Taking the next step…
Please note: The G Adventures ‘Make Your #NextStep Count’ competition mentioned below has now closed. So devo I wasn’t allowed to enter!
Most of you will know that I struggle with an insatiable wanderlust and spend as much of my time as humanly possible either on a trip or planning the next one. My budget has very little room for clothing or other material things and is almost entirely consumed by adventure (and food, or even better, food adventures). No judgment for the shopaholics out there, it’s a very personal thing – I gain so much more from a travel experience than I do from physical things, but don’t expect everyone to agree. Lucky for me, Nic is an equally passionate globetrotter making him a willing and wonderful travel companion. We’ve covered 30+ countries in our six years together (and we’re just getting started) and even got matching travel-related tattoos when we passed the epic 30-country-milestone (which is super dorky but also awesome).
Mantanani Island, Borneo
What some of you may not know is that I was actually born overseas and took my first plane trip at 6 months (more on that another day). This early start may have spurred my great love of exploring the world. My student life included 3 languages formally and multiple more in my own time. I’ve spent time overseas as an exchange student, an expat, a tourist and a volunteer. My travel portfolio also reflects an evolving style of travel, which continues to expand as I work my way through the bucket list. Think broke-ass-party-loving-uni-student to expat-corporate-living-the-dream, from takes-an-hour-to-get-ready-for-a-Barcelona-beach-party to doesn’t-shower-for-two-weeks-camping-in-the-Himalayas, from luxury-beach-resorts-not-moving-a-muscle to hiking-up-mountains-and-crossing-desserts-on-two-hours-sleep…. Recently, the next question for me has been “what’s the next step?” Conveniently, G Adventures launched an amazing competition to take your #nextstep by winning your dream G Adventures trip!!!
Petra, Jordan
I could go on forever about why I love travel and why it’s about the best thing you could ever do for yourself. My favourite part is the new people you meet (and the new ideas they expose you to). One of those new people is actually yourself – the new you that you discover when you remove yourself from familiarity and routine. Last year, when the dreaded quarter life crisis was in full swing (yes, it hits me like it hits most of us), it was through a six-month stint overseas with my law firm that I was able to evaluate the course of my life and craft a new journey for myself. It gave me the mental space and new perspectives to imagine up a different future, which led to the birth of our new business, Matcha Maiden. A year on, it is my full-time gig and we’ve just come back from the US where we launched a new warehouse, added new stockists to our list of 1000+ stores and cafes and continued to grow our 53,000+ family of matcha mates around the world. The dream of having a job that allowed me to travel often and everywhere has eventuated and it is freaking amazing!
Rwanda, Africa
If you are experiencing anything like a quarter-life crisis (no matter where in your life you actually are – quarter, half, whatever), go on an adventure. Eat Pray Love the hell of out your life! G Adventures’ AMAZING competition can make that happen for you. They’re the world’s largest small group adventure company and have a range of travel styles across various countries one of which is actually called YOLO – I know, amazing. They are choosing three winners who will win their dream adventure. All you have to do is choose one of three styles of travel and explain in 25 words or less why you’re ready to take the next step with G Adventures. You can enter the competition HERE. Gotta be in it to win it! Good luck everyone!
Khardung-La, India
And just since I was compiling it myself for my own interest, here are the countries we’ve been to so far (some of which are perhaps not “countries” in everyone’s eyes but which deserved a separate bullet point so as not to be controversial). If you need any travel tips, hit me up!
List of countries:
- South Korea
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- United States
- New Zealand
- Japan
- France
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- PRC
- Thailand
- Croatia
- Italy
- Vatican
- Germany
- Hungary
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Indonesia
- India
- Dubai
- Jordan
- Israel
- Palestine
- Turkey
- Malta
- Cyprus
- Kenya
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Rwanda
- Macau
- Taiwan
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Who knows??