The Secret to Happiness: What Finland Taught Us

What is the secret to happiness? My guest today went searching for that answer in the United Nations' happiest country in the world — no, not Disneyland, but Finland — and not only found the answer, but also went through her own personal soul-touching moments and transformations in the process.

Welcome to Travel That Touches Your Soul podcast and video channel, where I bring you the people and places around the world to help you connect with something greater than yourself and fulfill your heart's desires. I'm Karen Cleveland, and today's guest is Doni Belau.

Doni founded the women-only tour company Girls' Guide to the World in 2009 with a mission to empower women of all ages to explore the world. She has led thousands of women across 80 countries on journeys that blend cultural immersion, personal growth, and sisterhood. Her story is one of transformation — including how travel shaped her purpose, and how she now creates journeys that touch women's souls in return.

Guest Bio

Doni Belau founded the women-only tour company Girls' Guide to the World in 2009 with a mission to empower women of all ages to explore the world. Girls' Guide to the World now offers 85 tours to 51 countries. As an intrepid traveler who has explored over 80 countries herself, Doni has used her destination knowledge to curate a diverse portfolio of trips catering to a wide range of interests, from cultural immersion and culinary tours to active adventures and wellness retreats. Each itinerary is thoughtfully crafted to spark curiosity, foster authentic connection, and create lasting memories. Doni's diverse experiences, from television production to humanitarian work in South Africa, have fueled her passion for creating transformative journeys that blend personal growth with the joy of exploration. With over 15 years of experience in the travel industry, Doni's in-depth understanding of destinations, travel trends, and evolving consumer desires ensures that each tour offered prioritizes connection, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences. When not leading trips, she divides her time between France, New Orleans, and a sailboat named Relish — a testament to her adventurous spirit.

Host Bio

Karen Cleveland is the creator and host of Travel That Touches Your Soul. She is a safari and wildlife trip host, spiritual teacher, and animal communicator devoted to helping people reconnect with what matters most through meaningful travel. Her work centers on connection with animals, land, culture, and inner truth, and the quiet inner knowing that says, this is the kind of life I came here to live.

Episode Topics and Timestamps

• What is the secret to happiness? The question that launched a journey to Finland (00:00)

• Welcome and introduction — Karen introduces Doni Belau and Girls' Guide to the World (00:20)

• The Arctic Snow Hotel in Rovaniemi — ice bars, ice sculptures, and -13°F nights (01:20)

• Two Finland trips — one chasing Northern Lights, one chasing happiness (05:00)

• Reindeer rides, husky mushing, and why these dogs live for this (06:29)

• The boat sauna in Tromsø — hamam, cold plunge, and hot tub in the snow (10:55)

• Northern Lights magic — why your phone camera sees them better than your eyes (12:10)

• The summer happiness research trip — meeting the nine Nordic Queens (13:48)

• The countryside farmstead — ancient rye bread, matriarchal tradition, and the old ways (15:00)

• The group dynamic — solo travelers, sisterhood, and "meet as strangers, depart as friends" (17:27)

• Free education through PhD and nearly 50% female government representation (21:00)

• The sauna and cold plunge — what Finland has known for centuries that we're only learning now (24:00)

• Trust in government — the factor that silenced the whole room (28:07)

• What Doni brought home — why travel truly eliminates prejudice (33:40)

• Upcoming trips — Finland, Italy's Dolomites, Sicily, Galapagos, Madagascar, Molokai, and more (36:32)

• How to find Girls' Guide to the World and join The Traveling Sisterhood (39:43)

Girls' Guide to the World website

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Email info@girlsguidetotheworld.com

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What is the secret to happiness?

2

My guest today went searching for

that answer to the United Nations

3

happiest country in the world.

4

No, not Disneyland, Finland.

5

She not only found the answer to

that, but also went through her

6

own personal soul touching moments

and transformations in the process.

7

Welcome to Travel That Touches

Your Soul podcast and video

8

channel where I bring you the

9

People in places around the world to help

you connect with something greater than

10

yourself and fulfill your heart's desires.

11

Hi, I am Karen Cleveland, and

today's guest is Donnie Below.

12

Now Donnie founded the

Women Only Tour Company.

13

Girls Guide to the World in 2009

with a mission to empower women

14

of all ages to explore the world,

which is right on target for me.

15

She has led thousands of women

across over 80 countries on journeys

16

that blend cultural immersion.

17

Personal growth and sisterhood.

18

Her story is one of transformation,

including how travel shaped her purpose.

19

And so now she creates journeys

that touch women's souls in return.

20

Welcome to the show, Donnie.

21

It's so great to have you here.

22

Thank you so much for the invitation.

23

I'm thrilled.

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Yeah.

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Yes, me too.

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I'm, I'm super excited to

hear about Finland, but also

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about some of the journeys.

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I am gonna share some of the

pictures from your journeys, and

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the first ones up are from Finland.

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I don't know what year this

is, but you will let us know.

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So if you can see that picture,

a whole bunch of women in front

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of it looks like a ice hotel.

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Exactly.

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And actually we just, I just

got back from that trip.

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Okay.

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So that is this year.

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And this was the first year we did what

we call chasing the Northern Lights.

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So we went started in Finland.

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Obviously went to to the ice.

