My name is John, and I started Depot Adventures to offer the kind of experiences I seek when traveling. I’ve worked in travel for a decade, and my picture-perfect travel experience happened back in 2009, when I was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed kid in search of a year off.

I quit my job, put my things in storage, and moved from my home in Minnesota to Galway, Ireland.

I didn’t know anyone in Galway, so I was grateful when my flatmate-to-be, Rita, offered to pick me up from the bus depot and bring me to my new home.

Shortly after moving in, Rita organised for all her friends to visit and celebrate a holiday the Irish typically don’t: “American Thanksgiving.” They brought their instruments and played music and welcomed me into their community of friends. My nerves about living overseas melted away, and I began to crave that experience of being welcomed into a new community.

That pick-up from the bus depot meant a lot to me back in 2009, and I’ve been seeking out experiences like it ever since.

In the intervening years I met & married an Aussie and landed in Australia after a courtship that dates back to 2012 (I moved for good in 2016).

Today, Depot Adventures is one of Australia’s top-reviewed walking tour companies, and I work hard with a talented team of guides to provide the kind of feeling I experienced all those years ago at the depot.