Nicole Wineland-Thomson

My parents, Rick Thomson and Judi Wineland, founded Thomson Safaris, a top African safari tour-operator, before me or my little sister were even on the horizon. I might be their first child, but traveling the world is their first baby.

I’m so glad they passed on their passion to me. From the time I was five years old, I’ve spent every school vacation (and then some) traveling with my family to places like Morocco and Egypt, Turkey and Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia, Costa Rica and Tanzania, just to name a few. By the time I finished up at Bates College, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life.

After a year in Milan, Italy (where I was constantly tempted by the delicious cuisine as much as by the rich culture), I returned to New England, where I joined Thomson Family Adventures, a division of Wineland-Thomson Adventures, and sister company to Thomson Safaris, dedicated solely to crafting the family travel experiences that so deeply enriched my life and truly shaped the way I see the world. Now, I've put this travel knowledge into my new role at Thomson Family Adventures as the director of National Geographic Family Expeditions.

Of course traveling isn’t the only thing I do (though wouldn’t that be the life?). In my spare time, I teach yoga classes, discover new recipes, and seek out new restaurants (specifically tapas style) in the surrounding area.

The world is a big place, and if my experience has taught me anything, it’s that it’s filled with almost endless surprises. Call it my inheritance (or call it an addiction): I know I’ll never stop searching the wide, wide world for my next adventure.