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It's actually called

the Arctic Snow Hotel.

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Okay.

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Up in Naro Emmy.

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And , it's absolutely magical.

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, I'm really happy I did some

research on this because

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obviously I'm always researching.

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It's, it's really part of the fun

of the job, but it people say and it

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was my dream to sleep in one of these

hotels, you know, since I've probably

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all of us have this on our bucket list.

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Yeah.

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But it is just.

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Too cold, so we did not sleep there.

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Okay.

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Which every single person on the trip

was thrilled that we didn't sleep there.

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But it's so much fun because you

walk around all the rooms and

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each room is decorated, you know,

with snow and ice sculptures, snow

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and ice in the inside, each room.

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Yeah, that's me, the Arctic Snow Hotel.

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It's it's really a, . Winter

Wonderland in there.

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And of course they do it from

scratch every year, and they start

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in November and it ends in March.

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So, you know, every year.

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And each room has a different theme.

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So, and then there's an ice bar,

an ice restaurant, even a chapel.

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It's, it's such a cool thing to see.

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And so you didn't sleep there.

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'cause I have wondered about that

too, for the people that sleep there.

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How do they stay warm all night?

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Do you know?

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They don't, I mean, it is cold.

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There's big fur blankets and stuff,

but just being in there , they give you

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the outfit that we work with, they give

you these snow suits, so you'll see it.

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That's why we're all in the pink.

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But even in the snow suits, we thought

like if we had to lay down and you

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know how you get colder at night

'cause you're, you're not moving

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around and thought, oh my gosh.

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'cause it was really

cold when we were there.

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It got down to negative 13 Fahrenheit.

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Oh my gosh.

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People don't really sleep.

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You know, I, I think you could maybe

get some sort of liquor induced

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sleep, which is the perfect, perfect.

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I think that's what you have to, to do.

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Yes, yes.

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You know what we're gonna talk about.

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Yeah.

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Maybe just knock yourself out.

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Right.

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And we'll talk a little bit about

this later, but this is an ice glass.

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Is that right?

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Yeah, so that was probably the most

fun after seeing all the rooms.

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And you can't go into your room

if you do stay there until nine

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o'clock at night because they're

open during the day to, to visitors.

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So you have dinner and then you

go in there and I'm sure that

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they make the beds better than

they were made when we were there.

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And then of course for any

visitor, we can go to the ice bar.

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So as you can see behind

there, all made of ice.

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The cups are made of ice

and they have various shots.

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That this was like Lingen

berry flavored vodka.

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And then you drink that, you

have to use the napkin, otherwise

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it slips right outta your hand.

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Oh, yes.

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Which happened to a couple people.

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But that was super fun.

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That's great.

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And there's music going on, you know.

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At the end, you, you're meant

to smash it against the wall.

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So, you know, we, we we all

had so much fun doing that.

108

Awesome.

109

Yeah, it sounds like a lot of fun.

110

So you were on this journey with

these women, and tell me why

111

you went in the first place.

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You, you said it was

chasing the Northern Lights.

113

Right.

114

Yeah.

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So we actually have two trips to

Finland and I, I feel really blessed.

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And this is this, a few of us in Helsinki.

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A few I, I feel really blessed

that I've gotten to go in

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the summer and in the winter.

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So the summer trip, which I think we

have some pictures later, I do that is.

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That was really built as not only

a sightseeing trip and a, you know,

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a, a regular trip to see a country,

but also sort of fact finding

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mission as to why they win happiest

country in the world year after

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year, after year for eight years.

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So, like, what is it about Finland?

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It's not Sweden.

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It's not Norway.

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Right.

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I mean, we know that the, the Scandinavian

Nordic countries are, you know, really

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have got it all together in a lot of ways.

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Yes.

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But why so that, that's really the

cornerstone or the, the starting point

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of our summer trip to Finland, which

we've got coming up in a few months here.

133

And then the winter trip is really about.

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Winter wonderland and chasing the

Northern Lights, making sure we, we

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saw them three times, which was great.

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And and you know, just

having all those fantastic.

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Winter adventures that you

can have in the Arctic.

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So, okay.

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All the, we, you know, feeding reindeer,

going on a reindeer ride, doing the

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mushing with the Huskies you know, the

ice hotel all those kind of things.

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It's, it's really, really magical.

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Yeah, I think we have some of

those on here, those are the

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reindeer you're laying down here.

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Sort of like a lounge all made of wood.

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So the reindeers go quite slow.

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This is like your pony ride with

your 2-year-old kind of thing.

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Okay.

148

But it's, it's just fun to meet

the reindeers to, you know,

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feed them to sort of see they're

actually smaller than you think.

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We, we learned that, only

the girls have the racks.

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So only have the have

the, that's interesting.

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Have the horn, isn't it?

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So that means that on Santa

Sleigh, yeah, those were all girls.

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Rudolph is Rudolph.

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So they're all girls.

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They're all females.

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Wow.

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That's interesting.

159

Well, of course they are because

they're taking him around the world.

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They have to have their You bet.

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Correct.

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You gotta have women take

care of these things, right?

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That's right.

164

Oh, there's, now here's

the dogs for the mushing.

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And you know, I think a lot of

us think, oh, you know, we feel

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terrible when we, if we take up.

