Where in the World is Cindi? — Spring 2026
Cindi Sanden
It has been a while since I have sent one of these out. Like, a long while. So if you are reading this and thinking "wait, who is this?" — I totally get it.
For those who do not know, or maybe forgot, I am Cindi — I run a travel agency called Awaken Travels. And for several years, I sent out these little newsletters called "Where in the World is Cindi?" where I would share what I had been up to, where I had traveled, and what was coming next. It was one of my favorite things to write.
Then life happened.
In 2021, I lost my son. And honestly, I just stepped back from a lot of things for a while. I needed to. Some of you know this, some of you do not, but I want to be real with you because that has always been my style. I took a few years to grieve, to heal, and to figure out what the next chapter looked like.
But here is the good news — I am back. I came back to travel full time last year, and it has been exactly what I needed. Last year we actually celebrated our 10 year anniversary as a company, which is kind of wild to think about. We are now in our 11th year, and I am so proud of what this team has built, even during the years I stepped back.
Because here is the thing about Awaken Travels — it never stopped. The team kept going, kept growing, kept helping people see the world. We now have 13 amazing travel advisors, and they are some of the most passionate, knowledgeable people I have ever worked with. Whether you have been a client for years or you are brand new to us, you are in really good hands.
So What Have I Been Up To?
Honestly? This year has been less about my own travel and more about helping OTHER people travel — which I love. I have been heads-down booking trips, working with clients, and keeping up with... well, everything going on in the world right now. If you have been paying attention to the news, you know it has been A LOT. Between changing travel rules, airline chaos, and just general world craziness, having a travel advisor in your corner has never been more important. (Not to be dramatic, but seriously.)
I did get on a Virgin Voyages cruise recently and had the best time. If you have not tried Virgin yet, put it on your list. It is such a fun, different kind of cruise experience.
What is Coming Up for Me
I have some really fun things on the calendar:
May — I am heading to Las Vegas for the Travel Edge and Ensemble conference. My husband Nate is coming with me, so we will definitely be doing some fun Vegas stuff between the meetings and sessions. It is always great to connect with other advisors and travel partners — and let us be honest, Vegas is always a good time.
June — This is the big one. We are doing our hosted Alaska cruise on Cunards Queen Elizabeth, sailing from Vancouver to Seward. And here is the fun part — my husband was born and raised in Alaska, but he has never really seen the coast. He has not done the Inside Passage, he has not seen the glaciers from the water. So this is going to be really special for both of us. I cannot wait.
November — Our Crystal Cruises Caribbean sailing — 13 nights of pure luxury. I have been looking forward to this one for a while.
Road trips! — In between all of that, Nate and I have been doing a lot of road trips around the Southeast. There is SO much to see right here — we have been exploring Tennessee, the Carolinas, Georgia, all of it. Sometimes you do not have to go far to have an adventure.
A Few of Our Hosted Group Journeys
Speaking of travel — we have some amazing hosted group trips coming up that I would love for you to check out. These are trips where one of our advisors actually goes WITH you, handles the details, and makes sure everyone has a blast:
- Tulum Jungle Neuro Reset (May 2026) — A wellness retreat in the jungles of Tulum
- Three Alaska cruises (June 2026) — Virgin Voyages from Seattle, our Cunard sailing from Vancouver to Seward, and Holland America roundtrip from Vancouver
- Haunted Isles: UK (October 2026) — Spooky castles and ghost tours, just in time for Halloween
- Crystal Caribbean (November 2026) — My hosted luxury cruise
- Colombia, Portugal and Spain, Christmas Markets (2027) — Already planning ahead!
Check out all the details at awakentravels.com/our-group-journeys.
One More Thing
If you are getting this and thinking about a trip — whether it is a cruise, an all-inclusive, a European adventure, or just a long weekend somewhere warm — reach out. That is literally what we are here for. And honestly, in a world that feels a little chaotic right now, I think we all deserve a really good vacation.
It is good to be back. Thanks for sticking with me.
Talk soon,
Cindi and the Awaken Travels Team
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