Don Nott, Founder & Master Trip Planner
Growing up with blue-collar roots in Detroit, Michigan, Don’s family only traveled to destinations where relatives resided. During college there was time, but no money. After grad school, there was money, but no time. Frustrated with the perpetual postponement of trips due to one circumstance or another, in 2009 Don committed to taking at least 1 international trip and 1 road trip every year moving forward. After over 14 years and 40 countries, he has yet to break that promise to himself.
Some enjoy a crossword puzzle or good book on the weekend… Don obsessively researches and crafts itineraries to destinations around the world. His professional life as an Industrial / Organizational Psychologist provides limited time off, so a key travel principle is to optimize his time and experiences in each destination. However, an equally important principle is to balance planned activities with the flexibility for spontaneity and appreciation while minimizing stress and exhaustion.
The Site
Losing a grandparent to Alzheimer’s had a significant impact on Don. It made him realize how important documenting his experiences may be to accessing those memories in the future. Whether it be through writing, music, photography, or video, his drive has not only been for creative expression, but as a service for his future self to remember his past. For Don, travel has not just been a catalyst for ongoing insight and growth, it’s an imperative for creating experiential memories and a full life.
“Travel Dispatch” started as a ‘Blogspot’ site for Don’s collection of travel essays, itineraries, reviews, photos, and videos. With encouragement and support from his family and friends, it has evolved into a full-fledged website for Don to share his travel-related experiences with others like you. He knows you may be frustrated with the perpetual postponement of trips due to one circumstance or another, just as he once was; and he hopes to inspire and prepare you to further explore the world!
The Team
Don has the best team in the world! He lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife (Crystal) and rescue greyhound (DeZi). Crystal is a leader in Human Resources and DeZi competed in over 155 races before retiring. Crystal and Don have traveled to over 25 countries together and will have visited all 7 continents of the Earth by their 10th wedding anniversary. Although DeZi only joins for local travel experiences, he does get to stay at a local pet resort during Don and Crystal’s international travels.
The team is grateful for the privilege of travel and believes experiencing new places and cultures not only helps us better understand others, but deepens our understanding of ourselves. Many societal challenges tend to be rooted in a lack of exposure and empathy with those who are different from us. Travel is one way to further broaden our perspectives and connection with a larger pool of humanity. We have found there are far more similarities among us than there are differences.