHOME offers seamless happily-ever-afters through its Travel & Concierge department. THIRDHOME‘s Travel & Concierge department doesn’t just book your plane tickets and hotel, they book your entire honeymoon experience. Read more to find out what that full-package experience means.

Lauren Parks recently returned from her honeymoon in Maui. Check out what she had to say about her curated experience!

 

Liz (THIRDHOME‘s Director of Travel & Concierge Services) was AMAZING! Our honeymoon was AMAZING! Everything about our THIRDHOME Travel & Concierge service was AMAZING! 

Liz provided my husband and I with so many different food options, excursion options and shopping spots. We knew Maui wasn’t going to disappoint! We talked on the phone a few different times and she told us all the best places to hit during our week stay in Hawaii. She knew what to pass on and the places we just had to see!

She was so passionate about Maui and had been there a few times herself- she got us so excited! Liz sent us an organized list of a ton of different options that she recommended. From that list, all we had to do was tell her what we wanted to do and it was planned! I mean how easy (and we needed easy during wedding planning)!

She booked us a car for the week and it was so easy to pick up at the airport!

From the moment we checked into the Kea Lani Resort we were treated like royal guests!  Liz booked us the best room and we really felt at home the entire stay. We went snorkeling, went to dinner at the famous Old Lahaina Luau, went on a helicopter tour (our favorite), had dinner at Mama’s Fish House (a must) and drove the road to Hana.

It was an amazing week and we made memories that will last a lifetime!

Thank you, Liz, for everything you did. Get ready to help us plan our next trip!

– Lauren Parks

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With 28 years of travel planning experience, Liz Bates is a maestro of curating unforgettable experiences.

Click here to learn more about all the happily-ever-after concierge offerings.

To plan your honeymoon through THIRDHOME‘s Travel & Concierge program contact Liz at liz@thirdhome.com today!

Linda & John Ridgeon are avid THIRDHOME travelers and have been members since 2011. The Ridgeons have managed to visit 17 properties within 6 years, by way of their two properties in Southern Spain. Formerly in the music education business, the Ridgeons are now retired and spend their time sailing, practicing photography and exploring the world. Read below to find out what makes Linda & John Ridgeon such exemplary THIRDHOME members.

How did you get involved with THIRDHOME?

We joined THIRDHOME in 2011 after researching companies which would allow us to do home exchanges with our second home in Spain. We loved the flexible arrangement of the Keys which THIRDHOME offers (rather than relying on direct exchanges) as well as the exceptional quality of homes in the portfolio. We have visited 17 properties in 6 years and have genuinely loved every one. We have another 4 trips already booked! We have greatly appreciated the changes that THIRDHOME has introduced over the years, particularly the seasonal Key values and the huge increase of properties in Europe.

Where are you based?

We live in the UK in (the original) Rochester which is in Kent, 25 miles east of London. However, we spend around 4 months of the year (in month blocks) in our beloved second home in Andalusia, Southern Spain.

Who do you usually travel with?

We normally travel as a couple. Our adult children are in their 20’s (no grandchildren as yet!) and have limited time for holidays at the moment. One or more of them have joined us for a few trips and we sometimes travel with another couple who are close friends and also live in Rochester.

What do you do for a living?

We retired in 2011 having sold our music training business, Access to Music, the day after John’s 65th birthday. We had 10 centres around England (plus partnerships with 10 colleges) and provided government-funded training in contemporary music for young people and adults. Many of our students have gone on to achieve success in the music industry, the most notable being Ed Sheeran, who is now a Patron of the Company.

What are your favorite travel hobbies?

There is very little that we don’t enjoy doing and we welcome the variety that we have experienced through our THIRDHOME vacations. We love being on or near the water (we were previous boat owners), walking or driving through the mountains and visiting historic cities, spending time in museums and galleries and going to concerts.

In your past travels with THIRDHOME, what was your favorite destination and what did you love about it? 

It is almost impossible to single out one favourite destination but our week in Guadeloupe on the TradeWinds flagship catamaran, New Beginnings, is right up there. We loved it so much we became TradeWinds members and have just completed our fourth voyage with them in Greece. We have really appreciated the continued increase in European properties as living in the UK these are more accessible to us and we have been pleasantly surprised at how many opportunities there have been to visit European cities through THIRDHOME. So far we have visited Paris, Madrid, Rome, Vienna, Lisbon (from Estoril) and in December we are going to Prague. We have even visited London on three separate occasions! Even though we live less than an hour away, the opportunity to spend a week living right in the heart of the capital within walking distance of all that the city has to offer cannot be beat. Plus, our children all live in or close to London so we have had opportunities to come together as a family in the most amazing homes.

What’s the next destination you are eyeing to travel to with THIRDHOME?

We already have trips planned to Brighton, England (later this month), Prague (December) and Antigua (February) – to tie in with another TradeWinds cruise. We are hoping to find somewhere in Florida or the Bahamas for November/December 2018 to tie in with a TradeWinds cruise in the Abacos.

