Tag: travel

Globetrotters- Retrato NZ

Anyone who describes landing in a new destination like a child under a Christmas tree waiting to unwrap presents is a kindred spirit in my eyes. It’s possibly the best way I’ve heard the excitement of visiting somewhere new explained!

This weeks Globetrotter is Dody from travel and photography blog Retrato NZ. I thought I really loved photography and then I met Dody.  He loves sounds just obsessed as I am maybe even more so. You 100% need to check out his blog, the images are outstanding.

Not only does Dody have amazing photographs on his site but the blogs about his personal travels are full of wondrous words and wanderlust-inducing images. I’ve always wanted to see the wildlife and landscapes of Africa and whilst I’ve not quite got there this post is pushing me to book a trip. I absolute adore the ‘watercooler Giraffe chat’ photograph. Seeing those animals in their natural habitat going about their business must have been spine tingly awesome.

I’ve loved reading about Dody’s thoughts on travel and photography and I am sure you will too. The passion for travel and photography jumps out of the screen and it’s infectious. I adore that he doesn’t have a favourite place and that there is nowhere that hasn’t lived up to the hype as he’s just immersed himself into every place and experience.

Let me pass you over to Dody from Retrato NZ and as usual, I’ve included links below so once you’ve had a taster you can check out more. Dody likes to spend more time behind the camera than in front so his bio pic seems extremely appropriate 


I like my photos to be as uncomplicated as my subjects. Except for very minimal adjustments, I don’t enhance my images in any way. Preferring to make use of available light (no flash) and the basic rules of composition sans any photo-enhancing software, my resulting portraits capture my subjects in unguarded moments, their personalities pixelated for eternity.

My love of photography was influenced by photo essays in books and magazines I read as a child. I daydreamed of far-off lands and exotic cultures, hoping to document them through a camera someday. I want to capture people and places as my eyes see them, without ‘rose-tinted glasses’. Doing this means I have to think fast sometimes – evaluate light, or stoop, crouch, or bend in the most uncomfortable way to get the right composition. I like doing all the work before I click the shutter, not after.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

When I’m headed to a place I’ve never been before, it’s the moment the plane begins to descend. The wonder and excitement are unreal, almost similar to when I was a child sitting under the Christmas tree and knowing that a whole new experience awaits me.

Why do you think travelling is important?

Travelling is not just about visiting ancient ruins, historic places, or mega-cities. It’s about encountering foreign cultures and people, learning how they live, understanding their language. Although social media and the internet have brought people closer in a virtual sense, to me they’ve degraded travel to an ordinary and routine experience. We leave for far-off places and pose for selfies, yet come back with no significant change. The important thing about travelling is to come back with a deeper knowledge of others and of ourselves.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?


I took this photo when I was in the Sahara Desert in Morocco last year. It’s one of my favourites not only because of the unusual combination of colours and shadows, but because this was a candid shot of a Bedouin who walked along the sand dunes barefoot, totally unaware I was taking his photo. I didn’t crop or edit this image in any way. One in a collection of photos in my photo book, my Morocco adjectives, I titled this ‘undulating’ because the desert looked to me like undulating sea waves.

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?

All of the above.

Who do you usually travel with?

My partner enjoys travelling as much as I do. She’s wary of mainstream tourist spots and loves off-the-beaten-track destinations. She’ll pick rainforests over cities, camping over hotels, and when it comes to food, can rival Bourdain’s courage. She’s amazing. [She insisted on answering this specific question too, so it could be exaggerated.]

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Don’t expect too much but be open to anything that comes your way and live for the moment. I suppose you could say that of life too.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?

In Botswana, I joined a 100-metre race. Those who joined were men younger than me, fit and lean. I knew I couldn’t outrun them but thought it would be fun to run alongside them. After a few strides, I fell, then I got up, then ran, then fell again. So it turned out, I didn’t run alongside, I ran behind. I finished the race though, albeit limping a bit.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

‘Favourite’ means one preferred over all the others. I don’t have a favourite because every place I’ve been to is special to me.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?
I always immerse myself in a place, therefore to me, it always lives up to the hype.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

Antarctica. It’s the only continent I haven’t been to. I dream of lying in the snow watching the aurora.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?

My camera. And my lovely partner. [She typed that last bit.]

What can readers find on your blog?

It’s about my travel experiences and a collection of my photos from these travels. I try to narrow the focus of my posts so that each piece is specific to my own experience. For example, I wrote about the Paekakariki trail here in Wellington, a little narrow 10-km path that I took despite my fear of heights. It’s vertigo-inducing, but I made it.

