Hi, I’m Courtney and welcome to my blog!
I am an avid adventurer, lover of the sunshine, animal advocate, mermaid in training and very passionate about the conservation of our natural world. Let my journey towards a sustainable, wanderlust-filled lifestyle inspire your own!
As a born & bred Australian, I’ve always loved living by the ocean. In fact, I’ve never lived more than five minutes from the coast in my entire life! As a result, I have grown up as a water baby with a deep love and respect for the ocean. I’ve always wanted to trade places with Ariel, and often daydream about life as a mermaid. I find spending time by the sea very therapeutic, and is where you’ll find me most of the time! I’m lucky enough to live just a stone’s throw away from several beautiful beaches in the stunning city of Wollongong on the NSW South Coast in Australia.
My love for the ocean quickly spread into a love for our entire natural world, and over time I became very passionate about the conservation of the planet. In the 30 years that I have been earthside, I have seen the devastating effects that climate change has had on our world. This has inspired me to use my platform to create awareness and demand action for the protection of our planet and all the creatures that call it home (including us)!
WHAT AM I INTO?
I have an adventurous spirit and absolutely love the outdoors. Some of my hobbies include hiking, skiing, swimming, fitness & well-being, reading, exploring, and of course, travelling!
I have also recently discovered a newfound love for plant-based cooking. Since committing to a vegan lifestyle in 2018, I have been continuously experimenting in my kitchen trying to recreate all the meals I used to love using only plants. I’d like to say I’ve been somewhat successful, but why not head on over to my Vegan Eats page to check out some of my recipes?
By day, I work in Marketing & Communications and am lucky enough to have the flexibility to travel as often as I like. I also freelance as a Social Media Manager and create engaging content for a number of different clients. My ultimate career goal is to become a digital nomad, have the ability to take my work with me wherever I go and continue to travel as often as I can! Check out more of my professional experience by visiting my LinkedIn profile here.
MY BIGGEST LOVE
Travel has long been a passion of mine.
Ever since my first overseas trip to the United States of America in 2008, I have been obsessed with travelling. Before this inaugural overseas adventure, while I was growing up, I was particularly obsessed with the USA. Why? I have no idea. But I could name every single one of the 50 states, had multiple t-shirts and a bandanna branded with stars and stripes (I didn’t say I was a cool kid), and had a burning desire to visit this incredible country that was so much like ours, but so different.
That first overseas adventure to the USA to work at a summer camp almost nine years ago changed my life. I’ve since studied abroad in the USA, travelled across 4 continents, and have tried endlessly to scratch that constant travel itch. To me, the world is one big playground and I want to climb on every piece of equipment! From the snowy cold to the tropical heat, from vast mountains to busy cities – nothing is too remote, too cold, too hot or too busy!
WHY DO I LOVE TRAVEL?
One of my favourite things about travelling is, and always will be, that feeling you get when you arrive somewhere new for the first time. You know the feeling – it’s like a quiet excitement that gradually builds up during your journey, getting more intense as you inch closer to your destination, then explodes like a firework of disbelief, exhilaration and happiness. Even when I return to places I’ve been more than once, I still get this feeling. It may not be as intense as the first time, but it’s still there. I hope to never lose that feeling.
I could keep writing about why I love to travel, but then you’d be sitting here reading this post for weeks. I guess I can sum it up by saying that I love to travel because every destination you visit, every person you meet, every culture you discover, and every experience you have ultimately turns into a memory that you’ll have forever. A memory that keeps you wanting more; that keeps you searching for more; that keeps changing your perspective.
WHY START A BLOG?
I originally started my blog as an escape from mundane work life. I love telling stories that evoke emotion from my readers, allowing them to experience my story just as I did. My aim is to inspire others to travel through my words, as well as promote a healthy, active lifestyle and help educate others on important issues such as climate change and ocean conservation.