Why I Started Moon & Map: The Magic of Travel That Changed My Life
Hi, I’m Lindsey, founder of Moon & Map Travel Co., and I believe travel is magic.
“Magic?” you ask, confused.
Yes. Magic.
Trust me—I’m a witch.
Now, some people might think of magic as a man in a tux pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Or sawing a woman in half. But for me, magic is the transmutation of energy.
Okay, let me get a little nerdy for a second: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed—only changed. That’s one of the fundamental laws of physics. In my humble opinion, magic is just science we haven’t figured out yet.
As a witch, I’m not creating energy, just shifting it. This witch believes in science. And the woo woo. (More on that later.)
We’re going to do some time traveling via the written word.
Let’s Time Travel for a Moment…
Flashback to two months ago: I was burned out. Emotionally. Spiritually. Definitely physically. My mental health had taken a sharp nose dive.
I was working retail—a job that had long since lost its sparkle. I adored my coworkers and the connections I made with people, but something in me kept whispering: There’s more.
More purpose. More meaning. More joy. I just didn’t know what “more” looked like.
Twas much confusion.
So I did what any self-respecting, spiritual, chaos-adjacent witch would do: I meditated.
As soft, dreamy music played through my AirPods, I reached out to the universe. I asked for guidance. I wanted to know my purpose—how I could help others. What was I meant to do?
And then… my memory started to drift.
Flashes of my childhood danced behind my eyelids:
Walking briskly through a theme park
Jumping on hotel beds
Skiing down a snowy mountain
Falling down said mountain
Swimming with dolphins, a rare and real smile on my face
Feeding manta rays and feeling them gently suck up the fish from my hand
In every memory, the people I loved most were right there with me.
My dad—tall and fast—me jogging to keep up.
My sister, giggling on hotel beds.
Family flanking me on the slopes.
My mom’s voice floating across the water as I was propelled forward by a dolphin:
“It’s okay to smile, you know, Lindsey!”
Those memories flooded in, raw and vivid. And suddenly, it all made sense.
That is what I wanted to help people do.
I wanted to help others make those kinds of memories.
To connect with the world—and with each other—through shared experience.
Travel for the soul, no matter the budget.
Yeah… super easy, right?
At the time, I was high on vibes and stardust—deep in the woo woo—but that spark became a flame. And that flame became Moon & Map.
I began to build Moon & Map immediately after. No waiting for me. I’d found my passion and I was going to chase it. I don’t usually half ass things, you see.
So Why Moon & Map?
Because I wanted to create something intentional. Accessible. Magical.
I thought about all the reasons people (myself included) don’t travel more:
“It’s too expensive.”
“I don’t have time.”
“I couldn’t possibly leave now.”
Sound familiar?
That’s where I come in.
My goal is to be your Gandalf—giving you sweet little Bilbos a gentle shove out the door. (That’s a Lord of the Rings reference, and no, I won’t apologize.) I’ll take care of the details so you don’t have to.
What You’ll Find Here
This blog is your cozy little corner of the internet.
You can expect dreamy destination spotlights, magical travel inspiration, practical tips, and whatever random thing is lighting me up at the moment—because I will find a way to connect it to travel. Just watch me.
Oh, dear reader… I have plans.
One Last Thing
If you’ve read this far—thank you.
This is my very first blog post, and I’m writing it while packing for a long weekend in Florida with my husband and our friends.
Time to go make more memories. More magic.
Wander wisely. Dream deeply. Travel magically.
See you soon.
Lindsey
