Wallace Pierson Travel
Submitted by Ange Wallace
April 29, 2019 11:05 a.m.
“Mommy, Daddy, if we give you ALL our money, will you take us traveling for a whole year?” Angela and Eric Pierson had told their young daughters of a plan to take them out of school early in May to travel for a month in Australia. But a couple of days later the girls, Angela VI, 8 years old and Emmie, 7 years old, arrived at the dinner table with piggy banks in hand and a proposition of their own!
So it began for the Pierson Family of Amelia Island. Just over a year later, after much research and soul searching, the trip spanning 7 continents and almost exactly one year will begin on May 1. Eric, Angela, Angela VI and Emmie leave for Kauai followed by a month in Australia, a month in New Zealand, a couple of weeks in Singapore and Vietnam, about 5 months exploring parts of UK and Europe, 2 weeks in Kenya, then on to South American including Argentina, Antarctica, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia then Costa Rica and Mexico ending with US National Parks out West. The trip is an eclectic mix of visiting friends, attending meetings, living for weeks at a time in various parts of the world and exploring Virtuoso Travel Partner’s touring and cruising options.
The Pierson Family, part owners of Wallace Pierson Travel, will be working and studying their way around the world with planned downtime to stay current on their work commitments. Mrs. Mary Elwell, Angela VI’s third grade teacher at St Michael’s Academy, will be the girls virtual teacher for the year. The family hopes to use the trip to highlight their belief that travel is an important part of a well-educated life at any age and to encourage other young families to take to the open road whenever/wherever possible. Angela and Emmie plan to visit schools wherever possible and will be taking Irish Dance lessons while staying at Sheen Falls. Zoos, like Australia Zoo in Brisbane, and other wildlife encounters like a safari in Kenya will be highlights as well. The girls will be Facetiming with their classes and friends back home to share their experiences on the road. A favorite quote of the Pierson Family is “The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have not viewed the world.” Alexander von Humboldt
After 9/11 Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, coined a saying, “Boundaries divide. Travel unites.” This family plans to be a part of the unity! You can follow the Pierson Family trip on their blog https://wallacepierson.com/the-piersons-family-trip-around-the-world/
Editor’s Note: Ange Wallace and her late husband Jim opened the first travel agency in Nassau County ending the days of long drives to Jacksonville for travel bookings. Their business began as The Travel Agency in 1974 and once took up a corner of the Old School House on Atlantic Avenue. Today, we begin the first in a year long series of the Pierson family travels. Thanks to the Wallace/Pierson family for allowing us to join you as you travel the world! Bon Voyage!