I didn’t start Rich Hippy Travel with a grand plan, I started it because I felt something was missing. I remember being on a tour in Egypt. It was informative, even insightful. But something in the delivery felt off. Too scripted and scheduled, like we were skimming the surface of something deeper. And that’s when it hit me: travel, as it’s usually sold, is often more about ticking boxes than tuning in. It wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t right for me.

I’ve travelled solo through deserts, mountains, jungles, and cities,  I’ve chased the shot, the story, the must-sees… and then found real meaning in the quiet, unshared moments. Moments you just hold, like the warm sunrise on your back or that conversation where no one speaks the same language, but you all understand each other.

I’ve learned more on the road than any course or job ever taught me. Like how to trust your gut when there’s no signal, no map, and no translation.  I’ve learned that connection doesn’t require a shared language and that the most valuable currency isn’t money, it’s perspective.

Before I even knew I was “building a brand,” I was doing what came naturally: picking people up from airports, sharing my go-to Airbnbs, recommending where to get the best tea or catch the right light for a photo. I wasn’t selling trips, I was tuning into people’s energy and giving them a better way to move through the world. That rhythm became a vision. And eventually, it needed a name.

The name? That came from a conversation I had while on the road. Someone asked me why I travel—and what I really wanted to do with it. I gave them my honest answer. No filters. And they smiled and said with this kind of quiet pride, “Mate, you’re a rich hippy.” And it stuck. Not because it was perfect, but because it captured the paradox I’d been living: craving soulful, grounded, culturally rich experiences, but delivered with style, depth, and intention. Not a luxury for status. But travel that means something.