Q: Where did your love of travel first come from?
A: Travel is a part of my life and has been since day dot. I can’t imagine my life without travelling. It fuels me, motivates me and inspires me.
I do not live to work; I work to live. And travel is my guiding light. It’s my passion. It’s what I love. It’s what gets me up in the morning.
Q: Your new book is called ‘The Art of Bleisure’. What exactly is “bleisure”?
A: Business + leisure = bleisure. I define bleisure as the ability to integrate travel and leisure into my working life.
I’ve mastered the art of bleisure as I no longer subscribe to the work-work-work-then-play model of living.
Q: Your book is about travelling and getting paid to do it. So, what are your top tips for achieving this?
A: Diversify your income streams. I think one of the biggest blocks to travel is money and people say they don’t have enough. But I’ve found so many ways to bring in income that is outside of a job or my business.
I’ve done pet sitting (paid and in exchange for free accommodation), mystery shopping (paid and receiving free experiences), sold gold and items I no longer need from home, and even acted as a tour manager (paid for, not paid) which led me to trekking Everest base camp, cycling through Cambodia and many more adventures.
Increasing your income as well as keeping more of your income is a great way to travel more.
Another tip is to include travel in your work. I do this by hosting retreats and partnering with an Indian travel company.
I also work remotely and always have done, so no matter the type of work I can do it from anywhere and I’m willing to do all kinds of work to help me continue to travel.
I think we need to view work and getting paid differently. Be a bit more adventurous and curious. Have fun with it!
Q: I believe you also have some handy tips on the best way to travel with toddlers?
A: I’m very passionate about this subject. As I write this my toddler is sleeping as we recover from our jet lag travelling to the USA from Australia. At 3am, it’s rough. But the moments we share in new places are priceless. Here are my tips:
Be over prepared for the plane
Take at least three sets of clothes for your child and two extra sets of clothes for yourself. Children get sick on flights and make a lot of mess generally. You must be prepared to clean up and do a costume change or two.
Stay in family-friendly accommodation
Look for family-friendly hotels or Airbnb’s that offer bassinets, high-chairs and separate sleeping areas. This can make an enormous difference to your comfort and convenience.
Choose accommodation that has activities for children, like pools or kids clubs. This keeps kids entertained and allows you to have some downtime. Sites like bookings.com identify family-friendly accommodation.
Consider cruises
Cruises are made for families. They are cost-effective and convenient. Your accommodation, food and entertainment, all in one place, and you only need to unpack once. This is so much easier than a road trip and they have a kids club – win!
Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from flight attendants, hotel staff, or even strangers if you need it. Most people are happy to help parents travelling with young children.
Embrace the adventure
Travelling with kids is challenging but rewarding. Focus on the memories you’re creating and the experiences you’re sharing as a family, not the difficult moments. The lovely ones are what will stick in your memory.
Q: What are some of the standout destinations among the 76 you’ve visited?
A: India – It’s my favourite. I’ve visited 15 times and I now partner with a travel company there, Indus Bound, to help more people to experience incredible India.
There’s an unspoken travel motto in India – Athiti Devo Bhava. It means guest is god and this is what I’ve experienced there. Hospitality and service like no other. It feels like coming home. It’s also incredibly diverse and there’s always something new to experience.
Mongolia – This was on my husband’s wish list after watching the show Genghis Khan. It was a bit random, but hey, I love an adventure. We were both blown away by this country. It was like nothing we’ve ever experienced.
Our private guided trip with Zendmen Travel Mongolia was incredible – we went horseback riding to a glacier over two days, attended the Nadaam Festival (like the Olympics for their country) and met eagle hunter families. I am so excited to go back.
Mexico – I lived there for one semester of university and it just captured my heart. The food, the vibrant colours, the dancing and the rich culture.
It’s so much more than Cancun and I loved getting to explore it. We loved it so much my husband and I eloped there and were married by the cenotes in Tulum. It will always have my heart.
Q: Finally, what is your favourite travel story?
A: My Dad and I went to Borneo on a short trip after a conference in Singapore. We had to get a small flight there and after a fabulous day, we boarded our return flight.
We arrived at a small airport after a short flight and it looked different to the morning flight, but we thought it must be another part of the airport. We cheerfully strolled off the plane, walked through the hut of a terminal and watched the tiny plane take off, even waving it goodbye.
I approached a taxi and asked him to take us to The Grand Hyatt. He said no.
I told him again where we wanted to go, making it clearer, The Grand Hyatt in Kota Kinabalu. He said no.
I asked why not?
He replied: “Because it’s four hours away.”
I said aghast: “Well then where are we!”
He said: “You’re in Kudat.”
We’d not been informed that our plane would be making a pit stop in Kudat on the way to the capital of KK. I asked the taxi driver when the next flight was … next Wednesday. It’s a once per week flight!
I asked Peter (we had fast become acquainted) to take us to the best hotel in Kudat which was actually a gorgeous golf resort where foreigners often visit.
Dad contacted our hotel and they arranged a car to get us the next day. It was actually a gorgeous place to be and the drive back was stunning.
The Art of Bleisure. Published August 21.
ISBN: 978-1-7636479-0-9