To find more please check out the below links

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Back to the future- How social media and technology has changed for expats and travellers in 2017

When I left Australia in 2006 there was no Facebook. Yes NO FACEBOOK! No, Twitter, No Instagram, no Pinterest, no snapchat. Well, they may have been in existence in the US but it was early days. I don’t even think smartphones were a thing. Pretty sure we were all still rocking the flip phones.

Gosh, I sound really old.

I remember New Years Eve 2006 my friends were talking about this new website which was coming to England and It was set to be better than Myspace. That you could upload photos to, find friends (but better than friends reunited which let’s be honest wouldn’t be hard) and to send messages to friends over the internet with no charge. There wasn’t even an app it was just a website.  I also remember when I first signed up and no one I knew in Australia was on it. I remember wondering if it would even catch on.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently just how different living away from my family was only 11 years ago to how it is now. Which in itself has had drastic changes. Then I was thinking about when my parents moved our family to England in 1992 and just how different and hard it was for them. The world has changed a lot in 25 years!

In 2017 the Harris sisters meeting up in an airport would have been a Facebook status update but in 2007 it was just emailed to the parents. Oh we were so fresh faced

For me, in 2006 I probably spoke to my parents on the phone (always on a landline!) once a month as it was extremely expensive to call. I would have emailed a few times a month but would be completely out of the loop as to what was going on at home with the family or with friends. I wouldn’t see pictures of my family as again picture messages were very expensive and it was just a bit difficult to get photos from a camera to a computer to then email. Even sending an email I would need to go to the library to use the internet there.  I always felt quite disconnected with the goings on at home and it made it really tough emotionally. I always would get jealous of my friends who would go home to see their parents at the weekend and I wanted Australia to be just that little bit closer so I could pop home for a weekend break.

In 1992 my parents must have felt like they were on the other side of the universe rather than on the other side of the world. The contact with their parents, friends and family was few and far between.  International phone calls cost the same as a small car, there was no Skype, cameras still primarily used film, mobile phones were still bricks and could only keep 10 text messages at a time and you were charged by the number of letters. Areograms were written and received often, postcards of all the places we went were sent back and took like a month to get there. Nothing was instant. To get information on either side of the globe took time and for that year they were only able to get snippets from back home. For all the amazing experiences they had they couldn’t really share them with their parents or if they were missing home they just had to suck it up and wait till they were back on Aussie soil. They wouldn’t have even been able to see their own parents faces for a whole year!

Grainy family photo due to having to scan it in from a printed picture. The challenges of 1992. They obviously didn’t have razors in 1992 by the state of dads beard

Fast Forward 25 years and now  I can face time and speak to my parents face to face and even better I can  feel like I’ve been home (especially when my parents walk me around the house or perch the iPad up at the breakfast table like I’m there in the flesh), I have a group chat group  with my parents and sisters and with my besties so we can share the goings on in our lives as it happens. I can be on the other side of the world and still feel like I’m only an hour down the road from them.  I couldn’t tell you the last time I wrote a letter or postcard home but I could tell you where in Tasmania my mum has just been, through her Instagram and blog or i could tell you what my sister did after she finished work today. I can keep up with their fitness through runkeeper, I can see what my sister is planning for her wedding from her Pinterest board and I can know town gossip at the same time if not before my mum knows. It really has made those thousands of miles in between us seem so much smaller.

It’s not only changed keeping in touch with home but it’s also hugely changed how I view travel. I can now go on a website and find the best flights for my travels and not rely on a travel agent. I can stay in someone’s home on Airbnb rather than a hotel room. If I am going somewhere new I can look on Instagram to see what it looks like or the best places to visit. I can get a guide of what to see in any given country from Pinterest. We can read reviews on trip advisors or learn from other people through their blogs about their experiences and the good, bad and the ugly parts of destinations. We can get annoyed at the Begpackers on social media asking people to pay for their ‘journey of self-discovery’ , we can tag ourselves into places on facebook to show just how fabulous and awesome our travels are. I mean can you imagine how only 10 years ago we couldn’t upload the standard ‘my Monday is better than yours’ status update accompanied with a picture of a beach or beautiful view. The horror! We get an endless supply of wanderlust worthy travel photos on Instagram and that those hidden gems of destinations are just not as hidden as they once were.  It’s opened up the world both for the good and the bad.

