James Gordon

Background

About James Gordon

February 2021 Update: I have taken a company provided leave and am currently on a solo journey in an RV exploring the continental United States. My voyage began on September 4th 2020 and will conclude in February 2022. I have driven over miles of mostly backroads, observing the "Real America". My preconceived notions and biases about cultural stereotypes and geographic areas of my nation have been positively effected by this journey. I've visited 40 states thus far without an itinerary - just following my instincts. I anticipate that I will be able to transverse the nation twice. I will return to active duty at Southwest Airlines on March 1st, 2022- During an amazing 26+ years in Hospitality and Transportation, particularly as a flight attendant, I’ve gained priceless experience serving (and observing) customers on hundreds of thousands of flights. In doing so I believe I’ve developed a keen sense of what travelers, and transportation employees, both endure and enjoy. I’ve also worked for Amtrak (the US national passenger rail company) and driven a tour trolley around a major US metropolitan area. I’ve gone undercover as a “mystery customer” at restaurants, in hotels and on cruise ships. I’ve traveled the world solo by plane, high-speed rail, train, bus, ferry, ship, car… and even dog sled! I have been stranded for 28 days on a cruise ship in the South Pacific during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. I’ve slept thousands of nights in numerous hotel chains, during which I experienced the best – and worst – stays you could possibly imagine. Aside from hotels (and roadside motels). I've spent nights at youth hostels, bed-and-breakfasts, Air BnB’s, VRBO’s, slept on strangers couches, on overnight trains and airport floors. I’ve experienced Ayahuasca in the Costa Rican jungle, walked barefoot across 12 feet of hot burning coals, froze my near naked body to -215 below zero in a cryotherapy chamber and once spent four hours floating in a completely dark and soundproofed sensory deprivation tank. I have been a real estate investor, landlord, business owner, radio producer, dabbled in stand-up comedy and trained with Second City and ImprovOlympic. I am available for consulting! Are you seeking unique insight on a travel project, retreat concept or marketing an experience? Are you looking for a different perspective on travelers behavior. or would like to learn the Eight Unique Personality Traits that it takes to be employed in the passenger transportation industry? Let's talk!