Hello and welcome to Traplanz (Travel + Plans), your travel planning experts for Europe and the United States. We are Joric and Shelly McLean, world travel enthusiasts that love to experience different cultures, meet the locals, find unique experiences, leave time for serendipitous moments, and eat delicious food from the region.
We both grew up in the United States and traveled as kids with our families. Joric hails from Michigan and I from Missouri: he moved to Arizona as an adult and I as a child. Before we officially met, unbeknownst to us, our paths had crossed many times. We had been at some of the same bars, the same concerts and, the 2001 World Series Game 7 at the same time. As fate would have it, we would meet in October 2012. Two weeks into dating I asked Joric if he wanted to take a trip together in a few weeks as I needed to know how well we would travel together. Traveling is part of my soul, and I needed a partner who traveled well and could appreciate what the world has to offer. He said ‘yes’ to my suggestion and a few weeks later we were off to Napa Valley to drink wine. We have been traveling together ever since.
Two years later we were engaged. Although I was anticipating a jumbotron proposal with 5,000 of my not so closest friends in a hockey arena (he is a big hockey fan), he gave me the fairytale. We flew to Scotland in August 2014 to see the Military Tattoo and partake in the Fringe Festival. I truly did not think he would try to get a ring through security, but I was wrong. Although he did not propose there and then, the next day, we took a train to Oban to catch a ferry to the Isle of Mull where the castle of his namesake sits (he is a McLean of Duart). He had wanted to visit Duart Castle since being a child and it was there, at Duart Castle, where he miraculously cued up dolphins in the ocean before asking me to become his wife and a McLean. A real-life fairytale castle proposal! The next year we married and were off to Italy and Greece for our honeymoon.
Throughout our lives there have been journeys for leisure and business to 3 continents, 25+ countries and 39 states in the USA, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. We have visited numerous cities and nations from the very well-known to those off the beaten path. We have lived in multiple places, currently calling Portugal home and are looking to add a few more to that list (my coffee cup reads “The Voices in my Head Tell Me to Go To Italy”).
Travel is our passion, and we continue to work through our “Living Life List” of destinations. We have seen it change a lot over the last 20-30 years and in particular since the pandemic. We stay on top of shifting requirements and cultural norms/fads allowing our clients to know what to expect. We love understanding different traditions/societies, the local scene, up and coming trends, the oldie but goodies (why an attraction became an attraction and stayed one), new restaurants, tried and true food establishments and, all the wonderful things that come with experiencing a culture. We’re happy to share our adventures, have you follow along and, hopefully inspire you to travel. Check out Our Services page. Contact us with any questions and connect with us on social media. We would be ecstatic to hear from you!