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A horse drawn sleigh.

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'cause we worry about the horses.

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Well these dogs are bred for this

and you know, this is the way

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everybody got around back in the day.

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Right.

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And they were so excited.

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You know, they get, they get them

all lined up and there's six,

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so three on each side that that.

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Pull you.

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And then you, we have one driver

and one person sitting down, but

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they are so excited to get going.

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They, this is what they live for.

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Right?

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So it, it was actually really

quite, really, really fun.

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And it's, you know, it's equal

parts, adrenaline rush, a little

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scary, but also super fun.

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So one of those out of your

comfort zone kind of moments,

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and you're warm through it.

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It's not too windy.

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Oh, I thought I had

another dog photo, I guess.

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Yeah, we all had bought goggles.

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And you need to really cover

your face, but then the goggles

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would, as goggles always do.

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Right.

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Even when you're in the,

you know, snorkeling.

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Yeah.

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They're, they always

seemed to steam up, right?

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Yeah.

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So I remember being able to see like out

of the little bottom part, my goggles.

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Some people took them off, but yeah.

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You're warm 'cause you're, you

know, you're, you are, especially

198

if you're driving, you are working.

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'cause you know, you're leaning each

way when you're going around the corner.

200

So I recommend this to anyone.

201

You have to have a little

guts to, to do the driving.

202

The other people sat, you know, and sort

of just got to enjoy the experience.

203

But it is fun and it's fast.

204

You feel fast.

205

You're going fast.

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Did you drive?

207

I did.

208

Oh my gosh.

209

You bet.

210

Yeah.

211

How many times have you done this?

212

One and only one.

213

And only, Now I did it in a

different way in ssas, in France.

214

But yes, six of us, we had a group of 11

women plus me, so 12 and six of us drove,

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so I had to convince a couple people

who were like on the fence, you know?

216

But it was, it was really, really fun.

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Wow.

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And this is, this is the sort of a.

219

Romanesque hub, you know, type sculpture.

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This is some of the ladies in there

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So they do each year, you know, the,

the year so that you can, when you

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take a snapshot, you can remember.

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Wow.

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It's amazing.

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They have to rebuild it every year too.

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Isn't it?

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Yeah.

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The other fun thing we got

to do we did ice sculptures.

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So you can see a little bit there on

the left of the screen next to the girl.

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Yeah, you can see that's one of them now.

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They gave us blocks of ice.

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They gave us a little bit of instruction.

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And it, it basically showed us how really,

really, really hard it was and what

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artisans, I mean, these are artists who

craft this, this whole hotel and, and

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all the incredible designs inside of it.

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They are really craftsmen.

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And this was one of our guides.

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She helped the girl in

teal there make a goblet.

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So that was like the, one of the few

that looked like anything recognizable.

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Mine was terrible.

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Absolutely terrible.

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And it's exhausting 'cause you're like

chipping away at the ice, you know?

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Right.

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Didn't keep us warm though on

a very, very cold , afternoon.

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Yeah.

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Well I have problems building

snowmen that look decent, so, yeah.

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Yeah.

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I'm not surprised.

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Yeah.

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There you are.

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In front of that.

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Yeah.

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With the goblet.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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This is in Tromso.

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So our tour goes from Finland into Norway.

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So you get to see both countries

and believe it or not, that boat

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that she's coming from behind

that you can see the boat there.

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Yeah.

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That, I believe it's actually

the boat on the right.

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It wasn't the one that's so

snow covered, but we went on a.

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On a boat spa, a boat sauna, so, you

know, in Finland, and of course it's

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transferred to Norway, to, they're crazy.

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Into their spa, into their saunas.

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I mean, it's part of Finnish culture and

it's actually one of the reasons some

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of the ladies on our fact finding tour

found that, it's one of the reasons they

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feel like they're the happiest people

in the world, or at least content.

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They don't ever say, you know,

I'm super happy all the time.

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Right.

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Nobody is.

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Right, right, right.

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The, so on that boat.

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So it's retrofitted like a 1950s boat.

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There's hamam, so a steam sauna, a

cold plunge, a a proper wood-fired

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sauna, a lounge area, a hot tub.

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So really cool to be in this, they

had just, it dumped like 12 inches

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of snow overnight and here we were,

you know, at this spa on a boat.

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You know, it just, it was incredible.

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It sounds like a lot of fun because

you're staying warm, you know?

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Yeah.

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In all these different ways,

and it's so beautiful outside

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and there's the Northern lights.

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Yeah, there's the lights.

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I know.

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It's, that's really the main

reason why everybody makes a trek

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up to, you know, any place in

the Arctic at this time of year.

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Yeah.

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This was actually taken

by one of my clients.

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She stepped out of her lodge and it

was this beautiful place called the

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Invisible Lodge that we go to, and

the ro me and, and she caught the,

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which I think is, it looks fake.

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It's just not even real looking.

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Right.

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It's fantastic.

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Yeah.

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So once in a while I have a showing

here in Seattle and I'm always, if

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my app says to look, then I go look.

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For sure.

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You bet.

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You bet.

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Oh, I thought I had another one.

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It must be after this.

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Let me, yeah, this one.

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Yeah.

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So you're out on a boat.

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We did.

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Is that right?

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Yeah.

