By Ashley Nicole Sarikaya Apr 15, 2021August 8, 2021

Confessions of a Travel Junkie: Why I Started Mystic Travel Magazine

Are you a curious soul? Me too! I’ve always been a wandering soul with an insatiable curiosity.

While most kids salivate at the smell of chocolate chip cookies, I loved the smell of airports. In fact, nonstop travel was my favorite thing about being a competitive gymnast during my kiddie years. Mere minutes after returning from a trip, I would pack my suitcase to the brim for the next. Luckily, the next trip was not too far away.

Then, fresh out of high school, I was hit with a really bad case of wanderlust. It all started on a European cruise with my extended family. We hopped around the Mediterranean for a few weeks. And while I felt a tad restricted by the ship’s strict schedule, I knew I would be back.

Two years later, I moved to Italy for my university’s study abroad program. Then a year later I moved to Greece for a tourism job. Sunbaked and salivating for more, I bounced around countries from France to Turkey until finally arriving in Switzerland in 2012. I’ve been a Swiss resident ever since.

Then, one day I fell in love…

with mythic characters and authors. But I couldn’t just choose one literary partner. I consumed every book I could find about mythology and esoteric practices.

Knee deep in these captivating stories, I immersed myself in foreign worlds. The change of scenery fascinated me. Plus, with each new experience, I came to understand the world, and myself a little bit better.

Then the pandemic hit. Isolated in my tiny urban apartment, I had an amazing idea that truly sang to my soul — Mystic Travel Magazine. Mystic Travel Magazine is a fusion of my passions for travel, mythology, and esoteric practices.

But I wanted it to be more than a collection of ancient wisdom. I wanted each issue to help spiritual seekers on the evolutionary path. As each travel experience expanded my worldview and illuminated another part of the Self, I wanted the magazine to do the same.

More so, I craved a playful experience with a modern twist, weaving together beautiful illustrations and artful photography. Because in the end, it’s about the journey, not the destination.

I hope the back issues of Mystic Travel Magazine bring healing and awe-inspiring wonder to your day, as it does mine.