What do you love most about your property with THIRDHOME?

We actually have two properties with THIRDHOME. Our 5-bedroom villa in Andalusia is 30 minutes from Malaga airport and a great base for a beach holiday with family or an opportunity to visit some of the wonderful historic Spanish cities such as Malaga, Granada, Ronda and even Seville. The house is relatively new (2010) but has been designed and furnished in a traditional Andalucian style with lots of Moroccan features and an internal patio with a wonderful marble fountain to cool the house in summer. It is well equipped for large families with plenty to do: a large salt-water heated pool, cinema room, gym, sauna, table tennis, pool table and community tennis courts. We are very proud of our many 5-star ratings. Our second property is a house which forms part of the highly rated La Villa Marbella boutique hotel in the heart of the old town in Marbella. We have two, two-bedroom suites both sleeping 4 with availability from November-March (excluding Christmas and Easter weeks).

How has THIRDHOME changed the way you travel?

We tend to avoid staying in hotels now whenever possible and we often plan where want to go according to what is available on THIRDHOME! We are very flexible now that we are retired and prefer to travel out of high-season when possible. Because we rent our properties out, they are professionally managed and equipped for visitors and we have found that the same applies to the properties we have visited. This is so much safer than a traditional home swap where there is no way of knowing how well-organized and equipped the property you are visiting might be.

What is the nicest amenity you have encountered while staying at a THIRDHOME property?

We once stayed at a beautiful, architect-designed, riverfront property in Fowey, Cornwall (the village where my grandparents lived and where I spent many childhood holidays). The house was right on the river and had its own mooring and boat which we were permitted to use.

How would you describe THIRDHOME to a friend?

THIRDHOME is a unique and affordable concept which allows you to deposit down time in your own second home in exchange for keys which you can use flexibly to stay in other high-quality properties around the world at a time to suit you.

What’s the most memorable restaurant you’ve eaten at during one of your trips?

Not a restaurant (there have been so many), but our most memorable meal was when we stayed at Brunello Villa in Italy (our first THIRDHOME trip). The owner, Lucia, gave us a cookery lesson using produce from the estate and we ate the meal we prepared in her beautiful garden with her and her sommelier daughter, Alina, who selected a wonderful local wine to accompany it.

Any travel tips for fellow members?

Be flexible and have an open mind about where THIRDHOME can take you.

 

Check out some of the Ridgeon’s beautiful photography below.

 

Dr. Charles Stoopack, a clinical instructor at UC San Diego and a former practicing OBGYN, has a second home in Vail, Colorado. He combines his love for skiing and adventure with THIRDHOME ski properties across the globe. He also loves discovering new cultures and attending musical events in Vail. He highly recommends catching a George Balanchine ballet (either Swan Lake or Serenade) if you ever get the chance. Meet THIRDHOME member Dr. Charles Stoopack!

 

 

How did you get involved with THIRDHOME?

I saw an article in a travel section of the Sunday paper. This was back in the fall of 2014. It just sounded like such a unique concept. The article showed all these places you could go, and it looked amazing. What happened at that point, I either called or emailed THIRDHOME in October, and we had a couple of conversations and I ended up joining around Christmas.

 

 

Where are you based?

I’m based out of Carlsbad, California, which is North of San Diego. I grew up in New York and moved here when I was 25 for my residency at UC San Diego, and I just fell in love with the place.

 

 

What do you do for a living?

I originally practiced as an OBGYN. At this point in time, I’m a professor at UC San Diego. I used to be in clinical practice for 23 years, but I had to have some orthopedic surgeries and stopped practicing and transferred to education. It’s wonderful teaching. I’m doing a lot of good. You try to mold young physicians into caring doctors, try to teach them what we call the “Art of Medicine,” how to appropriately care for patients to make them feel valued. The gain as a physician is that your practice will be more fun and be rewarding if you have that sort of relationship with your patients.

 

 

Who do you usually travel with?

My wife and my daughters. Now they’re both engaged, so we’ve got two weddings coming up this year. We travel with other couples as well. The idea behind joining THIRDHOME was that the properties were large and we could bring groups of friends or family.

 

 

What are your favorite travel hobbies?

I like skiing. I also like beach holidays with a beautiful beach that has nice sand and warm water. I like traveling where it involves culture, fine dining and fine wining as well. Not like whining, but wining!

 

 

In your past travels with THIRDHOME, what was your favorite destination and what did you love about it? 

I wrote down the whole list so I could think about it. I would say Barbados. We stayed in a 9 bedroom and 9 bathroom villa that was fully staffed. The whole experience was very spoiling. The staff felt like your family after a day or two. They prepared all the meals. We paid for food and staff, of course. We had access to a private beach club at Sandy Lane which is one of the premier beach clubs in the world. It’s where Tiger Woods got married. The whole thing, the island, the people the staff, the access to the beach, it was just wonderful. We brought 13 people with us, and there was plenty of room for everyone. The food was incredible. We’d come home from wherever we were and there would be pitchers of margaritas and hor d’oeuvres waiting for us. We’d be sitting at a long dining table and it felt like we were in an old fashion movie. It was just spectacular.

