FTLO Alumni Spotlight: Nathan – Saying Yes to a life of Travel

Meet Nathan from Dallas! A pilot, history buff, and two-time FTLO traveler, Nathan has a knack for saying yes to adventure. From riding camels across the Sahara to enjoying a classical concert in Vienna’s St. Peter’s Church, his solo travels with FTLO have taken him across the world and connected him with new friends along the way.

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FTLO Trips:

• 🇲🇦 Morocco (2024)

• 🇭🇺 🇦🇹 🇨🇿 Budapest, Vienna, & Prague (2024)

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What inspired you to travel solo or try group travel for the first time?

Nathan: “I’ve done group travel before, mostly with churches on mission trips. The church I went to never really did them, so I had to go through other churches and ended up traveling with people I didn’t know.

A lot of friends in my life don’t travel as much, or if they do, it’s hard to get our schedules to sync up. I was tired of waiting on people.I wanted to go and travel. It's always fun to experience travel with other people.”

Which FTLO trips have you been on so far, and why did you choose them?

Nathan:“My first FTLO trip was Morocco back in March and April. Then I just got back from the Budapest, Vienna, & Prague trip a week or two ago. I did Morocco because I had vacation time around then, and that trip lined up. I’d never been to Africa before, so I thought that would be a great time to go. I chose Budapest, Vienna, & Prague because I got to visit three countries in Europe on one trip. I’m really glad I did, it was a lot of fun. All three cities were connected historically, but they each felt different.The train ride through the countryside was also amazing. I’m trying to knock countries off my list and see more of the world, and that trip made it easy to do that.”

Which city was your favorite?

Nathan: “Vienna. I love history - I’m a history guy. It’s obviously rich in history but still very modern. You’ve got the old buildings and architecture, but also new restaurants, stores, and everything else.

I’m also a big classical music fan, and Vienna is basically the Mecca of classical music. Getting to go to a concert at St. Peter’s Church, where Bach and Mozart performed, was just surreal.”

Do you still stay in touch with people from your trips?

Nathan:“Yeah, there are about three people I stay in touch with from the Morocco trip. We check in every now and then. One of them, the other guy on my Morocco trip, is like an FTLO expert. He’s been on almost every trip. I was talking to him before my Europe trip to get advice about packing since I overpacked for Morocco. I’m also going to meet up with some people from my last trip. One of them lives in another city not too far from me, and another person lives in my city. It’s cool having those connections after traveling together.”

What advice would you give future FTLO travelers?

Nathan:“First, read the itinerary. I made the mistake of not reading the Budapest, Vienna, & Prague one closely. I figured it would be like Morocco, but we had way more free time. I wasn’t prepared for that and had to scramble to get tickets and figure out what to do.

Second, come a day early. Meet up with a few people before the trip starts. The people I met early are the ones I still stay in touch with. It also helps with jet lag. There was one person on my Europe trip who came the day of, and the jet lag was hard on him the whole time.”

What surprised you most about group travel or FTLO?

Nathan:“Honestly, just how well everything is run. Everything went smoothly. Nothing bad happened on either trip. Everything was efficient, straightforward, and well-planned out.”

Can you share a standout memory or two from your FTLO trips?

Nathan:“For Morocco, doing the camel ride in the desert to our campsite was amazing. On our free day, I got the group together and we all booked a sunrise hot air balloon ride outside of Marrakech. Seeing the city and desert from above was incredible.

For Budapest, Vienna, & Prague, it was more about the people. The cooking class was a lot of fun. Everyone was cutting up, making jokes, and laughing the whole time.

And one night in Vienna, I found a restaurant that overlooked the whole city. I saw Vienna during the day, and then it started raining. Watching the rain come in from that view was a really cool experience.”

Do you recommend traveling with FTLO, and why?

Nathan:“Yes, I tell everybody about FTLO. I’m always bragging about it. I like having everything planned for me so I don’t have to worry about anything. Both trips have been a lot of fun. I really enjoy the cooking classes and the hands-on activities. The new website is awesome too! It’s so much easier to navigate. I was just showing it to my friend the other day, trying to convince him to pick a trip.”

What’s next on your FTLO bucket list?

“Havana is number one. It looks like a short, fun trip that I could probably do without taking vacation time. I’m also looking at Iceland, Lapland, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are so many I want to do.”

Anything else you’d like to share?

“I really enjoy traveling with FTLO. Everything has gone smoothly, and the customer service has always been great. Both trips have been 10 out of 10 experiences.

And the FTLO merch is awesome. The hoodie I got is super comfortable.”