"So what do you do?"
"I import and sell hammocks from Mexico."
"Wow! How did you get into that?"
"Well, since you asked..."
So a short history of the company and how and why it was formed.
Basically, Mexico has become my favourite place of mine to visit and travel around. Initially, I undertook a couple of small group trips through a company called Trek America just to get a feel for the country and with the benefit and security of group travel, plus a Spanish speaking guide.
After those trips, I was pretty happy with the place and decided I wanted to see more of it by myself. I then did something I have also wanted to do which was a big overseas road-trip. So in 2007, I left behind the NZ winter bought a car in Mexico City and spent the next 5 months travelling and exploring.
I managed to purchase a nice big old 80's Ford V8, ridiculously big actually but was in great condition from the previous owner who was an ex-police officer and cared for it very well. So surfboard, tent, guitar, and pack in the boot and I took off around the country for the next 5 months exploring. Having the car was great, it gave me the freedom to be as flexible as I wanted. I had no set plan and just made my travel decisions the night before with my handy Lonely Planet Guide, and Mexican road atlas. Anywhere I liked I stayed for awhile, anywhere that I didn't, I just left for somewhere else. With so much to see and do there was no reason to be bored.
The car I purchased in Mexico City - Ford Grand Marquis
After 5 months of times spent mostly around the Pacific Coast, central and southern Mexico, I bartered away most of my goods to Mexican Army Officers at a Mexican Miltary checkpoint and gave away my car and headed back to New Zealand.
Upon my return as I was relaxing in one of the hammocks I brought back, I thought, I should have brought more back for friends and family as they were just so good. I wondered if anyone else in New Zealand was selling Mexican Hammocks in New Zealand. A bit of web research and investigation came up showing a bit of a gap in the market. So I made a few inquiries with suppliers in Merida, Mexico, 'The' hammock making capital of Mexico. They make the best hand-woven hammocks that I have come across in my travels and are favourites all over the world. A few samples and some quick sales thanks to Trademe, then the growth of the website, really kicked things along.
So much so that I am now operating the same model in Australia with the assistance of a friend based in Sydney running things over there, www.hammocksaustralia.com.au. The rest as so often said is history!
A hammock bar in Zipolite, Mexico
Have a good week,
cheers,
Mike