I’ve read about how social media can make people actually more lonely than if they were interacting with ‘real’ in the flesh people. One website even said this was higher in expats as they are in a new place, still making friends and getting used to adjustment and changes in their life. I can see how this could be true especially if you don’t know ANYONE or if there is a language barrier but I’ve never felt like that. If anything it’s given me a greater connection with home which has allowed me to interact more in my day to day life as I’m  not sat around missing home. I used to get massive FOMO as I never really knew what was happening at home whereas, with technology and social media the way it now it feels like I’m closer to home, I can get involved in family activities by face timing, social media or just a simple WhatsApp message. I’ve met and maintained new relationships and I’ve had friends in similar situation help me through the tough parts of living abroad as they have done it themselves. So whilst I agree the rise of social media and new technology does have its negatives and downfalls I’d much rather have it as it is now than what it was like in 1992 or even 2006.

I can’t even begin to imagine what it will be like in another 10 years. I’m hoping for teleportation pods but we’ll see…..

Have you noticed how social media and technology has changed for you either travelling or living abroad? Would love to hear your thoughts!

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Globetrotters- Wanderers Hub

Travelling is pretty awesome especially when you get to experience it with the person you love most in the world. Prerna and Harsh from the Wanderers Hub get to do just that. Lucky sods!

I love their answer regarding why travelling is important and how it not only rejuvenates the soul but also makes you more tolerant. If only more people opened their mind to travelling and seeing new cultures, meeting people from different walks of life and seeing the world from a different viewpoint to what they are used to. This is a message we all need to get out there.

One of my favourite posts from them isn’t a destination post as you would expect but a post about interesting wanderlust words. Most of these I’d never heard of! Have a read here and see if you’ve heard of them. I’m going to see how many I can get into conversation this week. Now for the destination link I loved reading about the beautiful Bhutan which has long been on my bucket list. Check out the post here and don’t blame me for the wanderlust that will entail.

So happy Sunday all and let me introduce you to Prerna and Harsh …

Hi we are Prerna and Harsh and we are Indian travel bloggers, who run a travel blog called Wanderers Hub. We met in school, fell in love, dated for years, and then got married in 2015. Despite Harsh having a full-time job and Prerna being an entrepreneur, we both fetch time from our busy lives to travel as much as possible. With our itchy feet we are always on the hunt for offbeat places which we can present with an interesting series of photos. In fact, we focus on making a genuine connection with our audience rather than just cluttering the internet space.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

Travel helps build and strengthen relationships. A quick sun-and-sand getaway or a week-long beach break helps ignite the spark that lasts long even after we are back home. Then there is this feeling of conquering a new territory. The idea of trying new food, watching the sun set from a different zone and sleeping in a different world – it gives a sense of accomplishment.

Why do you think travelling is important?

Travelling changes our conceptions of conventional. It’s so amazing to see the world from a unique perspective. Simply put, travelling is an eye-opener. Getting a free new take on life by seeing how people in the other part of the world live is simply fascinating. Plus you are able to leave all worries back at home and step out of your comfort zone. Travelling rejuvenates the soul and makes a person more tolerant.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels.

This one kind of makes us nostalgic about encountering the most romantic sunset of our lives together. It gives us warm fuzzies! 🙂

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?

We both love beach holidays!

Who do you usually travel with?

We travel with each other and no one else. Rarely, do we go for family trips as our parents themselves are keen on exploring the world at their own pace.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Travel often; travel with an open mind and an open heart. That will help you experience different cultures, religions and people in the best manner. Celebrate life and don’t forget to strike conversations with random people you meet on the go.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?

It happened during Tigers Nest trek in Bhutan when the weather got changed drastically and it perhaps started raining. Since the slope was extremely steep, we couldn’t move properly. It got worse when the entire stretch became muddy and we could see so many people slipping here and there. We took our chances and started trekking down slowly, much to our dismay. I slipped really bad the first time and in a fit of rage, threw the bottle I had in my hand, which landed on another person’s head. That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. But I slipped again and again and again! Needless to say, I was a dirt sack by the end of the trek. Now when we think of it, we have a big laugh about the entire episode.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

So far Bhutan. That country can have a numbing impact on your senses – it’ll leave you awestruck!

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?

Dubai was a bit overhyped, I believe.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

I have heard a lot about Fiji and it definitely is on our bucket list. We’re looking forward to exploring Varanasi next week and Switzerland in August this year.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without.

Sunscreen, for sure!

What can readers find on your blog?

Readers can find a perfect melange of travel and lifestyle on our blog. We’ll take them through the exciting journey of finding offbeat places, secluded beaches, and all those hidden streets in a country they’d love exploring.

Find more from Wanderers Hub here

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Should I stay or should I go? 

Don’t get excited family members reading this. This isn’t a question for me. I’m not coming home………  just yet.

