My Travel Story
Koh Samui – first stop when I left NZ for London
This month’s travel linkup is all about what got me into the world of travel blogging. Why I am here today sharing my tales from the globe, solo travel, being an expat, to returning home. How have I gotten to travelling over 45 different countries, living in 3 for extended periods of time and taking some epic solo backing journeys?
Well I’ll tell you how…
There once was a little girl who moved from the city to a small kiwi town in the countryside. There was clean fresh air and oceans nearby. She spent her days with chickens, in the garden and camping out. She visited the glow worms in the gully, summers at the beach and family Christmases around the Christmas pine tree.
Then one day her eldest sister went to travel and work on cruise ships. That’s the time the postcards started arriving and the dreaming began…
Could it actually be possible to travel the world?
Cappadocia, Turkey (from a hot air balloon)
Standing above Positano, Italy
We weren’t wealthy at all, I worked when I was old enough to pay for my hobbies and my car. Yet by the time I’d finished high school I remember telling a scholarship organisation that I hoped to one day work in London.
Roll on 3 years at University, I then applied for an EUNZ Scholarship abroad for my Postgraduate Study. I was hoping for Slovenia, with Austria as my second choice. England was another option, but it felt too similar to New Zealand. I was after something a bit different!
Austria…
Hagenberg, just outside of Linz, where I studied in Austria
Then the day came and my scholarship turned out to be the best thing that had happened to me. I was given just over 5 months in Austria and a few weeks in Slovenia. Flights and a monthly budget was provided. I was so excited. This was well worth an extra year of study to travel to Europe!
And what an adventure it was. I made so many lovely friends during my time in the little Austrian town of Hagenberg. Friends from Lithuania, Spain, Hungary, Austria and many more. I enjoyed the weekly ‘pasta night’ of all you can eat 1 Euro pasta at the pub (with beers I’ve course). The travel opportunities were incredible. While we travelled cheap my friends and I managed to see many spots in Eastern and Central Europe and even visited London! What a busy place that was, I could never imagine living there!
Austria was incredible. My travel were woven into my Honours thesis on ‘Still Photography without text’ and were etched into my heart and soul.
Hallstatt, Austria
Roll on 2 years later, I’d finished my postgraduate degree, worked for a year and a half, paid off my student loan, saved up and I was boarding a plane to… you guessed it… London.
London…
London bus
London was the spot where there were lots of work opportunities and lots of Kiwis and Aussies start off there. I was able to get a 5 year Ancestry visa from a bit of research into my Grandfathers birthplace. I was set.
It wasn’t smooth sailing at all though. I didn’t really know anyone. I changed flats about 4 times within a year and took 6 weeks to get my first contracting gig because I had no contacts in the industry.
At the Olympic stadium awaiting an Athletics final!
It probably took a good 2-3 years in London until I started making really good close friends outside of work. It was around this time I started blogging too. I met some lovely friends through blogging, attended various bloggers afternoon teas and started getting the odd travel deal in return for a review.
Afternoon Tea with the lovely Emma (who also took this pick)
I travelled regularly. Almost every month. Often to Europe, but also throughout the UK and Ireland. I ventured over to the US and Canada and fell in love with Africa. The world has so much to offer and this is where my travel bloggers journey really began.
Northern Lights, Tromso
Agia Anna beach, Naxos, Greece
American side of Niagara Falls, at night
Standing in front of the Pyramids of Giza
Silverback Gorilla, Rwanda, 2011
The desire to travel will always be inside me I think. Even if sometimes it doesn’t seem possible, it’s still there, tapping me on the shoulder, reminding me how vast and different all the places in the world are.
If this post sounded of interest, you could be keen to check out my 30 Greatest Travel Experiences Before I’m 30 – they include many of my adventures from Austria and my time in London, along with my epic solo journey home to NZ via Africa and South/Central America. Check the posts out here: https://kiwifootprints.com/30-greatest-experiences-before-im-30/ »
Looks like you’ve done some amazing travelling! 🙂
Thanks, it’s been pretty incredible!
You have been on some of the most amazing (and a fair few stressful) adventures!
I’d say that’s a fair evaluation haha!
Some amazing experiences there, Ngaire! And your photos are pretty incredible as well..
Aww thanks for reading!
I wish I’d been as brave as you and opted to do my degree, or at least a semester abroad. It sounds as though you’ve had some amazing travels.
I wish I’d done more of my degree abroad-the facilities are amazing and still so cheap for foreigners (in Austria at least) I just think doing that sort of thing wasn’t promoted much when I was studying sadly!
Thanks for sharing your story. I’ve had a similar experience being a bit lonely in foreign countries and the travel blogging really helped me meet other bloggers and expand my horizons. Nice hearing something similar from you. 🙂
Good to know we’re not alone in this aye!
45 countries – that is incredible! I love that you picked Austria as the starting place
Haha yer I don’t really aim for lots of countries just to properly see and experience the ones I can visit
45! cool!:)
It was so nice to read your story! Study abroad scholarships can really be life changing. Also I liked seeing your hairstyle change over the years aha!
Haha oh dear the hairstyles!
Studying abroad must be a great experience. There is nothing to do but sink or swim, and you seem to have become a good swimmer! Nice post.
Thanks, what a nice way to put it! Think both leaving and returning to nz have both been tough in their own ways, but you definitely get through to the good stuff eventually!
I had no idea a couple of years ago that I would be visiting so many countries in Europe, and not just as a tourist! Thanks for the post. 🙂
Wow! That’s a lot of countries! Cool post:)
Thanks! Never really seems like that many countries until I count them up!
LOVE that shot of the Silverback! Awesome post! Have you been to Kenya? #travellinkup
Thanks! Yes I’ve done a bit of Kenya, but still need to do more of that!
I’m super excited to study abroad and your pictures are amazing!
Cool! Where are you going to study abroad?
THANKS for sharing your nice travelling. Traveling likes a heavenly peace. By that traveling, you picked many experience in your life.
Looks like you’ve been to some really incredible places, great post and pics!
Thanks!
beautiful photos….. you are witnessing the best creation of God……
Great post
a very interesting post. It’s fun to read about how different people get into travel. Travel has always been my dream, and I do not know when it will ever change.
The journey is fun, you are very brave to take that choice. I have never traveled alone, it would be fun but too scared. Language and cultural issues, also about security, may be my consideration before traveling. I’m glad to be able to read your travel stories, hopefully it’s always fun for you.