Travel inspires sight-seeing adventure for globetrotter Shanoy Harris Coombs

Not all who wander are lost. In fact, some make profound self-discoveries along the way. Taking her first trip as a teenager, Shanoy Harris Coombs has since been to 35 countries, listing South Africa, Bali in Indonesia, Jordan, Switzerland, Serbia, Italy, Qatar, Norway and Spain, among her favourites.

“I love the ability to be like a child and a tourist in every new destination. Everything seems so new, different and amazing. It helps me to appreciate the similarities and differences with my home country,” she told Saturday Living.

Beholding major wonders of the world like Petra in Jordan, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis in Norway is surreal enough. But what makes these trips truly worthwhile is the opportunity travel gives her to spend quality time with her loved ones.

During her trip to London, Harris Coombs stayed with her sister and she truly felt like the guest of honour, “My daughter, Kailee, was very happy to see her cousins. And we all enjoyed seeing the major London landmarks. It was a very beautiful time.” Together, they were able to visit some of the famous hot spots in the United Kingdom, namely Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, Sky Garden, and Hyde Park.

Along the journey, this mother-daughter duo decided to keep the European festivities going and swing by Paris in France as well. What made the trip most interesting was that they chose to drive to their destination.

“This has to be one of my most memorable road trips to date, driving from London to Paris,” the girl mom said, adding, “Seeing the white cliffs of Dover, boarding the ferry for a part of our journey, sleeping, eating, shopping onboard and then driving to our ‘home’ for the next few days in Paris was magical!”

With an innate curiosity for food and adventure, travelling allows her to explore both. She’ll happily walk all day in a new country, losing weight along the way. “I love meeting new people and learning more about them, where they are from, their stories. It always reminds me just how similar we are as humans from all over the world,” the development communications strategist said.

So inspired by her exciting travels, this globetrotter launched Landmarks by Infinity. Through this venture, people can create timeless memories with life-size cut-out replicas of iconic international locations like the Eiffel Tower.

“The ultimate goal is to see Landmarks by Infinity become a conversation piece and a welcome addition to many aspects of life, events, photo and video-shoots, and special celebrations, like engagements, weddings, birthdays, baby and bridal showers,” she highlighted.

This mother hopes her brand will bring the world a little closer to home for children, expanding their minds to regions beyond Jamaica.“If it can inspire even one child to dream beyond their current circumstances and see themselves experiencing these landmarks at some point in person, then I’d be very happy,” she shared.

As the chief executive officer of her company, Infinity IMC, and her own destiny, Harris Coombs plans to Caribbean-hop in the near future, she would also love to go to New Zealand with her daughter. Travelling, she said, doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if you are willing to travel off peak or create some flexibility in your schedule. “The world extends beyond the States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Be strategic about saving. Don’t be afraid to travel alone. No friends? You can find them while travelling! Just do detailed research on every country you have in mind, so you have an idea of where your budget can take you and if there are any safety concerns,” the avid traveller recommends.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com