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We took a Northern Lights cruise.

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So you're on this boat that's

just the very top of it.

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So there's a big dining room below and

you have dinner and it was a cloudy.

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When we went out, so I didn't,

and plus we'd already seen the

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Northern Lights, so I thought, oh,

well, you know, I'm not even gonna

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worry about it or think about it.

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And the captain was like, determined

and he, this, he got out there

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and and he, he found them.

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And we just had an incredible show.

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The important thing I think

for people to know is that they

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don't look exactly like this.

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Except for when you put your camera up.

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So sometimes you can see 'em with a

naked eye, but it's something about

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the camera and just the iPhone or

whatever, any kind of phone you have.

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It just makes them come alive.

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It is, it is truly magical.

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I'm so excited that I

got to see them finally.

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That's an amazing bonus a second time.

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So tell me what's going on here.

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It looks like, what is that?

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Right, so this is a flashback

to our summer trip last year.

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And we do have a few spots not

that I'm advertising for next year.

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Excuse me, can this summer?

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Yeah.

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'cause it, it really

is such a special trip.

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What, what I found a lady in

one of these sort of deep dive.

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The internet, which you know,

we all get got get into.

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But I found, um a, a museum actually and

they were doing basically these, these

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in-depth tours about women in Finland.

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So these were just day tours and I called

them up, we had a meeting, said, do you,

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can we, do you think we could extend this

and make this a, a week long thing and

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kind of go all over Finland and meet.

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Women all across different

fields, all around the country to

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find out why you guys get voted

happiest country in the world.

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I am getting to this picture.

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So this, this wonderful lady Tuya who,

who ended up helping me put this together.

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Basically called in

friends and acquaintances.

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She's been in the travel business for a

long time and this, and this was one of

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our, we called the trip Nordic queens.

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So we, we met nine Nordic queens, so women

who are doing important things and, and

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who could possibly answer the question.

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Why do you think you're the

happiest or most content?

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So this was one lady older lady.

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You could just see her apron behind.

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But we went to her country farm that

she inherited from her grandmother.

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So it, it had been always a matriarchal

ownership and existence there.

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They basically are teaching mostly

kids, like school kids come in,

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but you can also stay there.

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The old ways.

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So the ways of our ancestors and, and

what it's like or their ancestors, I

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should say, what it's like to live.

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Close to the land.

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You know, there's a lake there.

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Of course they have Asana.

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They have three different saunas

that's just in Finland, but they

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also make this traditional bread.

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This is rye bread.

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And interestingly, back in the

day, probably 18 hundreds, up to

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the early 19 hundreds, this was.

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The bread that everybody

in the country made.

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You used that horn probably from

a reindeer or moose or something.

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And that's what you

stamped out the middle.

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So it looks a little bit

like a big rye donut.

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Right.

374

Okay.

375

And you bake those, they're,

they don't get very high.

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They're made in such a way so that

they're, they take almost like a broom

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handle, put it up close to the ceiling,

and then they'd string these up and

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only bake like four times a year.

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So you'd bake like.

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30 at once or whatever, probably

a hundred, and then you take

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one down and heat it up for

that evening and the next day.

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So it's this rye bread

that seems to last forever.

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And, you know, it's, it's a

finished tradition, so it's always

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fun, even if you're not on this.

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Sort of research as to why why they're

the happiest people in the, in the world.

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But yeah, it's always fun to do something,

you know, that's historic like that.

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Oops, oops, oops, oops.

388

I just accidentally clicked on a bunch

of fast forwards, so don't worry.

389

I always do that.

390

Let's talk about it.

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So this is still in the snow.

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I want to hear about the happiest.

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Actually, let's look at

that one picture right here.

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Yes.

395

So, so, yes.

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These are the Nordic queens, or these

are the people on the trip with you.

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These are the people on the trip.

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I just like that picture.

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Okay.

400

And, and it, it was a

great group of ladies.

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Yeah, that's, that's kind of the magic

of these trips and part of the, you know,

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the soul fulfilling part of it, even

if you're not on this particular trip

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where we're researching happiness, if you

will, but the connection that you find.

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You come, most everybody comes alone.

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They come solo.

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Yeah.

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Because there's something like

53% of us in the United States who

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are single, whether widowed, never

married, divorced, you know, whatever.

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And then a lot of women who've

had partners for a long time.

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You know, find it actually

really wonderful and helpful for

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their relationship to get away

and do something on their own.

412

Remember who they are,

sort of on their own.

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Absolutely.

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But you know, when you come, and

our logo is our motto is meet as

415

strangers, depart as Friends, and

it happens on every single trip.

416

So there is that.

417

That is another really big piece

of what I believe is empowering

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and, and so fulfilling is to meet

people and become fast friends.

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Women are so good at that.

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We, yeah, we do lay a

good foundation for it.

421

We teach our, our trip

leaders on how, how to.

422

Create a safe space so

that people can connect.

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But you know, when you're traveling,

you know this probably more than

424

anyone, but you're connecting with a

country, with a culture, connecting

425

with each other, these people you just

met and connecting back with yourself.

426

Right, Absolutely.

427

So do you.

428

Screen people or it's you.

429

You just kind of know that the

person that's interested in the trip

430

is going to be a good fit for it.

431

Good question.

