“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things can not be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

– Mark Twain

Imagine this: with a blindfold on your eyes and a dart in your hand, you throw it at a map and then you travel there. Sounds like a movie, right? Well, it’s a reality for Sorin Mihailovici, an Edmontonian who is living his adventure through Travel by Dart. Just today, he was getting a chocolate massage in Costa Rica (and yes, that’s a thing, chocolate lovers), and next week he may be off to the Maldives. And just a warning, you may not like Sorin by the end of this story…not because he’s not likeable, but because his life consists of these outlandish travel experiences that may make you slightly jealous. Otherwise, he’s a really great guy.

Years ago, Sorin was talking to a few friends about success, and how they define it. He realized then that his philosophy of success didn’t really translate into the material stuff, but having the freedom to explore the world. “Imagine just throwing the dart and going exactly where it lands,” he remembers saying. Next thing they know, they’re at Walmart, shopping for a set of darts and a world map. Sorin and Matt decide to throw it, and wherever it lands, they’ll go. No do-overs. A third friend was filming the event, the dart landed on the North Pole, and since they couldn’t visit that specific area at Christmas time, they decided to go to the closest place – the most northern village in the world, Longyearbyen, located between Norway and the North Pole. The next two months were spent planning and raising money by creating sponsorships for corporate companies. Upon returning from this great adventure, they made a
documentary, submitted it to festivals, and people started asking when the next tour was coming. Before the next trip, they organized a black-tie gala for 200 guests with a silent and live auction, and an opportunity for someone to throw the dart and determine the next destination. Russia was the next place – a large portion of the map, so not surprising. Sorin and the crew did research on social causes that are impacting Russian people and discovered that there are a lot of orphanages that don’t receive much support; so, they decided to visit one, and buy gifts for all the kids. Once there, they realized it’s not as easy as it sounds, not a single orphanage wanted to let them in or even talk to them. It took a lot of work, conversations, meeting new people, and finally, they were able to find one that was open to having them visit. After a six-hour flight, they were in a small town, at the orphanage, asking every single kid for their wish. The next day, they were back with gifts. This small yet meaningful act of kindness for the children, became a bit of a signature act for Travel by Dart, and a part of their mission is to help and inspire people in the areas they visit.

Chile, Bermuda, Indonesia, and many other places were destinations to follow. As the dart lands, Sorin plans, adjusts, the group members may change sometimes, but he’s a constant. On one of these trips, one of the travellers said to Sorin, “This sparked something in me.” Embracing the challenges of the random destination has inspired Sorin to create packages for travellers who want to experience special places but avoid traditional resorts and touristy ways of travel. And so, Spark Experience was born. Sorin learned that many people dream of less-visited destinations such as Uruguay, Costa Rica, and those countries not usually found on the ‘vacation packages’ travel agency sites. His clients are those who don’t want to research online for must-see attractions, but instead look for a real genuine experience of a place, its people, culture, and thrilling activities. And that’s what Sorin delivers. The next trip is to Italy in September, and without revealing too many details, let’s just say this will be a trip of a lifetime.

Balancing his time between Travel By Dart and Spark Experience, Sorin comes to his headquarters, Edmonton, to finalize his documentaries, get organized, visit family and friends, and plan his next destination.

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