I’ve spent a long time living in the UK with little to no face to face contact with others from down under. Well very little in the flesh, I’ve obviously spent a lot of time face timing friends and family. The last 2 years however my antipodean circle has widened. I hired 3 southern hemispherians (pure coincidence I promise!) and another girl from NZ joined another team within our department.

It’s been great they know what milo is, say words funny like me, help share the pain when Australia plays England in the cricket/rugby, share funny videos that our British colleagues just wouldn’t get, spend too much time in walkabout and they just sound like home. They were all there about the age I was when I first came over and whilst they all have completely different situations, plans, lives and loves they have started to have to make some big decisions about what happens next like I did many years ago.

Last week we were sitting in the sun drinking 1 too many proseccos discussing living abroad and the decisions that come with this at each stage of creating a life on the other side of the world.  I’ve lived away for 10.5 years (or 11.5 of you count my gap year) both times I had an ancestry visa due to my grandmother being born in England (hilariously she’s from Birmingham and her name is Sheila) and that allows me to have 5 years to live and work in Great Britain. I was lucky most Aussies don’t get that opportunity and the best they get is 2 years.

My 2 friends are in this situation and both of their visas are up before the end of this year. Talking to them about what they are planning to do was so different yet so similar to what I thought, felt, spoke to my friends about when my own visa was coming to an end.

For me, I never ever considered not applying for residency when my ancestry visa was due to expire. I don’t remember calling my parents to discuss it or ask their opinion I knew in myself that I wasn’t ready to go yet. I wasn’t ready to leave my friends, my boyfriend, my career or the life I had here. Because I had a 5-year visa I had been home most years and when I didn’t make it home my family had all been out to visit or stop in to see me on their travels through Europe.

Talking to both of my friends who are sadly a bit younger than me and they are so much more conflicted. They both have friends, boyfriends, jobs and more countries to tick off their lists but also long to be home with their families and not ready to commit to a life in the UK. They’ve spoken to their parents at length and luckily one of them is able to apply for her own ancestry visa but the cost of this is much higher than when I got mine all those years ago so it puts extra pressure to fund that and support two lives whilst being out of the country as the application is processed. One thing that stuck with me was one of their parents could tell they weren’t ready to go back to a land down under and even said ‘your adventure isn’t up yet’.

It’s hard being away from your parents and family but as I’ve learnt and experienced no matter how far away you are from them they just want to you to be happy.
My other friend has to leave the country when her visa expires. She doesn’t have the option of another one. The decisions for her are different as well as her and her partner need to work out what it means for them in the long term. If they continue togethere but long distance or if he makes the journey over with her. Falling in love abroad is really tough!
My one piece of advice was so not to stay here for a boy (or girl). I love my fiance dearly but I’m here for me and not him. This is the independent women in me coming out -Beyoncé would be proud. Falling in love is really hard when you are away. The problem is if you stay for them to run the risk of it all going tits up and then you are here for the wrong reasons or worse could end up resenting them that you only stayed for them. It puts a weird balance on the relationship. The relationship should, of course, be considered when making a decision to stay but in my opinion, it shouldn’t be the sole reason. See normal couples who are both from the same country don’t have to worry about this sort of thing.

For both of my friends, I don’t know what they’ll do. If they’ll stay or if they’ll go. I don’t think they even know for certain yet.  But one thing we all agreed on is that living and working abroad is one of the best things you could ever do. You grow so much as a person, you see the world through different eyes, you meet amazing people, you learn more about yourself, you develop a deeper love for your homeland (and weirdly the junk food of home) and most importantly you realise just how much crap you can accumulate over the years when all you arrived with was a suitcase!

Globetrotters- Lost Not Found

Candiss from Lost Not Found and I have two things in common, probably more things but two for certain, and that is we both love to travel and we both love photography. Her blog is full of wonderful stories and pictures from her adventures and her Instagram account has photographs that share her experiences more than words ever could. It’s a match made in heaven.

The best part of reading other travel blogs is finding new destinations to visit and seeing places you’ve always wanted to visit come to life. I’ve always wanted to go to New Orleans. The music, the buildings, the smells, the sounds and the southern charm. This post from Candiss literally makes me want to book up a flight right now and go get absorbed in the atmosphere that you can see without even being there http://www.lost-not-found.com/french-quarter-festival-2017/ It just looks like SOOO much fun! I love that you can be an armchair traveller just by reading someone else’s words and seeing the world through their eyes.

You need to check out Candiss’s blog but you also need to make sure you check out her portfolio tab as the photographs are STUNNING. I am a huge sucker for beautiful photographs and these are next level. I’ve included all links to Candiss’s blog and social channels so you keep up to date with her stories, tips and some serious travel inspo.

