It All Started with "I Want to See Volcanoes"
Sophia's Costa Rica journey began with her son's simple declaration: he wanted to see volcanoes. Dead volcanoes, active volcanoes — any volcano would do.
"I said Hawaii probably isn't right for us, because I wanted to wait until my mom visited the U.S. to take her there," Sophia recalled. "My travel consultant Esther suggested Cancun. I said we'd already been. Then she said, 'You should consider Costa Rica.' I asked, 'Where is Costa Rica?'"
The timing was perfect. The trip took place during spring break—Costa Rica's best season—and the destination offered exactly what Sophia was looking for: outdoor adventures with volcanoes, wildlife, and hiking ideal for children.
First Times in the Rainforest
The Costa Rica trip delivered a series of "firsts" that left lasting impressions.
"Our first experience getting completely soaked in a tropical rainforest — we were drenched for two hours," Sophia said. "We'd never had that experience before, and we were having a great time. We didn't even bring umbrellas."
When someone asked if she wanted to go see something, her son's response was decisive: "Even if I'm soaked, I still want to go see it."
He also woke them up before 5 a.m. to go crocodile watching. "We were by the river, like wild people, pulling us to see the big crocodiles. The crocodiles were huge, right in front of you. You could feel how small life is, how short this journey of life really is."
That moment sparked a reflection Sophia shared openly: "You're alive, earning money — isn't it for experiences? Isn't it to see things you've never seen, to eat things you've never eaten?"
The Only Asian Face on the Tour
One detail that stood out: Sophia had booked an English-language tour, making her and her son the only Asian travelers on the trip.
"All the experiences were completely local," she noted. "There wasn't a single Chinese person around — just my son and me. Other travelers were surprised, saying, 'An Asian face — we rarely see Asian faces on such an adventurous tour.'"
Sophia addressed a common concern among mothers who hesitate to take bold trips with their children.
"Many moms don't travel because they see the adventures I join, they admire it, but they think: 'Who gave you the courage to participate in such 'dangerous' activities and still bring your child?'"
Her answer was simple: "Because I have a travel agency!"
The Key Word: Trust
The conversation naturally circled back to a theme that has appeared across multiple episodes of the 100 Traveler Stories series: trust.
Wang noted that whether customers are young or old, when they use custom travel services rather than just booking online, the conversation inevitably comes down to one word: trust.
"Because if you're just booking on a platform, you can compare prices, discounts, and itineraries," Wang explained. "But once you go through personalized custom service, it all comes down to 'trust.'"
Sophia echoed this sentiment about her experience with travel consultant Esther.
"Throughout the entire customization process, what I felt was being understood. I didn't even have to think — she already knew what I wanted. What she gave me was exactly what I needed."
"This Money Must Be Spent"
Reflecting on both her Alaska and Costa Rica trips, Sophia offered a powerful statement about the value of travel experiences.
"I'm telling myself — this Costa Rica trip, including the Alaska trip — I think you're doing something truly great, which is helping us discover that life is worth living."
"This money must be spent. The experiences you take with you to the grave — those are priceless."
