Where it all started

I have an incredibly adventurous mother. In 1991, she embarked on an internship in New Zealand all on her own. At the time, there were no text messages or Instagram updates to stay connected. Instead, she would go bungee jumping or skydiving and let my grandparents know through letters—letters that would arrive weeks later, of course. "Hi, Mum and Dad! I’m still alive!" she’d write. My grandfather was just as adventurous, often leading family trips to the Alps, where they’d hike for days. It seems the adventure gene runs strong in our family. When my mum met my dad, she passed that spirit on to him. My dad always had a spark of adventure in his heart, but my mum made it blaze. Together, as newlyweds, they ventured to Mexico. On one trip, my dad went diving, lost his buddy, and nearly disappeared into the Atlantic Ocean—but thankfully, he made it back!

In 2000, I was born, and before long, they were taking me on their adventures. It didn’t matter if I was in a backpack or a buggy; they always found a way to bring me along. In 2001, my brother was born, and our family of four continued exploring. My parents took us on incredible trips throughout our childhood, and by the time we were teenagers, we’d practically seen all of Europe.

Our trips were quite different from those of other families. While my friends made “summer friends” or even “summer boyfriends” at the same campsites or social spots each year, my family always opted for a private house, often in the middle of nowhere or perched on a mountainside. It was just the four of us, and honestly, that was all we ever needed.

One of my favourite childhood trips was to Italy, where friends of my parents owned a small house in the mountains overlooking Lake Como. Mornings were for breakfast and sightseeing, afternoons for swimming or hiking, and evenings for simply relaxing. My brother and I would catch crickets and lizards and craft little boats for them to sail down the river. (Poor creatures—our parents probably should have stopped us, haha!) Another cherished trip was our road trip across America. We’d visited before to see family and friends—my aunt and cousins lived in Ohio, and my mum’s best friend from university resides in Texas—but I was too young to remember much. In 2015, however, we returned, and this time I was old enough to take it all in. Over three weeks, we journeyed from Texas to Las Vegas, through the Grand Canyon, to Los Angeles, and finally to Santa Barbara. The diversity of landscapes, people, and cities we encountered left me with lasting gratitude and a big smile whenever I think about it.

As a family, we’ve travelled to Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, America, and South Africa. When I was 17, I took my first trip without my parents, travelling to Tenerife with my boyfriend at the time. It wasn’t the best experience—I didn’t particularly like Tenerife, and it felt odd to travel without my parents. While most teenagers might jump at the chance to holiday with friends or a partner, I realised how much I cherished travelling with my family.

At 18, I had the opportunity to do an internship abroad and chose South Africa. My parents weren’t thrilled at first, which surprised me—they’d always encouraged me to explore the world, so their hesitation felt unexpected. It turned out they were apprehensive because they’d never been to South Africa themselves and weren’t sure what to expect. Letting their 18-year-old daughter go there alone was understandably daunting. After some discussion, we made a plan: we’d visit South Africa as a family first, experiencing the culture, wildlife, and nature together. Then, they’d leave me at my internship location.

That family trip turned out to be one of the best. When they left, I stayed for eight weeks and loved it so much that I returned six months later for another three months. During my time there, I made lifelong friends and embarked on small road trips. After South Africa, I moved to a new city for university. Throughout those years, I travelled to Greece, Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Australia. You can read about those experiences on my website.

Now, in November 2024, I’m living a long-held dream, travelling through Europe in my van—a dream made possible by my dad. I hope to one day take him on a road trip to show him just how grateful I am for his support. Both of my parents have always been incredibly supportive of my travel plans, dreams, and decisions, and I couldn’t ask for better parents.