Ellie Wilson-Smith
Aged nineteen, I waved goodbye to my jittering parents and headed to South America, seldom returning home over the course of the next five years. I carefully sought out those fly-on-the-wall moments that connect you to everyday life in far-flung places. Whether it was a month spent traversing the east-to-west divide on the Trans-Siberian Railway, working with Zapotec women in the mountains of Oaxaca, or stringing up a hammock on a ferry up the Amazon. Slow travel was the key for me to become a part of the story. I also have a particular penchant for celebrations, be it the Day of the Dead in Mexico, Carnival in Brazil, or Christmas in Prague, it’s a true expression of a country’s identity.
I love that I get to help make these remarkable moments happen for other travelers in my job as part of Black Tomato’s operations team – planning the logistics that get our clients from A to B.
'A deeply profound human experience'
A closer look at South AmericaOne of my most cherished adventures came from finding a way to get from Brazil to Colombia. The vibrant chaos of Manaus’ docks came first, where patient negotiations led to an intriguing directive: “Bring a hammock.” This simple fabric became my passport to a transformative week-long journey on a supplies ferry, tracing the Amazon River’s sinuous curves to Tabatinga at the Colombian border.
This unconventional trip granted me the luxury of time, and a connection with the locals who shared the ferry as they returned to their remote communities. In the end, this adventure from Brazil to Colombia turned out to be more than a mere crossing of borders. It was a deeply profound human experience and an intimate encounter with the soul-stirring beauty of the Amazon. All from the comfort of a humble hammock.
Read more
“Many companies brag about offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But with Black Tomato it’s not hyperbole”
“Black Tomato are one of the coolest things in the world. Don’t even try and live without them”
“Black Tomato is a super innovative company where the sky is the limit for their clients”
“Black Tomato prides itself on meeting customers every minor need or desires”
“Black Tomato is the choice provider of mind-expanding holidays”
