I was born to gypsies - well, gypsies in spirit. By the time I was four months old, I had already travelled through fourteen countries. By six months, I had been in the frontline of a middle-eastern war. Fortunately, it settled down after that - as my family headed from Europe to Australia where I grew up experiencing an idyllic life of beaches, barbeques and bush holidays.

 

But the travel bug was only sleeping, clearly satiated by this early feast, and drip-fed across the decades with a few other family holidays (including one to Hong Kong and Europe -  that's me at left on the Eiffel Tower, Paris,  on my 12th birthday!) plus a fair bit of travel around Australia in my twenties.

 

But I started travelling overseas as an adult quite late in life (It's never too late for you to start!). Since then, although working in a non-travel industry (who doesn't dream about being paid to travel?),  I have been fortunate enough to have jobs with great holiday benefits, and few other distractions to spend my hard-earned money on. I have managed to travel to over 70 countries so far, and confess that the 100 club is softly calling my name!

 

I mostly travel alone, but only semi-independently and I have now done many small group tours in the last decade. I love overland travel, especially by train, and finding places that are not crowded by busloads of bored tourists. But as an older woman, I like my comfort too - roughing it for a night or so is okay if the cultural experience is rewarding, but give me a decent, cheap, clean hotel with reliable wifi otherwise! 

 

When not travelling, I am thinking about my next holiday. or writing about the last one.