When you’re a member of the oldest book club in the United States. you qualify as a true book worn. Kimberly Lombard, who has a BA in literature, is active in the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, founded in 1878. She reads widely–fiction, science, poetry–and is a purist in the sense that she doesn’t go for e-readers or audiobooks. Read books with real pages are what make her happy.

Her love of reading intersects with her other passion–traveling– when she is planning a trip. She often reads fiction or history about the places she goes. She joined NextTribe for a visit to Vietnam in the fall (where the photo above was taken).

NextTribe takes small groups of women ages 45+ on fun, transformational trips. We will be offering another trip to Vietnam–like the one Kimberly took–in November.  Learn more here. 

She’s recently become an empty nester with both her twin daughters in college. (When they were infants, on their first halloween, she dressed them up as test tube babies.) That means more energy for the work she loves. She’s on a mission to offer equitable healthcare for all of her home region–Western New York State–and she can’t see herself slowing down or retiring. She’s currently the grants manager for Evergreen Health. “We serve the underserved, we don’t turn anyone away, so it’s my passion.”

And there’s more time for travel too. As much she enjoys her job, she says, “you have to still make the most of life and not say I’m going to wait till I retire.” Her next big trip is joining her brother and his friends on an air/land and sea trip to Alaska.

Where do you live?

I work in Buffalo, NY but live in Jamestown NY–the home of Lucille Ball and the National Comedy Center!

Occupation?

I am a manager of grants and program planning at an amazing nonprofit health center. I’ve  worked here over 30 years, assisting our most vulnerable people with chronic health conditions, and those who feel marginalized in our society to feel respected and valued.

What convinced you to take your first trip with NextTribe?

Like some other people, I learned about NextTribe because I followed Lucie Frost on social media for a long time. Then I followed Next Tribe and kept reading all about the amazing women taking trips. After a while I felt the vibe and culture of NextTribe was going to be inspiring- and it was!

Had you ever traveled in a group of all-women before?

No, not at all. But I do travel with my oldest friend on our decade birthdays. We are starting to plan our 60-year trip soon.

How does it differ from traveling solo or with a partner?

I love traveling alone, but NextTribe made travel easier. We could go off and spend time alone at will. Most importantly, I never would have met all my brand-new friends if I’d gone to Vietnam by myself. 

My next trip will be to Austin TX at the end of March to see several of my fellow travelers from the Vietnam trip!

What did you most look forward to on your first NextTribe trip?

I didn’t know what to expect, honestly, when I went on the Vietnam trip in November. But it only took me a day to figure out that oh, this is how we roll. It’s very relaxed, and you just go with the flow. The women were all great. It was a vacation filled with rich experiences every day. My next trip will be to Austin TX at the end of March to see several of my fellow travelers from the Vietnam trip! Can’t wait to see Austin for the first time and to experience it with women I have grown to love.

Favorite place to visit and why?

I feel deeply for two places that hit me in a very spiritual way: northern New Mexico and the Aran Islands in Ireland. Both of these places made me feel a powerful connection to the earth and our connectedness to one another. And they are so starkly different!

What’s your dream travel destination?

The list is way too long! But I’d like to get back to having more time in a place. Short list of places includes: driving cross country back in the USA, and many more countries in South America and Asia.

Do you believe in wearing sweatpants on the plane? If not, what’s your go-to outfit?

Totally about the length of the flight! Flying more than 6 hours definitely requires a sweatsuit. Short flights are mostly about where I am going from the plane. Mainly I’m a jeans girl. 

Do you have a favorite souvenir from your travels?

I collect Christmas tree ornaments from all my travels and/or experiences. So do my daughters. Needless to say our tree is covered and you can’t find a bare branch. My favorite? Probably a red glass Christmas tree I got while at a glass factory in Malta. 

Do you have any travel rituals or tips that you swear by?

I bring a ring rosary on my plane trips. I was raised Catholic and the rosary connects me to my family. I also always pack books because I don’t like ebooks. And lately I have been putting AirTags in my luggage since a couple friends lost their luggage in various airports.