Handing over to Candiss…


Hi, I am a native Californian and ex-fashion industry professional, I decided a year ago to ditch the high-stress life I was living for 6 1/2 years in NYC and return home to focus on photography and travel my two true loves. I have been to 21 countries in the 5 years I have seriously been travelling (most of those while still working full time) and I hope to add plenty more in this new chapter of my life.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

I enjoy experiencing cultures that are different than mine and growing and learning about our world and myself through these experiences. I also enjoy catching up with my lovely friends that are scattered around the world as well 🙂

Why do you think travelling is important?

I think travel is important because it takes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to reconsider your preconceived notions. The more people you meet and listen to the more you realise how similar we all are throughout this wide world of ours.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?

My current favourite is one of the first shots I took in Cuba. It is from the inside of a restaurant and all you can really see is through the window with the pale coloured walls on the opposing side of the street and a blur of an old American car driving by.

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?

My favourite type of travel isn’t so much type of place as experience when there. I love travelling anywhere where I am privy to a local perspective of the place.

Who do you usually travel with?

I have generally travel by myself between destinations but meet up with friends along the way as I am lucky to know people all over or have friends that want to meet up! More and more though I am travelling purely solo and enjoying that perspective as well.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Just go, there will always be reasons that now is not the best time but just do it because you never know what life may throw at you in the future.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?

Oh, there are quite a few haha, but one of the most annoying mishaps was in Morocco. I let my friend buy our return train tickets from Tangier to Marrakech for what I thought was the right day but it turned out they were purchased for the wrong day. Instead of riding the overnight train in a relatively comfortable sleeper car we were stuck in an 8 seat compartment. After much confusion with where our seats actually were, there was thankfully only us and one other girl but it was an uncomfortable ride, to say the least!

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

This is a hard one but it would have to be the island of Kyushu of Japan. I went to a few different cities and the countryside and everything about it was magical. It doesn’t hurt that almost everything I ate on that trip was AMAZING!!

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?

For me, this will always be Paris. Maybe my first experience there being a really really stressful work experience spoiled the whole place but I’ve been back 3 times since and I still just don’t get the attraction to it. Sure it’s pretty but Paris just has never had a hold on me…

 Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

There are so many! The ultimate would probably be visiting Bhutan but the next one I plan on checking off the list is a month in Vietnam (hopefully in October!)

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without.

My camera equipment! As a photographer, I would forgo most things to make sure my gear is with me to document my travels.

What can readers find on your blog?

Lost Not Found is a focused on telling stories of travel through narrative essays, high-quality imagery, and practical destination guides.

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Trust Me England isn’t always grey and miserable.

So England gets a bit of a bad rep at times. Grey, dreary, wet, cold and just a bit gloomy. These are mostly things I hear or even say myself when speaking to friends and family back in the motherland.  I mean it is true there is no denying that. Winter albeit cosy indoors is long and grey and god forbid if we have a wet summer- everyone’s  off to the continent for some much-needed vitamin D. Luckily I didn’t move to England for the weather.

But and that’s a very big but – spring in the U.K. is gorgeous.

Wells, Somerset

Where I live in the South West the first signs of spring are the daffodils that seem to pop up everywhere. Little rays of sunshine right there on the side of the road.

Tulips at Montacute House, Somerset

Tulips dominate the garden flower beds in houses, parks and stately home.  Reds, yellows, mixtures of two. Sure it doesn’t compare to the Netherlands but it’s still so beautiful.

Then come the bluebells. We have some in the garden but they are nothing compared to the forests of them that spring up in parts of the UK. I saw my first bluebell forest this weekend and it was magical. Mother Nature is one sassy lady for creating a carpet of bluebells. The bluey /purple colour is so vibrant and against the green tree leaves it’s just like you are in a fairy den.

My friends beautiful little girl playing in the bluebells
Wrington Blue Bells , Somerset

As the bluebells start to fade the fields here start to turn bright yellow. Like the sun rays dropped out over the crops. Rapeseed fields dominate the landscape. I can’t stop smiling when I see these patches of golden yellow. I drive past many on my daily commute and they always, without fail put me in a good mood.

Rapeseed Field Somerton, Somerset

The spring colours are one of many surprising things I’ve discovered living in the UK. To be honest it may be the same back in Aus but I’ve just never really stopped to appreciate it. Which I guess most people do when they are caught up in day to day life and the familiar surroundings.

