Offline is the New Luxury |
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Howzit! I am not one to jump on the bandwagon but I keep hearing about a new trend for which I am ALL IN. The new luxury is...being offline. A sign of true privilege and achievement is to be able to get off the grid and embrace the lost art of contemplation. On a smaller level - to wait patiently in line at the coffee shop chatting to the person next to you, going out on a limb and ordering the new gingerbread foam, sitting to sip your latte instead of running out the door, maybe even pulling out a hard copy newspaper or book. What a privilege! My blood pressure is lowering just thinking about it. Offline luxury on a larger level means planning a trip somewhere completely new and exotic to you. Using travel as a window into the world...we do not know what we do not know. There are so many ways to live. Leaving your phone in your room as you explore, meet local people, learn about how they go about their day, remember simpler times, felt deep in your bones. How did the great masters of physics, literature, and philosophy make their breakthroughs, write their poetic pieces? They took time to travel, be in nature, ponder, get inspired. Productivity, the hamster wheel, the task lists, the goals reached (only to set another) - I am calling these out as the 'emperor has no clothes' markers of success that they are. True happiness comes from this new status symbol of luxuriating in time, ease and being rich in experience. Here are some ideas to take you off the grid...hint, there is no better place to go analog than Africa. Cheers! Darren & the Somms |
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Perched on a ridge overlooking the Mara Triangle is a rhinoceros sanctuary unlike anything I have seen in Kenya or anywhere else in Africa. It is an extraordinary platform for rhinoceros rehabilitation and conservation. Tracking rhinoceroses on foot in Kenya brings conservation efforts for this critically endangered species into sharp focus. There is nothing more real or immersive than moving through a highly protected sanctuary in the presence of these animals. The emotion generated when caring for these gentle, prehistoric creatures from just a handful of yards away in pristine wilderness is difficult to convey. To stand so close to a Babylonstoren rhinoceros being nuzzled by its mother, or alongside several fully grown white rhinoceroses, is to witness truly impactful conservation in action. From there, the journey continued north into Kenya’s Laikipia Highlands, stretching toward the Ethiopian border. The topography is otherworldly. Experiences by land, by helicopter, through cultural encounters, and through conservation initiatives reflect everything that makes Africa such a compelling continent to explore. I could easily have doubled or tripled the amount of time spent there. Volcanic calderas give way to lakes in shades of turquoise, deep red, and chalk white. Vast flocks of flamingos rise into the air in sweeping formations. Helicopter flights weave through dramatic mountain ravines before landing for breakfasts atop remote peaks. The scenery feels limitless. The activities are immersive and deeply meaningful, particularly those centered on conservation and social upliftment. For those seeking personal growth or planning a multigenerational family journey, this region offers something truly exceptional. |
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Travel Sommelier’s Rae recently returned from Botswana and South Africa, reflecting on how time under African skies recalibrates perspective. In Botswana’s Okavango Delta, remoteness is built into the land. Camps reached only by helicopter sit among winding waterways in one of the world’s last great sanctuaries of wildlife, where morning game drives begin at first light as the Delta comes alive. Whether tracking lions or pausing to watch the elephants pass by, days measured by dawn and the rhythms of the land naturally sharpen your focus and invite full presence…in a way no other landscape can. Evenings by the fire under wide-open skies unfold slowly. You listen more - to the land, to others, to yourself. In the Cape Winelands, reconnection took a softer form. Mountain-framed vineyards, long meals, and unhurried conversations reminded me that luxury is not excess - it is time. Somewhere between the Delta and the vines, I found my way back to myself. A reminder that the best journeys leave you feeling more present, attuned, and alive. |
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A few years ago, a message from Darren’s best friend, Arthur, sparked something bigger than a passing idea. A vision to start a rugby club for boys and girls in South Africa - a safe space built on movement, mentorship, and community. That vision became the Manenberg Rugby Club for Boys & Girls, built on grit and pride. Two years ago, the students raised their own field poles with donations from Travel Sommelier and others. The gym followed - constructed through sweat, determination, and shared belief. Here, rugby is more than a game. It is structure, confidence, and possibility. The impact extends far beyond the field. Young players are being selected for provincial and Springbok development squads, and many have traveled outside Cape Town for the first time to attend training camps or participate in team-building weekends. Horizons are expanding, and lives are changing. When a cause moves you, travel becomes more than a trip. If you’re ready to find one of your own, we can help you take the first step. |
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As Seen in: Nantucket Magazine |
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A story no one else can tell. Travel Sommelier is proud to share ours in the Winter issue of Nantucket Magazine. |
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Until the next trip to toast, |
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22 Winsor Street
Duxbury, MA 02332, USA |
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