A great desire to travel.
As a typical 20-something Australian it’s hardly a surprise that since getting a taste of overseas travel I’ve become hooked, daresay obsessed with discovering other countries, cultures, cuisines and their historical landmarks. My first ‘overseas’ trip was to neighbouring country New Zealand at the age of 12, and in the years following I also visited Thailand with my parents on another family holiday. Both amazing destinations for completely different reasons, however my love affair with travel didn’t begin until I embarked on my first international adventure sans my parents at the age of 16, embarking on a two week school trip to Japan. The duration was spent equally in Kyoto and Tokyo where we stayed a week in a hotel and the remaining week with a host family, giving us an insight into everyday Japanese life.
The first week in Kyoto was filled with shopping, more temples than I’ve seen combined in my lifetime, and with daytrips to Nara, Himeji & Hiroshima. Being year 11 students we were given free time to roam Kyoto, and I fell in love with the notion of exploring the unknown, and the mixture of freedom and fear that came with being in a foreign country where you were unable to communicate fluently and also with the excitement of not knowing what would come next. The following week staying with a family who spoke about as much English as I spoke Japanese proved to be quite a challenge, though I also found it to be far more culturally enriching. I became practically fluent in charades, and was confronted by foods I’d never laid eyes on, foreign bedding and bathing situations and differing family dynamics. At the time it was all very strange, and I recall being quite homesick due to lack of communication, but in hindsight it was hands down one of the most amazing experiences I could have had at such a young age.
That feeling I had in the unknown of Japan is the exact same one that I encounter whenever I first arrive in an unexplored place, the impossible to replicate moment of pure excitement and yearning for new experience. It’s not a surprise then that I jumped at the opportunity to explore South America and Western Europe as a part of taking a gap year, and that I’ve since travelled back to Europe & Asia for several month stretches throughout my university degree (In which I’m studying International Relations with a minor in Hispanic studies, surprise surprise).
Overall this blog will outline some of my past adventures, and newfound travel ground (next up is a month in Europe & New York in September of this year), most likely with an eclectic mix of fashion, food and local adventures. Hope you enjoy following my escapades across the globe, which will hopefully be filled with strange tales and crazy adventures, with tips and tricks along the way.
This is my current ‘where have I been’ map, and I can’t wait to make some new additions.
- Melissa
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