432

We used to talk to every single

person before they came on the trip.

433

That's when we were smaller.

434

This year we're doing 85

trips to 50 countries.

435

So Wow.

436

It's become quite difficult.

437

However, I would say 90% of the people,

and I understand this 'cause it's,

438

you know, these are not cheap trips.

439

They're, they're, they're, you

know, an investment, investment

440

in yourself, I believe.

441

But they, almost everybody talks

to one of our sales ladies.

442

There's two of them, and they're

really fantastic and understand the

443

brand and what we're trying to do.

444

But then before each trip, I send

out a personal acknowledgement

445

form kind of laying out.

446

Well, we really would like

for you to sit next to someone

447

different each night and ask them

questions, learn about their story.

448

So we kind of set up, you know, what

we expect, not not just, you know, what

449

we're, what we're planning on doing for

you, but what we expect from you to kind

450

of co-create this connection experience.

451

Okay?

452

So we, we try you know, as hard as

we can to set it up for success.

453

Okay.

454

This picture here that you have is

we, one of the ladies that helped us

455

set up the trip her name is Avi, and

we went to her house and she made

456

us like a homemade beautiful cake.

457

And we sat and she was one of our queens.

458

She's someone who's been affiliated

with the sir Laies Museum, which was

459

the ORI originators, and she was one

of the originators of this idea to

460

sort of celebrate the Finnish women.

461

And actually ended up writing a

whole article about what we found

462

in terms of why they're happier.

463

Oh, nice.

464

Yeah.

465

And I can tell you a

few, few pieces of it.

466

Yes, please.

467

But we did, we met with, two

women who were fashion designers.

468

They're also, one of them is a filmmaker.

469

They're just amazing ladies.

470

And they were personal friends of Tuya

who put helped me put this trip together.

471

We met with three, and you'll

see a picture coming up of three

472

ladies who run the applied.

473

there, they, there they are.

474

Those are the two the two

designers really impressive.

475

We met with three ladies who run

the applied sciences department

476

at the Tempe University.

477

And that, that was really illuminating

because they went through, they did

478

a PowerPoint for us and went through,

you know, healthcare, government you

479

know, what's it like when you have

a baby in Finland and everything?

480

Kind of shocked us.

481

I think we were like our, our our,

you know, jaws were dropping because

482

there's almost complete equity.

483

It's like 46 to 50% female

representation in the government.

484

Okay.

485

They've had one prime minister

and three female presidents.

486

They, they have both at the same time.

487

Wow.

488

You know, just.

489

So that was very inspiring to us.

490

Also, the education system.

491

You, you can go for free

all the way up to PhD level.

492

Wow.

493

They have a sort of a more

traditional university type structure.

494

And then they have a more applied,

applied or technical sciences.

495

You know, if you, if you wanna be a nurse,

if you wanna be, so they're, they're

496

teaching you that you know, that that job.

497

You know, while you're going to school.

498

So, but then you can cross over.

499

So if you, you know, you get your

nursing degree, but you wanna get,

500

let's say you wanna get a master's in

health sciences and a PhD in something

501

else, you, you're allowed to do that.

502

And so it is completely free.

503

Yeah.

504

So can you imagine, I

mean, that's game changer.

505

It is a game changer.

506

I think if kids knew the, the ones that

don't think they can afford college.

507

If they knew they could go right,

they could pursue, you know,

508

whatever it is they wanted.

509

I, I, I definitely think we have some

work to do on Yes, our education system.

510

Absolutely, and very few people would.

511

That was the country side compound.

512

Really where we got, that's the room

where we learned how to make the bread.

513

And then we had a lovely,

okay, yeah, there she is.

514

Oh, that's her.

515

She's the matriarch.

516

Okay.

517

Okay.

518

And just a no nonsense lady who

was just a whole lot of fun and

519

his, you know, carrying on her

grandmother's tradition and she's

520

bringing people into that countryside.

521

Location and especially kids that

are living, you know, in Helsinki

522

and who haven't been able to spend

as much time in the countryside.

523

And what, what it's like.

524

And that was another thing that a lot

of people mentioned that we interviewed

525

and that we had, you know, sat down and

talked to was the closeness to nature.

526

So two factors.

527

They are so dedicated to their sauna.

528

You know, sort of, it's such a

cornerstone of their culture.

529

And so with the sauna and why would

that, you know, make a difference?

530

Well.

531

First of all, I think it's really helpful

when you've got a lot of winter, you know,

532

really freezing cold times, you know,

five months of, of really, really cold.

533

Yeah.

534

But they couple the sauna

with, you know, a cold plunge.

535

So you know, whether that's in the

lake, which we did while we were there.

536

Or this winter they cut out.

537

Even in Helsinki, they cut out a hole in

the ice and you go in there, which I did.

538

And a good number of us did.

539

And that is incredibly helpful

for your central nervous system.

540

You know, now, you know, we're all

into the heat and cold plunges here.

541

You know, in, in the US we've,

we've learned what they've known

542

for, you know, hundreds of years.

543

It, it, it does something to you,

and if you do this regularly,

544

it really, it changes your.

545

Your mood.

546

It makes you feel more

comfortable in your own body.

547

It's super good for you.

548

And they, it speeds up your metabolism.

