Some journeys begin with a suitcase. Others begin with survival.
For Ryan Slough, a dedicated U.S. Army veteran, travel didn’t just serve as an escape. It became a path to healing. After more than two decades in military service, including multiple deployments in Afghanistan and time spent at Guantanamo Bay, Ryan carried the invisible weight of experience.
But with every border he crossed and every culture he embraced, Ryan reclaimed parts of himself that war tried to erase.
Now, as the co-creator of Wanderers Compass Travel Blog, Ryan channels his passion for travel into helping others discover the same kind of transformation he found beyond military life.
Ryan served his country with pride and resilience. As a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves, his military career was defined by sacrifice, discipline, and grit. But it came with a cost. Today, Ryan is a disabled veteran, though you won’t hear him talk about hardship. Instead, he speaks of purpose.
When his active-duty chapter ended, a new one began. Ryan joined the Army Reserves and is now a full-time college student, committed to carving a better future for himself and his young son. Fatherhood is at the center of his life. His son is his top priority and source of joy. Every decision Ryan makes is filtered through the lens of being a present, engaged dad.
But before going back to school, Ryan felt there was still something missing between parenting, and serving his country. Ryan realized he needed an outlet for creativity, passion, and personal growth.
That missing piece arrived in the form of travel. But for Ryan, it wasn’t about five-star hotels or luxurious getaways. It was about authenticity. It was about seeing the world with curiosity and wonder, and sharing that view with others.
Alongside his business partner Joelle, Ryan launched Wanderers Compass Travel Blog. It began as a passion project. It quickly became a platform that connects like-minded explorers around the globe. Their motto is simple: travel is accessible to everyone with the right tools and doesn't need to be expensive or extravagant, but meaningful and authentic.
The blog features rich storytelling, detailed destination guides, honest travel tips, and one special niche: castles. Ryan and Joelle proudly call themselves Castle Hunters, and they’ve explored over 460 castles around the world. They have visited everything from grand ruins to well-preserved medieval fortresses because they are captivated by the architecture, history, and spirit within ancient stone walls.
Ryan’s love for travel is deliberate. Every journey is a search for moments that shift perspective.
That’s the essence of Wanderers Compass. The blog encourages readers to veer off the tourist track. Wander the side roads. Eat at a hole-in-the-wall pub. Sit quietly in a centuries-old alley and imagine who once walked those cobblestones.
For Ryan, those small experiences bring big meaning. They’ve helped him process the past, allowed him to connect with his son in new ways, and shown him that there is still magic in the world.
And he wants others to feel that magic, too.
Ryan and Joelle describe themselves as ordinary people with extraordinary curiosity. They juggle jobs, kids, and deadlines like everyone else. That’s what makes Wanderers Compass relatable. It’s written for the traveler who wants more than a selfie spot; it’s for someone who wants to grow.
The blog includes travel guides for over 60 countries across six continents. It also features advice on insurance, transportation, accommodations, and creating a customized travel itinerary. And for those who love medieval history, the Castle Hunters section is a rabbit hole of epic proportions.
They believe travel doesn’t start when you step on the plane; it starts the moment you choose to see the world differently.
As a verified veteran-owned business and member of respected travel writing associations like SATW and IFWTWA, Wanderers Compass holds a unique place in the travel blogosphere. Ryan's military discipline, as well as his willingness to share the personal side of his story, makes his content all the more vulnerable in the best way.
He’s living proof that you can rebuild. That travel can be more than vacation photos; it can be medicine. It can be hope.
Ryan’s story is a reminder that we all carry invisible maps of pain, of purpose, of potential. Sometimes, all it takes is one step outside our comfort zone to start rewriting the route.
Wanderers Compass Travel Blog is all about possibilities. So if you’ve ever wondered what’s waiting for you out there, this might be your sign to go find out.
May you, too, wander in wonder.
