Meet Ambassador Dede Nash, Who Can Personally Attest That It Is a Small World After All

What made you want to be an Ambassador?

By accidental twist, I had done a spring Kili trek in 2018 with Erica Landerson and, later, a fall trek was in need of an ambassador, so Erica asked if I would take on that role and return to Tanzania. I loved it and have been working with AdventureWomen ever since.

And how many trips have you done?

Eight. A fun aspect of doing multiple trips is that I end up crossing paths with women I have met on previous trips. It’s like a mini-reunion and those acquaintances grow into friendships.

Once I was walking through a hotel lobby on the Amalfi coast of Italy and heard my name shouted out. I turned to find a fellow-traveler I had met in Nepal.  Another time I was in a hotel in Bozeman, Montana, and heard the distinctive voice of a fellow-traveler I had met in Africa, who lives in Bermuda!  AdventureWomen provides an ‘its-a-small-world’ experience that would never otherwise happen to me.

Is there one question you get asked EVERY time on EVERY trip?

How did you get this awesome job?

What is your second love, after travel?

Classical music. I learned how to play on my grandmother’s piano. I often think about that instrument and wonder what travel it has had after it moved on from me.

Favorite destination?  

Dinner Table! Surrounded by my family and usually some of their friends. Now that my husband and I are empty-nested, we appreciate those moments even more.

What sound do you love?

I love the un-sound of walking outside after a snowstorm when the roads have not yet been plowed and the world is speechlessly quiet.

What’s the craziest or most out-of-character thing you’ve done?

It’s been about 40 years, but afraid if I’m ever found out I could still get arrested for it, so perhaps it’s best to leave it at that 🙂  That’s what girlfriends do for you!

Describe your life in one word.   

Blessed.

You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t get rid of it. What would you do with it?

I live in Ben&Jerry’s ice cream country, so certainly they would let me house my elephant with their famous black and white cows. Maybe they will name an ice cream after the elephant.  Maybe Licorice Tembo, because licorice ice cream is the same color as my elephant, my favorite flavor is licorice, and ‘Tembo’ is Swahili for elephant.

What’s something that you’ve tried, that you’ll never, ever try again.

Snorkeling.  Heart-pounding fear.  I am good about knee deep in the ocean.  But AdventureWomen trips are all about doing things that address our fears, so maybe one day I’ll go on an ocean adventure.

Would you rather be able to breathe underwater or have the agility of a cat?

See above.  I’ll stick with the cat.