Meet Jin | Co-founder, Chief Egghead and always looking for somewhere different to go.
I spent 631 days in Singapore during the pandemic. It was the first time I had stayed in one city and slept in the same bed, for more than 2 months at a time since 2007. I had been on the move from March 2007 until March 2020!
It was a blessing in disguise for me because it allowed me time away from my incredible, adventurous life to see it for what it is. Incredible and full of adventure. I went from alternating jungle treks to waterfalls, seeing wildlife, summiting mountains, and exploring the region on a motorbike daily to a complete standstill. I took the time to rest and recoup and get grounded in Singapore. I also organised all my travel photos, since 2006. I could finally see that what we are doing at Chickenfeet Travels was epic. I have always known it was, but people call me Jaded Jin for a good reason.
So, this is me, as we relaunch Chickenfeet Travels, I will be sharing how the sausage is made. And to start with, some transparency about myself and why I travel and why I am proud of what we are doing with Chickenfeet Travels.
About Jin
My name is Junxiu Lu and do not ask me to pronounce that, I cannot speak Mandarin and that is why I just go by Jin, it is easier for everyone involved. Since I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was save the sharks, being Chinese, I felt a responsibility to fight the good fight against my people and their outrageous dining choices. I pursued a degree in Marine Biology for my undergrad and quickly realised that no one cares about the science, even though scientists are modern-day saints with their thankless jobs. I became a certified dive instructor while doing my degree as a backup plan and as I became an adult (lol!) and got my first job at a start-up, I could see that change comes from within. And the best way to change the hearts and minds of people is to show them the beauty of the world, reconnect them with nature, and inspire them to make the small changes daily that collectively make a massive difference.
So since 2007, I have been travelling and diving around the world slowly, with university and my job getting in the way until 2013. One of my dive students gave me glandular fever (mono for Americans), and I was all but bedridden for 2 months. I went stir-crazy, quit my job, incepted the concept of Chickenfeet Travels with Simon, and then travelled for what turned into 495 days backpacking around South America, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. I call those 18 months “market research” now because I was able to observe the best and worst practices of tourism, meet and magnetise some of the best guides to me whom we continue to work with today and explore the overlooked and offbeat places that we now market to you with pride.
I continue to revisit and nurture the relationships that I have built with all the guides who I have met along the way. I was so excited to head back to Bali and Lombok in 2022 when borders started to open up again. I cannot be everywhere all at once, but I try to message and speak with our network of guides as much as possible. This is what I believe makes us stand apart from any other travel agency, company, and organiser.
About Chickenfeet Travels
I have seen the negative impact that travel can have on very popular places - in terms of trash, tourism leakage, and environmental destruction. I have seen how cutthroat locals can be to each other, fighting for the opportunity to make money; everyone can feel that when we arrive at an airport with drivers bombarding us with their services.
With Chickenfeeet Travels, we are trying to provide an alternative, a solution to the problem. We want to make it so easy and convenient to travel to those off-the-beaten-path destinations. We want to connect our adventurers with tour favourite guides and drivers who go above and beyond with the services they provide. And we want to introduce you to a better way of travel. Inherently, by going elsewhere, away from the crowds, your impact is positive. You are putting money into a village that would otherwise be subsistence farmers and fishermen and by doing that, you are directly contributing to better access to healthcare and education. I have heard gut-wrenching and heartwarming stories about the before and after of when tourism entered a destination.
I leave you with this: What if the way you travelled transformed lives?
Travel with us and find out. Or stay informed about positive impact travel through our blog posts.
Thank you and I hope to plan your holiday soon.