549

So there's all these health factors,

but the other thing that one of

550

the ladies pointed out was that you

go into the sauna nude with your

551

family from the time you're a kid.

552

Oh, it's not, you know, so it's

normal to be naked in front of people.

553

Just there's not the body shaming there.

554

Right.

555

That we have.

556

Right.

557

Which is, you know, a really

an acute problem here.

558

And then the other thing about being

close to nature is that many people,

559

'cause they're really quite affordable.

560

Many people have summer cottages.

561

And so they're just always communing

with nature as much as possible.

562

They get out in the winter.

563

You know, they do all the activities

in which they get out all summer.

564

Because I think that it, we know

from science that that leads you

565

to depression if you're inside.

566

Yeah.

567

You're not getting that light.

568

Yeah.

569

Which is incredibly important

for circadian rhythms.

570

So there's a lot of actual.

571

It's hard science that you could,

you know, if, if I were more of a

572

scientist or I knew you know, a little

bit more, I could probably make a,

573

a, a more interesting case for it.

574

But it was it.

575

And also they feel there's a woman

entrepreneur we spoke with who's done

576

two really successful businesses that

are centered around women and women's

577

healthcare and so forth, and she.

578

Felt that women, they actually

have, they're concerned about men

579

now because women are so empowered

in Finland and overrepresented in

580

business and in in the economy.

581

So they're, they're

worried about the men now.

582

Can you imagine that?

583

Yeah.

584

You know, so it is, it's a, it's

a fascinating culture with a

585

a lot of things we can learn.

586

So I'm hearing a couple things.

587

If you know you have a future, I mean,

that's gotta affect your mindset overall.

588

If,, you can go to school and, and

there's something for you and you

589

can make your money, you know, have a

trade of some kind, that's fantastic.

590

The cold plunges, it sound like, , I never

really knew what they did for people,

591

so I'll certainly look into it now.

592

But yeah, if you're helping your central

nervous system and then yeah, the the

593

women just seem so empowered and, in

nature and I, I believe that nature

594

completely grounds us and keeps us

centered and keeps us whole, I hear

595

a lot of factors contributing to.

596

There are.

597

The other thing that I forgot

to say, and by the way, this

598

picture is we had a make your own.

599

First of all, we did a sauna,

and this is on the winter trip.

600

We did a sauna and a hot tub

outside with all the snow.

601

So beautiful.

602

And then we could keep our robes on.

603

And have dinner in our robes, which is

something you really only do in Japan.

604

I loved I've only done that in Japan.

605

It's just so much fun.

606

Okay.

607

But it was a, they brought us hot rocks

and so we got to cook our own meat or

608

chicken or whatever on those rocks.

609

Oh.

610

Which, you know, you've probably

been to a restaurant like

611

that, but it's, it's, it's fun.

612

A lot of fun.

613

But one other thing they said in that,

in the, at the Tampa University that I

614

forgot to mention was that people trust

and have faith in their government.

615

Mm.

616

Wow.

617

Mic drop.

618

Right.

619

I mean, especially Right.

620

And we were all like, really?

621

Wow.

622

Because I think no matter what side

of the fence you are on, in our

623

terribly unfortunately, decide, you

know, divided country right now.

624

Yeah.

625

It's particularly people in the us

There's, there's distrust of government,

626

you know, on, on both sides, I think.

627

And it's, it's become, you

know, a crisis actually.

628

And they don't feel like that.

629

So that is a huge difference.

630

It is.

631

'cause if you feel like your government

is there to protect you you know,

632

there's no homeless people there.

633

They're taken care of.

634

you just feel like you're, and it's safer.

635

I mean, it's a safer, it's

by far much safer country.

636

So.

637

All these factors, you

know, start to add up.

638

Well, of course they'd

be happier, you know?

639

Right, So I am guessing maybe there's

no corruption in the government

640

that they don't just trust them.

641

. I don't think there's any

place with no corruption.

642

Okay.

643

You know, I don't think that's possible.

644

Yeah.

645

And you know, like any place they've,

they've had problems and, and it's,

646

it's gotten much, much better now.

647

But they had a problem with alcoholism.

648

I mean, it's not like, it's not,

there is no perfect place, you know?

649

Right.

650

but.

651

There's all kinds of factors that

ha have led to, you know, a better

652

situation that makes people feel more

content and, and happier and, and you

653

know, those are what we've talked about.

654

Yeah.

655

This is a picture.

656

We were at a museum in the

Arctic on the winter trip and we.

657

We had this, this lady with the Little

red boots was our tour guide and she

658

led us around and it was really a

story about the Arctic in general,

659

and what I usually do is I ask guides,

you know, can you focus on the women?

660

We wanna know about the women.

661

Right behind is sort of a setup for a

female photographer in Finland who it

662

was operating and super successful in

663

someone, and you think about it's just

only a hundred years ago that if you

664

were from a middle class or fairly well

to do family, the idea of going out and

665

doing something, making a living was.

666

A shameful thing.

667

The parents were upset.

668

They wanted you just to get married.

669

And so she, but she did have a

wonderful father who encouraged her,

670

and she became a, a, a really a very

well-known photographer, not only of

671

portraits, but of, , the, the laborers

there who were, , working in the mines

672

But she was the cutest tour guide.

673

She was so.

