This week, we grabbed Jaclyn Lofts, UTracks Sales Manager and Camino specialist, and convinced her to tell us all her secrets. Though that’s not to say we manhandled her or anything.

The challenge for the industry is:

Keeping up with the pace of information these days, we are all very used to the idea that everything is immediately at our fingertips 24/7.

The things I like about my job are:

Our UTracks product is fantastic; it’s such a special way to experience the lesser known places in Europe rather than a tick list of major sights.

It’s rewarding to be active & I love how our travellers embrace this style of travel & come back year after year.

And the frustrations are:

For our team dealing with the time difference with Europe can be a challenge and there is definitely a different pace of life in Europe which I admire but it can frustrate me at times – I call it ‘South of France time’.

If I didn’t work in travel I would be:

A reporter, I grew up desperately wanting to be on 60 Minutes.

Favourite Airline:

Emirates, the network & service are excellent.

My proudest moment:

Right now! I feel lucky to call Sydney home, have a job I love and have super people around me – life is good.

The naughtiest thing I ever did was:

Ha, my partner laughed at this one, I’m the person who goes back to the checkout when they undercharge me, I just can’t do ‘naughty’.

I try to relax by:

Walking, it feels so good – the movement and fresh air clears my mind & puts everything back in perspective.

The last time I feared for my life was:

Crossing the border at Tecate in Mexico for a wine day trip in Baja, California, they didn’t check my passport on the way in and so when I exited they weren’t sure how/when I got in – visions of spending my life in a Mexican prison were flashing before my eyes while they all discussed what to do with me.

If I can, I always try to avoid:

Instant coffee, I hate to admit that I am a terrible coffee snob.

I really wish I had:

The ability to be a morning person, I read about a woman who gets up at 2am on the weekends to hike and watch a sunrise which sounded wonderful but I just love staying up late and despite many attempts have not managed the art of early mornings.

The best advice I’ve ever received was:

That you don’t regret the things you’ve tried, just give it a go, either way, you’ll learn something.

I don’t understand why people:

Have to stand so close to the luggage belt at the airport, in Japan, they have a nice line that everyone stands behind, so orderly and stress-free, so Japan.

My greatest weakness:

Food, I plan my weekends & holidays around food & can’t say no to any amazing yummy thing put in front of me.

And my greatest strength is:

Empathy, I like to think I can put myself in someone else’s shoes and try to help, whether it’s a colleague, client or friend.

If I won $1 million lottery (aside from travelling) I would:

Buy a little piece of land someplace surrounded by nature.

If I was Prime Minister I would:

Self-combust, I can’t begin to imagine the challenges and complexities of running a country.

If I could be someone else for a day I would be:

An astronaut, to me space is phenomenal; I’d love to experience leaving the earth’s atmosphere and looking down at this magical blue planet.

I’ve always wanted to travel to:

Sicily, everyone must be sick of hearing about it but I have literally been reading and planning and dreaming of Sicily for about five years.

My favourite holidays was:

It’s often the last one which was a self-guided walking holiday in Crete in Greece – fantastic landscapes, the friendliest people, lots of swimming and of course the food, I am sure I ate my weight in feta each day.