 

 

What’s the next destination you are eyeing to travel to with THIRDHOME?

I’m going to Kenya next, to two different THIRDHOME properties. We’re going to Hippo Point and then to Cottars Mara Private Homestead. They look incredible. There was only one week available at Cottars, and it’s our 30th wedding anniversary and after several weeks of talking with the owner, with the help of Liz Bates, THIRDHOME‘s Director of Travel and Concierge Services, the owner agreed to give us that week. We’re very excited! The other property [Hippo Point] was featured on the cover of Architectural Digest as well. It has a gorgeous tower. I recall reading that Brad and Angelina had stayed there once, too.

 

 

What do you love most about your property with THIRDHOME?

The skiing in Vail. It’s the best skiing mountain in North America because it’s not terribly cold (Whistler members would argue with that). You get sunny days, which is much different than Whistler, where it was very dark. Vail’s got the back bowls, which if you don’t ski are these large open areas, they call them the legendary back bowls. The condo is extremely well located. It’s about 5 minutes from the gondola, if you don’t want to walk to the bus stops out front too. Our building went under a $10 million remodel so everything is updated and upgraded. The location is wonderful, 3 nice bedrooms, and 1800 sq ft. It’s very spacious. You can go there with other couples or two families and not feel on top of each other. I used to bring our daughters along with their friends for ski trips. We still go every summer for the annual dance festival. Something that’s unique to Vail is the summers. There is a BRAVO music fest that goes through July for 6 weeks or more, then a dance fest, then a jazz fest around Labor Day. There are a lot of cultural experiences that are just delightful. During the day you can hike or golf, then at night you go to the performances. These are world-class performances. The saying is that people go to Vail for the winter and then move there for the summers.

 

Any personal/family achievements you’d like to share?

Both of my daughters are engaged now so we have a busy year ahead of us. Their fiancés are great guys. We also have our 30th wedding anniversary coming up.

 

How has THIRDHOME changed the way you travel?

It allowed me to visit places that we probably would not have gone to and has allowed me to have accommodations for many people.

 

Anything else you think members should know?

I think the staff [of THIRDHOME] is wonderful. The concierge and member services are very helpful: Liz, Kristine, Amy Jo, Kelly. I hope I didn’t leave out anyone. I got a friend to join, and he booked a trip to San Juan Island. Actually, I’ve had two people that joined and two others thinking about it. And the Chairman’s Club, I’d thought about it for a while and when I finally did it, I loved it. It’s definitely worth it.

 

Embark on your own adventure with curated yacht charters

 

The sound of steel guitars enters your home, a schooner soars across the screen, with azure ocean waves lapping at the hull. Who doesn’t remember Gardner McKay’s swashbuckling adventures on Adventures in Paradise? Moreso, who wouldn’t want to have a similar adventure of their own? With THIRDHOME‘s new curated yacht charters and aquatic voyages, it’s possible.

Be the captain or hire a skipper of your own:

You can opt to do a bareboat charter, which makes you the master of your own destiny. Choose your own routes, restock as you go, and challenge your nautical know-how.

OR

Go for the fully crewed luxury charter which provides for a crew of up to 10. This crew can include a skipper, chef, and local experts. Your only onboard duty is to relax and enjoy the ocean breeze.

 

During your Curated Journey, travel under power or sail. Curated aquatic voyages come in many forms. Want the monohull sailing experience? Charter a 54 ft. Beneteau yacht with space for up to 11 passengers. If you have trouble telling the mizzen from the boom, then you’ll be happy to find an 110 HP engine on the vessel. Or, charter the 57 ft. Robertson and Craine Catamaran with 6 cabins. If the tradewinds are blowing low, then voyaging under power might be the best option. The 50 ft. Robertson and Craine power yacht is also available for exotic adventures.

 

Where to voyage? THIRDHOME‘s curated aquatic adventures are offered in the following locations:

– The British Virgin Islands
– US Virgin Islands
– Grenada
– St Lucia
– Puerto Rico
– Bermuda
– Bahamas
– Belize
– Miami
– Greece
– Croatia
– Turkey
– Spain
– Italy
– Tahiti
– Tonga
– Seychelles
– Thailand

 

Yacht Amenities? You won’t be roughing it out in the deep blue. Amenities include:

• Skipper available for hire
• Cook available for hire
• Stocked galley (kitchen) with pre-requested food items and provisions
• Offshore sailing school available
• Pre-order watersport equipment (kayaks, paddleboards, fishing gear, diving equipment)
• Wi-Fi on Exclusive Plus class yachts in the B.V.I., St. Martin, St. Lucia, and Grenada
• Electronics & Communications rentals

 

Adventure is right around the corner with THIRDHOME‘s curated yacht charters. Plan a voyage that Gardner Mckay would be proud of.

Ready to brave the great ocean blue? Click here to read more about these curated yacht charters, including how to reserve your trip.