Lovelly Travels

Travelling with kids is one thing, but deciding to turn your life into an everlasting travel adventure is next level. For Chantal Patton and her wander loving family, this is the reality. Growing Up Without Borders is the website and Youtiube channels that follows the adventures of the Patton family. I had the pleasure of speaking with Chantal and swapping travel tales from our digital nomad lifestyles. From house swapping to home schooling, Chantal and her family have navigated it all. 100 countries down and they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon (well, bar the minor blip of the pandemic.) So many pearls of wisdom and wonderful travel stories in this episode, it's a must for any travel loving family!

Have you ever travelled with a sibling? It could be that familiar family fun, or it could be fraught with childhood tension. For Emma and her brother James, travelling together as adults has led to some amazing experiences and created a special bond through the memories they share. Travelling across 9 countries over the years together, they have had some unforgettable experiences. We hear about James's love for travel, their very different approaches to travel and where they both want to get to next with their own families - and together. Join us for some sweet moments of reminiscing and funny anecdotes from this travel loving family.

It's time to for you to grab your funny hats and papal slippers, maybe a little tiny wafer and a goblet of red wine - and is that white smoke I see or a witch being burned? We're going to put some knights Templar on trial and punish people for thinking that the earth is round. So start crawling through your secret tunnels and REPENT YE SINNERS! We are going to the world's smallest country - The Vatican City! Emma visited the Vatican City in 2018 and got to tick off one of the two special territiories on the UN reocgnised list! This is one of the few countries Emma has visited which is acceptable to spend just 1 day in, because seriously, it's that small! Darius has not yet been but thoroughly enjoyed putting together the facts and the intro for this very special country on our list. All puns welcomed!

Extreme sport and extreme travel! Amanda Thompson doesn't shy away from a challenge. Combining sport and travel can be an incredible way to see the world, expanding your mind and your horizons all at once. From the boardroom of Australia’s biggest banks as a leading Financial Advisor to qualifying three times for the Ironman World Championships despite health issues, Amanda Thompson has never been afraid of a challenge. Amanda says "Living (some of) my life in lycra has gifted me some amazing travel experiences, both nationally and internationally. When I took up the sport of triathlon, the gruelling training and feeling of exhilaration at completing such a time consuming and body taxing event was front of mind. What I didn’t see coming was the doors this sport would open to travelling to destinations I wouldn’t previously have considered, as well as sightseeing in a completely different fashion – by bike!" Join us as we hear from this inspiring athlete about her adventurous approach to travel, work and life!

We’re off to the beautiful island of Vanuatu 🇻🇺 in the South Pacific. Emma and Darius have both visited and enjoy taking a walk down memory lane. Emma spent just a few days there - literally! One day in 2005, on Mystery Island as part of her Schoolies cruise. Something she only realised on her second trip to Vanuatu, again on a cruise, in 2019. She visited Port Vila and went out on a scuba diving day. Darius had a lot more to share after getting to experience more of the culture. We talk about his diving, cava, volcanoes and culinary experiences. Make sure to share your Vanuatu tips in the Lovelly Travels Community

Incredibly in 2006/7 (yes it was over New Years, Darius and Emma happened to randomly bump into each other somewhere in the world! That place was Prague in Czech Republic. This week we're travelling back in time, as we often do, to revisit this experience. From cobbled streets to epic castles, delicious hot raspberries to some of the finest beer = Czech Republic is a gorgeous country to visit. We spent most of our time in Prague but Emma also made a quick visit to the spectacular Czesky Krumlov. Hear what we loved, hear what we could do without, and hear all about why this country is a must for your bucket list.

It's hard to believe but we are STILL in this and it's going to be a while yet. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emma started having conversations with people from around the world about what was really happening in their home countries - and we are still having these conversations. It is now October 2021, and Melbourne is still in some form of lockdown. No way could we have ever imagined or predicted it would look like this still 18 months on. Danielle Phyland, a travel blogger and one of our regular podcast guests certainly could not imagine how it would have looked. And we know! Because we spoke back in April. Have a listen to what we thought would happen back in 2020 and what is the reality now in October 2021. I hope we're not checking in again in 2022, but I'm also quite enjoying getting this snapshot of this super challenging/interesting/ ever changing time in our lives and for the world.

