Marylou Calnin-Sek

I’m originally from Central Wisconsin, where I grew up on the family farm and then attended college in Madison/Milwaukee. All through college, I had this burning desire to travel. My first flight was to Europe in 1986. I spent a year aboard - 11 months longer than what I had planned! I was hooked! When I returned, I took a part time job at a travel agency while I was still going to school and waitressing. The travel agency position won out! That was 34 years ago. Lake Forest Travel has been my work home for the past 27 years and I find it so exciting to help my long time clients figure out what destination they should explore next!

My travel passions are skiing and warm beaches- very different! Since my husband is a ski fanatic, he has pushed my daughter and me to ski every year so I am extremely familiar with almost all the top ski destinations in the US. My most recent ski adventures have been in Aspen, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, Vail, Sun Valley, Taos and Beaver Creek in the U.S also Lake Louise and Revelstoke in Canada… - all amazing and very different for every level of skier. This Jan we will experience our first European Ski destination, Chamonix France!!

I am sure my love for warm beach vacations comes from the fact that it is the opposite of where I grew up… a far cry from the farm land in central Wisconsin. I have recently explored the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas and Jamaica before that. In Mexico, Cabo San Lucas and Puerta Vallarta. The Hawaiian Islands of Kona and Maui ... a bit more exotic, cruising French Polynesia and Bali - where I found my inner peace- "Namaste"

I am fortunate to experience fascinating trips to Africa- on Safari in Botswana and South Africa. Stays in Cape Town and the Winelands soon became a favorite destination! Thailand- the beautiful Island of Koh Samui, Cambodia- to visit the Angkor Wat Temples at sunrise and Laos to give alms to the Buddist monks in Luang Prabang. I have also been to Peru and made it to the top of Machu Picchu by way of the amazing Hiram Bingham train, rode ATV's in the Sacred Valley and watched the amazing sunsets in Lima, over the Pacific, with a Pisco Sour in hand!!

Europe is also a favorite of mine having just spent time in Italy on Lake Como, hiking in Lauterbrunnen Switzerland and sunny days in Paris since that is where it all began...that desire to see and experience all that life has out there for us!! Keep on traveling!!