So if you find yourself in the south-west of the UK this time of year look out for the colours, marvel in the beautiful landscapes, stop the car and walk amongst the flowers and above all else remember England’s not always grey and dreary.

Appreciating the spring glory was inspired by reading Suzanne’s post here take a look at her beautiful photographs and wonderful words.

Globetrotters- Tara from Let Passion Unfold

I thought I was brave moving to the other side of the world albeit to an English speaking country but Tara from Let Passion Unfold has taken it up a gear by travelling living and working in Shanghai. What an amazing experience it must be to not only visit a country so different to your own but also to live, work and immerse yourself in the culture. I’m always in awe of people that have the courage to do this.

One of my favourite blog posts from Tara was What Travel has taught me
It covers everything I had felt when I first moved over here and even still now when I venture off on my travels. Travelling is amazing for teaching us lessons about life, about others, about the world and most importantly about ourselves. Reading her answers below I love her answers regarding her top tip for travel advice and you can see how her wonderful outlook on travelling. Reading her posts and her answers below always make me smile both with a knowingness and just feeling uplifted at her view on the world.

You can find more of Tara’s travels, tips, stories and itineraries on her blog (links below) and I strongly recommend you go take a look.

I’ll stop yabbering on and let you hear from Tara herself…


Hi, I’m Tara! I set out on an adventure two years ago to travel while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I thought I could cross off a few bucket list items, find some direction, and go back home. As it turns out, I was wrong. I’ve spent the last couple of years teaching English in Shanghai and travelling during weekends and holidays. Now my bucket list is growing rapidly, and I’m still not sure what I want to do with my life or where I want to spend the rest of it. The only thing I’m sure of is that I want to explore as much of this beautiful world as I can. In the meantime, I’m enjoying life and writing about my adventures at Let Passion Unfold!

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
I think I’d have to say getting to know the people and their culture. Sure, the change of scenery is always nice and trying new food is exciting, but I really just enjoy interacting with locals. When you see how hospitable and friendly complete strangers can be to each other, it really makes you wonder how any hate exists in the world.

Why do you think travelling is important?
I think travelling is important because not only do you learn about the place you are visiting, you learn more about your home country as well. You begin to see things from a different perspective and can really appreciate what makes each place truly great.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?



It’s not easy to pick one, but one of my favourite parts of my trips to the UK last summer was getting to visit the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The formation of the rock columns dates back 60 million years, and there’s a cute story about a giant named Finn McCool to explain the history of it all.

Which is your favourite – sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
My two favourites would be snow and mountains. Living in Shanghai means I don’t see much snow anymore, so when I travel to cold, snowy places, I can’t help but fall head over heels in love. Snow has been my favourite my entire life. However, I did not grow up with mountains. Mountains and hiking are a new love of mine since I’ve started travelling more. It’s great exercise and the scenery never disappoints!

Who do you usually travel with?
Most of the time I travel with coworkers since we all have our holidays at the same time. Every long weekend or break we get, we plan something. Since I won’t be teaching abroad next year, I’m going to try my hand at solo travel. This summer will be my first solo trip and I couldn’t be more excited!!!

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Be flexible and forgiving, especially during your travels. Odds are things will not go perfectly. Don’t let little things ruin your trip. It’s extremely important to be easy-going when you’re completely unfamiliar with a place. Let’s be real, you’re probably somewhere you’ve never been and are away from home to destress and enjoy yourself. You don’t need to make your trip miserable by putting too much pressure on little things. Just laugh when you miss the last bus into town and have to walk 30 minutes instead. Your trip is what you make of it, and if you spend the entire time dwelling about what didn’t go exactly as planned, then you’re going to hate it. And that’s unfortunate for everyone involved.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
About a year ago, I was in Zhangjiajie, China (better known as the Avatar mountains – yes, as in the movie).  After hiking part way down one of the mountains, my friends and I decided to hike one of the casual paths and take a breather – our legs were jello at this point. We walked around for about 20 minutes and then decided to turn back. The path didn’t loop around, so you had to come back the way you came anyway. On our way back we noticed the path was completely surrounded by rhesus macaques. Like hundreds. And they were ready to fight us for the territory. They came running at us, hissing and screeching. So naturally, we ran away screaming. Realising once again that the only way to get back to civilisation was the way we came, we turned around to head toward the macaques. They were still there and still feisty, chasing us away for a second time. We dawdled for a while, not having a clue what to do. We were surrounded by territorial monkeys with no other route back. Luckily a 9-year-old saved our lives. (So much shame). The kid walked up and basically just showed the monkeys who was the boss. He didn’t back down or go running like we had. He proved he was the alpha. And that was it. All the macaques backed off. We followed the kid back but kept a safe enough distance that we didn’t look as pathetic as we felt. As embarrassed as I was that my 3 guy friends and I couldn’t outsmart these monkeys while a 9-year-old managed to, I can’t help but laugh at the hilarity of the situation. And it was all caught on video (but my friends wouldn’t let me post it).

