My love for travel was born when my parents and I took a trip to Tuscany to visit our relatives when I was 19. I’m a second generation Italian-American, and we have family still in Tuscany who we keep in touch with, but I'd never met many of them until we took that trip. I loved being hosted by them for the duration of the trip because it made the visit feel like home. I got to know my extended family while also exploring a brand-new culture and landscape, full of colourful pastel villas and mouth-watering calzones.
From there, I was hooked. I began travelling with friends whenever and wherever I could. Over the next several years, I found myself appreciating the architecture in Barcelona, exploring the inside of a dormant volcano in Iceland, and scuba diving with sea turtles in the Maldives. One of my favourite destinations I travelled to was the UK. I fell in love with the hustle and bustle of London, the old-world city charm of Edinburgh, and the sweeping natural landscapes of the Isle of Skye.
I arrived at a point in my life where I was looking for a career that would excite me, a career that I could feel passionate about every day. When I realised that I could turn my passion for travel into a successful career here at Audley, I was elated. I happily accepted the position of UK/Ireland Country Specialist. On my initial familiarisation trip, I gleaned all sorts of insider knowledge that I can apply to build the best bespoke itinerary for your travel needs and wants.
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Q&A with Sion
What’s the best local dish you’ve tasted?
I love the traditional Scottish dish of “haggis, neeps, and tatties.” Haggis is sheep, “neeps” is short for “turnips,” and “tatties” is short for “potatoes.” It’s a cozy dish, perfect for an evening in the pub by the fire. The combination of meat and vegetables will leave you feeling full and satisfied. If you’d like, pair it with a pint of beer from a local brewery.
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
I’ve never felt so immersed in nature as I did at the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The pools are well-hidden enough in the landscape that they’re not yet visible during the short hike up the hills to get there. And then you crest the final hill and suddenly there they are, in all their splendour. The way the water reflects and sparkles in the sun is so whimsical, just like a fairy land. I sat on the rocks and had a picnic lunch, just taking in the beautiful turquoise water. Many of the pictures I took have little sunspots in them. Maybe they’re just lens flare, but I like to think they’re fairies!
Where would you love to travel next?
I would love to go back to Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, a three week long theatre festival that attracts talent from all over the world. The Royal Mile is filled with performers of all kinds, and there are shows playing in all sorts of unconventional venues (including a tent shaped like a purple cow). You can see anything from new musicals to stand-up comedy to experimental devised theatre. It just sounds like absolute chaotic bliss.