Who is Dan?
Dan’s first love is designing and crafting custom leather goods, each piece bench-built entirely by hand. Since 1993 he has traveled the American craft circuit exhibiting at art shows and festivals, and he still sets up his custom leather shop each July at the Oregon Country Fair. In addition to leatherwork, Dan is a maker of fine furniture and holds an MFA in Wood Design.

Teaching and community work have long been part of his life. Dan has taught art and design courses to middle school, high school, and university students, and has planned and led student travel expeditions both within the United States and internationally. In his hometown of Port Townsend he has served in numerous arts leadership roles, including serving as founding Chair of the Port Townsend School of the Arts, and has served on the Port Townsend Arts Commission and Public Art Committee since 2010.

Along the way, Dan’s career has taken several turns that, in hindsight, seem like perfect preparation for what he now calls his role as an “Exceptional Experience Enabler.” Over the years he has balanced people’s needs with the logistics required to make things happen - often in high-energy environments. His resume includes time as a waiter, bartender, wedding photographer, nightclub financial manager, printing press operator, nursing aide on a locked psychiatric unit, behavioral training specialist for adults and children with developmental disabilities, head cook for both a 25-resident sorority house and an 80-kid summer camp, and a university instructor in design and art history.

It turns out, in retrospect, all those seemingly unrelated, people-centered jobs formed the perfect training ground for what Dan does now: hosting and orchestrating memorable travel experiences through Sure Flaneur Travel.

Dan, Experience Enabler
Dan is simply great to travel with. For nearly 40 years he has adventure-traveled with little more than a rucksack, camera and a journal. His relationship with Southeast Asia in particular dates back to 2001.

He’s an observant traveler, a natural storyteller, and someone who enjoys bringing groups together by creating opportunities for shared discovery. Dan has a deep interest in the history and culture of the places he visits and is a thoughtful guide for travelers curious about both the complicated past and the fascinating present of the regions they explore.

He’s also experienced—very experienced. Dan has traveled to Vietnam nearly 50 times over the past quarter century, often staying for a month or longer. That depth of familiarity makes him an ideal logistics-handler and on-the-ground host for small-group travel in Southeast Asia.

Fun, energetic, thoughtful, and unflappable when plans need adjusting, Dan has a knack for making travel feel both adventurous and effortless.

Dan's Travel Philosophy:
Dan believes in keeping the world small through the gap-bridging act of travel. Crossing oceans and cultures reminds us how much we share, even when our languages, foods, and traditions differ. No matter where you are in the world, smiles and laughter are universal.

For Dan, travel is at its best when it invites us to do what humans do best: observe, learn, and connect. Those moments - when curiosity turns into understanding, or strangers become friends - are the magic of travel.

He sees those moments happen on every trip and loves sharing them with travelers ready and willing to hop on a plane and explore the world together.

Dan's Mission:  
Dan loves Vietnam—its wonderfully strange corners, vibrant culture, and especially its people and the experiences he has had with them there there. He enjoys sharing his discoveries with other travelers and organizing all the logistics required for a smooth and rewarding adventure abroad.

Through his knowledge of the history, current & past cultural norms, a fair bit of the language his knowledge of the region’s history, past and present cultural norms, an always-improving working grasp of the language, and a knack for storytelling, Dan’s position as an Experience Enabler is apparently very much his dream job.

As Experience Enabler for Sure Flaneur Travel, Dan strives to provide travelers willing to open themselves up to Vietnam and Cambodia - a two- or three-week slice of a thoughtfully balanced itinerary, unlimited pre-trip preparation assistance, and 24/7 on-the-ground travel support while abroad.

He’s cooked up a few reliable recipes on offer which mean a rewarding Southeast Asia travel experience for you. Travel with Dan - he's happy when you're happy and having the time of your life and works hard to make it so. works hard to make it so. Welcome.