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
Is everywhere an appropriate answer? I feel like it’s impossible to pick. Each place I’ve visited holds a special place in my heart. New Zealand’s South Island is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and Phuket, Thailand was probably one of my most unforgettable trips. But honestly, every country has something amazing to offer, and each trip is special in its own way. It’s rare that I travel somewhere and am not completely blown away by it.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
Every time I travel, my bucket list gets bigger and bigger. One thing I’ve always wanted to see but haven’t yet is the Aurora Borealis. It’s been a goal of mine since I was a kid. I think it would be super awesome to rent one of the glass igloos at Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland and just enjoy the view!

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ANZAC Day & the Kokoda Track

Today is ANZAC Day. For those of you not aware what this is it a significant national occasion in both Australia and New Zealand and is always on the 25th April. ANZAC stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corps and during the war soldiers from Australia and New Zealand were always referred to as the ANZACs. The 25th April marks when the ANZACs landed on Gallipoli for the first major action in the First World War.

It’s a very symbolic day and is just as important if not more than Remembrance Day in both Australia and New Zealand. There is always a public holiday, dawn service (when the ANZACs landed at Gallipoli),  commemorative services, marches through all towns and cities and a day to remember what the ANZACS endured so that we could have the life we have today.

In the small country town where I am from they do something to not only commemorate what the soldiers of the past 100 years did for us but also to show a younger generation just what the soldiers had to go through so that we can grow up in the beautiful country, we call home. The local High School and Rotary club work together to train and prepare year 10 and 11 students to walk the Kokoda Track in the jungles of Papua New Guinea.

The Kokoda Track is another significant part of Australia’s history. In the Second World War, Australian had many battles along the track with the Japanese forces and it was key to hold them out so as to protect Australia.

My dad and his friend Bruce have walked this track 7 times!!  Actually, I think Bruce has walked it around 10 times. Yes, they are crazy! They have been instrumental in driving this in our town through the Dad at the School and Bruce in Rotary. It’s such an amazing thing that they are involved in they spend months (along with other leaders) training the students on walks, getting used to carrying the heavy packs and fundraising to support the trip. Most of the students haven’t been outside of Australia and in some case outside of New South Wales so to go to PNG and walk this track is such an eye opening experience. It’s also a huge sense of accomplishment in completing the track. It’s not easy,  you don’t have a comfy bed, clean clothes, the only food you have is what you can carry and if its rains it is muddy. Really muddy!


My mum went with dad and a group of parents from town and although she is extremely fit she even found it challenging at times. In Spite of all the tough parts of the training and the actual hike, my dad does it time after time. I am immensely proud and in awe of him for this.

Mum and Dad in 2008


The trip is always around ANZAC day and this isn’t by accident. The track has memorials at both the start and end which allow anyone completing the chance to honour those that have fought and fallen both here and in any military campaign.  The bond the trekkers make along the way, the old rusty machines still littering along the track showing glimpses into the past all are huge reminders of the past. When both mum and dad walked the track they experience a dawn service right there in the jungle. It would have been such an emotional experience. My Dad, Bruce and the rest of the trekkers have just returned from their most recent trip and were back in town (washed thankfully) and front row and centre at the local commemorative service heads a little higher, minds wiser and a deeper understanding and respect for the men and women involved in these campaigns.

The 2017 Kokoda Trekkers – Yes my dad is wearing a leaf crown!

I think it is so important as with many of the diggers passing away we need to make sure the younger generation engage, remember and respect the actions of those brave soldiers.

I would love to do this with dad one day. Just need to get training and maybe I’ll be ready by 2019.  Actually maybe more like 2025. Need to stop eating ANZAC biscuits!

Photos courtesy of Bruce Wright and Debbie Harris

Debbie has also blogged about her experiences walking the Kokoda Track and you can find them here

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Globetrotters- Melody Wanders

Reading Melody’s ‘About Me’ page on her blog was so refreshing to read. She homeschooled for 8 years and her parents used every hint and tip in the book to take the family to far-flung places to see more of the world. I also like her honesty in not knowing what she wanted to do when college didn’t go to plan so saving up and funding her own travel adventures for a year to help working things out. What better way to learn than getting out and involved with the world around you.