674

She was literally jumping up and down,

thrilled to tell us about this lady.

675

You know?

676

So it, that's all the other great

thing when you're on a trip you know,

677

connecting with local people Yeah.

678

That are just so excited to

share their history with you.

679

Yeah, absolutely.

680

Oh, we'll talk about that later.

681

There's the cheers.

682

Yep.

683

Yeah.

684

And these, this is at the Reindeer Farm.

685

So these are members of the

Samami culture, and I, and I,

686

I should pronounce it Sami.

687

It's called spelled SAMI.

688

So these were the indigenous

people of Lapland, not only in

689

Finland, but also Norway, Sweden.

690

So if you think Lapland really

covers all three of those countries,

691

it's not a, it's not a separate

country, it's just that region.

692

It's like the northern region

of each one of those countries.

693

But the, the Sami or the Sami people

are the ones who own all the reindeer.

694

This group of indigenous people have been

raising reindeer for, you know, hundreds

695

and hundreds and hundreds of years.

696

Interesting.

697

These are the original fins.

698

Yeah..

699

i'm gonna stop sharing 'cause

I wanna ask you a few questions

700

and not be distracted Sure.

701

About some of this, the, the people

on your trips and you I'm sure come

702

away , changed I, is it a trip a person

would want to do again to go to Finland

703

or do you think that, once it's, you've

learned what you've learned there.

704

People go on to other places.

705

And the ones that have come with

you on the summer trip, do they take

706

those, tools of, of happiness or

contentment from the Finlands and put

707

it into their life, do you suppose?

708

Well, those are three very

complicated questions.

709

Yeah, I know.

710

But they're great.

711

They're great questions.

712

It's fun to talk about complicated things.

713

Right.

714

I, I depends on the

kind of person you are.

715

Some people find a place and they

wanna go back and back and back.

716

Yeah.

717

I have some places like that.

718

And then I have other places

that I, I'm happy that I got

719

to go trek with the gorillas.

720

I don't wanna do it again.

721

Yeah.

722

'cause I have, it's not that it wouldn't

be amazing again, it's that I have

723

other places I wanna see and I only

have so much time, you know, this life.

724

Right, right.

725

It doesn't last forever.

726

On the other hand, you know, we have

a, a house in France and we love going

727

to France and we wanna go to France

every year, several times a year.

728

We are, you know.

729

I feel that way about Italy.

730

I could go to Italy all the time.

731

I could go to Greece.

732

I could go to a different island

in Greece, you know, if, if there

733

was an unlimited amount of time.

734

So I do think a lot of our travelers.

735

They might have one of

those countries Yeah.

736

Or two of those countries that

they wanna go back and back to.

737

And then the rest of the time

they're trying to, they're,

738

they're trying to check those

items off on their bucket list.

739

Because, you know, if you've

never been in safari, oh my God,

740

you've gotta go on safari, right?

741

Like, that is one of the most

exciting things you could ever do.

742

And then , . Have I taken what

I've learned from the Fins?

743

And I think there's of course,

stuff you can learn from every

744

single place you go and from

every single PERS person you meet.

745

I believe that.

746

Not just the Fins, but, but all of

these experiences that I've had over,

747

you know, now many, many years to, I've

been to 88 countries, each one of those

748

people and places has enriched me.

749

Absolutely.

750

Yeah.

751

I feel like, you know, it's one of those,

perhaps cliche, but I think it was Mark

752

Twain said, you know, travel eliminates

prejudice and I, I do believe that.

753

I feel like I am, we are all the same.

754

And the more, the more

different a culture feels.

755

It's so exciting to find that connection

and seeing, you know, especially when

756

you're meeting with women and seeing how

similar, we just all want the same things.

757

And I love, that's the, you know, that

positive vision I have of the world

758

because I've gotten to see so much of

it and most people are really kind.

759

We live in a lot of fear now with

the news and all that's going on.

760

But I think that is soul enriching

to the core when you, when you

761

meet people in any country.

762

However, I do believe that the fins

there's certain things I, I, I don't

763

have any control over, like government.

764

Sure, of course I can vote.

765

Educational system, you know, there's

only so much, but I have to say, I've

766

been doing the the sauna and the cold

plunge as much as I can, and that has been

767

really rewarding and really I love it.

768

I'm, I've become totally addicted

and so do you, do you have

769

a cold plunge in your house?

770

Or no?

771

Okay.

772

No.

773

Wouldn't that be cool?

774

Especially we live in New Orleans

in the winter, so it would be great

775

'cause it's, it's hot here today.

776

But no.

777

But there's places that have that, okay.

778

Definitely try it.

779

And it's, it scares people at

first because the cold punch

780

is like, oh, it kind of hurts.

781

You only do it for a minute or 30 seconds

in the beginning, then you go to a minute.

782

If you're really good at it,

you can go to three minutes.

783

But if each time you

do it, it gets easier.

784

So yeah, highly recommend.

785

All right, so you mentioned that when

you meet people all over the world.

786

Pretty much you, you all

want the same things, right?

787

We all want the same things

for our families and for

788

ourselves, which is so true.

789

And I do believe we have connections

to different countries or cultures

790

that maybe we don't know about.

791

Um mm-hmm.

792

I think there's probably

some people listening that.

