“It’s almost indescribable – it feels like a fantasy even though I lived it,” says Teresa, who in 2018 treated herself to the Timeless Encounters itinerary on the Four Seasons Private Jet. Her late husband had taken an around-the-world trip of his own years before, and Teresa decided it was time to venture out on her own.
But she was far from alone on the journey. “It was like the entire plane was one big family sharing a remarkable experience,” she says. “Everyone was warm and friendly, and most of the couples would ask me to join them at meals and for conversation and cocktails. The parties, social get-togethers and meals kept us together and socializing.”
“It’s almost indescribable – it feels like a fantasy even though I lived it.”
-Teresa, Four Seasons Private Jet traveller
At the same time, travelling via the Four Seasons Private Jet gave Teresa the opportunity to choose her own excursions without having to compromise or find a partner who wanted to do all the same things. The first of those was a leisurely hike to a picturesque waterfall in Hawaii – a delight for all the senses. “I remember the guide stopping us for a moment to just listen to the beautiful sound of the wind through the trees,” she says. “When we finished the hike to the top of the cliff, there was the most gorgeous scenery of the ocean below, and a light lunch followed. What a fantastic excursion.”
In Sydney, Teresa took a private tour of the Sydney Opera House. “Our guide was amazing,” she says. “He was so funny – we all laughed the entire tour.” As they explored the venue, learning its inner workings and insider secrets, “the most memorable moment,” Teresa says, “was getting to stand where the conductor stands and pretend we were conducting the orchestra – fantastic!”
The parties, social get-togethers and meals kept us together and socializing.
Private Jet Travellers can admire the sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf from the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa.
In Bali, she got behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Thing and cruised through the rich green highlands. “We were celebrities, with everyone looking at our open-air convertibles,” she says. “It was so much fun seeing the countryside.” She found the visits to a temple and a local village to be enlightening. The education continued in Thailand’s Golden Triangle, where she learned about the efforts made to care for rescued elephants.
For some, choosing favourite moments on a trip like this is difficult. But not for Teresa. “I had always wanted to see Sydney and Dubai, and neither disappointed,” she says. “Sydney’s The Rocks neighbourhood was crystal clear from the helicopter excursion – and the city and culture of Dubai were mesmerizing. I thought as an American I would stand out, but in Dubai, almost everyone is from somewhere else.”
“Four Seasons goes beyond any and all expectations.”
-Teresa, Four Seasons Private Jet traveller
For Teresa, the most surprising aspect of the trip was “the ease with which Four Seasons handles everything,” she says. “They make it look effortless. Everyone’s likes and dislikes are their top priority. The staff gives their complete heart and soul – they work so hard to give us the memories of a lifetime so that we can enjoy ourselves effortlessly.”
Would she travel on the Four Seasons Private Jet again? Without a doubt. In fact, she has already booked a second trip. “Four Seasons goes beyond any and all expectations,” she says. “It’s impossible to choose another carrier when you have travelled with the very best.”
The art of falconry goes back more than 2,000 years. In Dubai, Teresa learned why the falcon remains an important symbol in Arabic culture.
Photography courtesy Teresa (the Burj Khalifa and falcon experience)