I especially love reading her posts about America- the cities,  the hikes, the road trips the views. America isn’t a country I have seen too much of so to read about it through her blog just drives further inspiration to get over the pond and explore.

Her Instagram page has lots of wanderlust worthy pictures of her travels and I especially like that she’s always smiling and her zest for life, fun and travels comes through in each photograph.

So let me hand you over to Melody,


I’m Melody a 21-year-old travel blogger from Florida in love with exotic food and spectacular views and always on the search for more spectacular places to visit.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
What I enjoy most about travelling is the people I get to meet from all over the world! I’ve made some of my best friends from travelling!

Why do you think travelling is important?
I think traveling is important because it allows minds to grow from seeing other parts of the world and seeing how we as people are not so different from each other. We’re able to unite and grow together when we see other perceptions from other parts of the world.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels.



This one is my favourite picture because I love mountains and being in Austria where the picture was taken in the middle of hiking really captures the beauty of what I saw that day and the fact that my amazing Austrian host mom took it makes it all the more special.

Which is your favourite – sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
I love being able to hike in the mountains because I come from Florida where the land is really flat and it’s not something I see all the time.

Who do you usually travel with?
Usually, I travel with my amazing family including my mom, dad and younger sister.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to get out there and try out new things!

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
I was kayaking in St. Maarten with a friend of mine who swore they could kayak but they didn’t and it took us almost an hour to travel a couple yards away from the beach and my friend who kept jumping out of the boat said he was “helping” by pushing our boat further away from where we suppose to go. At the end, he said I took so long kayaking even though we both knew it was him.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
Bavaria, Germany because the food and beer are amazing and I have never met more hospitable people in my life there. And the alps are spectacular as well and leave me breathless every time.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
I would love to go to Bali on a retreat of some sort and just enjoy the place and monkeys!

Check out Melody’s blog and social links here.

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Weekend Adventures- The Elizabethan Gem, Montacute House

I’m just going to put this out there- I love National Trust properties.  Yes, I am well aware this is probably going to ruin my street cred (ha as if I have street cred)  but I really do love nothing more on a weekend than going and exploring a stately home, manicured garden and some pretty quintessentially English landscapes. In Australia, we don’t have many of these historic buildings. We have a completely different history.  So maybe this is where my fascination with these properties comes from I’m just not used to them.  We read about mansions and castles in books but never got to actually see any or walk around them.

I love the history, the stories, the artwork, the secret gardens if all just makes you feel like stepping back in time (or often for me like I am a royal queen) and seeing how different life was in the past. I think the national trust has done a tremendous job restoring and maintaining these properties. To think they are still standing and still intact after 100s of years is amazing.

We’ve been to see quite a few places over the years and some of which has been blogged about previously (and many still to be blogged about) but over the Easter weekend this year we ventured to the Elizabethan Gem Montacute House.

Located just outside of Yeovil in Somerset this commanding house was built by Sir Edward Phelips in 1598. He was obviously a wealthy and powerful in those days and he was most commonly known for his role in the prosecution in the trial against Guy Fawkes. He was also on very good terms with King James who donated a portrait of himself which is still on display in the house to this very day.


The building is made from the local Ham Stone which gives the building a lovely honey tint. Walking up to the gate you get a lovely view of the house and can see why it’s been used in so many films and Tv programs. The gardens are well manicured and full of colour, especially with the brightly coloured tulips. My personal favourite was the wibbly wobbly hedge that looks like a big green cloud. My other half loved the orangery so much he is now planning to try and build one for us.

After strolling around the gardens we then headed into the house and found signs of the past in all rooms. We even saw a historic version of an ensuite. The most impressive inside the house was the Long Gallery. This is apparently the longest of its kind in the country and houses over 60 portraits. They are spectacular and yes you can feel all theirs eyes watching you. The portraits are on loan from the National Portrait Gallery and well worth seeing. Seeing all the faces, the fashion and different techniques just add more insight into the past. I liked seeing the lesser known portraits just as much as seeing ones of Queen Elizabeth the First and Henry VIII.

When we finished exploring through the house and gardens we then also went to out to explore the village that shares its name with the house. The ham stone is present throughout the village and it couldn’t have been more British if it tried. Two sweet pubs and a very creepy looking museum. It was a lovely little village.


To visit the property is £12.60 per adult from March to October. Outside of these times, you can only visit the garden and there is a discounted rate for those months.  We actually opted to sign up for a year membership to the NT on our visit. I’ve never felt so middle aged in my whole life. But you know what I don’t care I’m just going to keep looking through my book to see where we can have our next weekend adventure.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/montacute-house

A few more photos to show you this beautiful place

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