793

Know where they want to go and

they just don't know how to do it.

794

Yeah.

795

And make it easy.

796

And it sounds like you're

going to over 50, I mean your

797

company, 50 countries this year.

798

Surely there's gonna be a lot

of people on those trips going,

799

oh, this feels like home.

800

You know?

801

Mm-hmm.

802

I feel right at home here, and

I think that's a fabulous thing.

803

Why don't you tell us a little

bit about your company, where

804

we can find you on the internet?

805

any special trips you wanna promote?

806

Thank you, Karen.

807

Thank you so much.

808

Yeah, we've been around for

almost 16 and a half years.

809

we are going, yeah, this is

definitely our biggest offering ever.

810

50 different countries.

811

We're going to China this year.

812

I'm very excited about it.

813

We're going to Madagascar to see the

lemurs as well as we're communing with

814

some female empowerment organizations.

815

So that'll be really cool.

816

We are doing the gala Galagos.

817

We just finished a trip to the Galapagos

and we have another one coming up.

818

They're both sold out, but we were doing

819

And what's cool about that is that

we have chartered a private boat.

820

So the, wow, it's a beautiful

yacht and everything, you know, is

821

there for us just us which really

makes it pretty VIP kind of trip.

822

And, and, and very special.

823

It's every, every cabin

has their own balcony.

824

Wow.

825

So that's really, really cool.

826

Wow.

827

We've added in some more Italy.

828

We, we did a survey at, you know,

one of those places that people

829

wanna go back and back to is Italy.

830

Yeah.

831

You know, who doesn't love Italy?

832

Right.

833

You know?

834

Right.

835

And there's just so many

places to go in Italy.

836

Yeah.

837

Beyond the obvious

Tuscany, Rome, you know.

838

So we, we go, we're going

to the Dolomites, which is

839

where the Winter Olympics are.

840

Oh wow.

841

Stunning.

842

It's so beautiful.

843

I was there this summer and

I just fell in love with it.

844

It's, it's so different than the Alps

in terms of the look of the mountains.

845

And then we're going to Sicily,

we, we brought that back

846

from a couple of years ago.

847

Sicily's amazing, great wine.

848

We're also going to we're

doing a trip to Emilio Roman.

849

So an area probably most people have

not heard of but if you've heard of

850

the, the, the town Bologna Parma,

where they make the Parmesan cheese.

851

Yeah.

852

Modina, where they make the really

expensive fa fabulous balsamic.

853

And Ella Ello, sorry, where they,

it's really famous for the mosaics.

854

So that whole area, they call the

bread basket of Italy, we actually

855

end on the ocean, on the sea rather.

856

So it's really a culinary discovery.

857

Oh.

858

So that's gonna be fabulous.

859

'cause Italy, you know, who doesn't

love it, but it's really fun to see

860

how they make Parmesan cheese, how they

make the Parma, the Parma ham, which

861

is what we think of as prosciutto.

862

Okay.

863

It's, it's just, that's super fun.

864

We're going to Montreal and

Quebec particularly with

865

kind of the, the, the news.

866

And I don't know when this is gonna

air, but I'm hoping things are

867

settled down, but something, some

people prefer to stay closer home.

868

Yeah.

869

Montreal and Quebec is like going to

France, but it's a much shorter flight.

870

Yeah.

871

Super charming, super

safe, super beautiful.

872

We're doing a retreat in Molokai,

which is the least traveled

873

to of the Hawaiian Islands.

874

Right.

875

We do a number of retreats each year.

876

So we love to talk to people.

877

The best thing to do is just

to check out our website at

878

Girls guide to the world.com.

879

It's G-I-R-L-S guide to the world.com.

880

From there, you can find our

Instagram, our Pinterest, our Facebook.

881

We have a private group that we have

on Facebook called The Traveling

882

Sisterhood, and you can join that.

883

And we'd love to just sort of champion

other women who are going places, even

884

if they're not going with our company.

885

We just wanna encourage women

to get out there and travel.

886

And then if you're interested in a

trip, you know, shoot us an email

887

at Info at Girls Guide to the

World and we'd love to talk to you.

888

It's.

889

We wanna make sure the trip that

you're interested is right for you.

890

We wanna mainly also wanna make sure

that you can walk without any assistance.

891

'cause that, , as you get older that

becomes sometimes becomes a problem.

892

Yes, we do have some trips for

people that have a hard time

893

walking and those are safaris.

894

'cause you're in a vehicle

almost all the time.

895

So there's always something that we can

find that, that, that could suit you.

896

we really are in the business of

trying to make dreams come true,

897

empower women, connect them, and

you know, just have a great time.

898

Lots of laughing.

899

That's, that's the most important thing.

900

That is important.

901

That's, yeah.

902

My, one of my favorite

things to do is to laugh.

903

Yes.

904

That's fantastic.

905

Well thank you for starting Girls

Guide to the World and for, your

906

mission of empowering women.

907

I think it's fantastic and thank

you so much for being here today.

908

I, I could ask you a lot more

questions that probably a lot of

909

people aren't interested in Thank

you for being here, , Donnie.

910

I really enjoyed it.

911

Thank you so much, Karen.

912

Yeah, you're welcome.

913

And to listeners and viewers, thank you.

914

We will connect later.