Florida Schilling

About Us 

People often ask me how and why I became a travel agent. As a child growing up in Tahiti, my favorite subject was geography. I was drawn to discover the world beyond my beautiful but remote islands in the South Pacific. After I moved to California, in March 1973, I found a job as a travel assistant to Mr. Clifton Thompson, owner of Thompson Creekside Travel, a well-respected, popular company in Napa, California.

I discovered that this was my ticket to the world. Not only did I learn how to make travel arrangements for clients, but I got travel benefits as well. It was my dream job, and when Mr. Thompson retired, I was honored that he felt I could take over his agency and continue his work.

More than 50 years later, I still love this work. Is it challenging? Always. As the world of travel changed with the introduction of the internet, travelers still needed help finding their best choices, whether it is a flight to Los Angeles, or a trek in Nepal.

This is especially true today when people confront a bewildering array of options. Which is the best one? Is there something they have missed? I enjoy putting together a trip and arranging the details, and I admit, I love to find bargains.

Meanwhile, I have been able to travel to 75 countries, sometimes with other travel agents and sometimes on my own with friends. We have traveled by camel in Egypt, by boat in Vietnam, and by train on the Trans-Siberian railroad across Russia. We have explored tiny countries like Latvia and Lithuania, and enormous ones like China. As well as the adventures and memories I gather when I travel, I also bring back my personal experiences to help guide clients.

I still have many countries to visit on my bucket list, and I am happy to help you make your own plans to explore the world.