Did you ever take a gap year? Emma did when she was 18 between high school and University - living in the UK and travelling through Europe and Asia. But what about an Adult Gap year? This week we welcome Jenny Cook, author of Adult Gap Year to tell us all about this awesome life experience. Jenny is a life enthusiast, world traveller and life long learner. She’s a creative who loves to travel and explore other cultures. She says “living my best life and inspiring others is my mission.” Make sure to get a copy of Jenny’s book at https://jennycook.life/book or on any reputable online store. It’s an Amazon best seller!

Our final stop on the state tour of Australia, the last but definitely not least - Tasmania. Fun fact: you have to go OVERSEAS to visit this part of Australia, it's located on the bottom of Australia and this island state is a true gem!! A pearl in the ocean if you will. Actually, something you can do here is sample some of the amazing seafood - oysters, salmon, prawns and so much more. Tassie is famous for its fresh produce and incredible food and wine season. Salamanca Markets in Hobart is a must to sample a whole range of delicacies. We're joined on this episode by Emma's lovely friend and Tasmanian born and bred, Selina Bush. She shares with us so much of her gorgeous state. Emma had only been to Hobart and Launceston so now has a HUGE list of places to visit next time. From Cradle Mountain to Bruny Island, wineries to epic trails, this state is breathtaking and although it may seem small - deserves a solid amount of time to explore! Thank you for joining us on this fun 8 part series and please let us know if you enjoyed it! We'd love to do some more in the future. Thank you to all our Aussie guests for sharing their incredible states with us. I still call Australia home and after listening to this series, I'm sure you can see (well hear) why!

"We’re taking our tour of Australia to the capital - the Australian Capital Territory in fact. A lot of people know it as Canberra, however that’s the city! Fun fact- ACT is a territory all of its own. And it’s situated inside another state! We welcome back Alison Hallworth to talk about her former home state. This one is jam packed full of tips for places to visit in the ACT. Some people think there isn’t much to do, especially after being dragged their on a school trip or family holiday as a kid. But there’s heaps to do and the state has come a long way in a short time with a vibrant cafe and restaurant scene. We’re coming to the end of our first series, our tour of the Australian states - so make sure to listen in to the rest over on Lovelly Travels. Also you may notice the photos for this episode are a tad random. Alison’s photo is from the Dinosaur museum. Emma’s photo is with co-host Darius and a bunch of friends during the year 9 Canberra school trip. We promise both photos were taken in the ACT - love a pic with a story!"

We’re off to the Heart of Australia, the red centre and the top end of Oz - The Northern Territory. We welcome Nannette Holliday - International Woman of Mystery for this episode! As a published author and freelance travel and lifestyle writer, Nannette has an incredible insight into her adopted home state of Northern Territory. Emma shares her experience of visiting the absolute essential stops of Uluru, The Olgas, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs in the Red Centre, and the capital of the state, Darwin. While Nannette takes us to some of the untapped gold in this captivating part of Australia. If you really want to learn about Indigenous Australia and the traditional land owners who carry the stories, the NT is a must. There’s so much story in the land itself and it mustn’t be missed. You never never know, if you never never go! So come travel vicariously with us and then go plan your next NT trip! I’m excited to have mine booked to the Larapinta in May 2021.

The Sunshine state! We've reached Emma's current homeland, the perpetual holiday destination that is Queensland. Resort style living, epic beaches, amazing rainforests, world wonder of the Great Barrier Reef - this state has a lot going on. We're joined on this episode by Natascha Mirosch, Freelance Food & Travel Journalist & Podcaster at ExtraVirgin Food & Travel Podcast. Although Emma lives in QLD, she actually hasn't seen that much of it! Natascha takes us on a breathtaking tour to the far corners of this state and some incredible destinations that aren't on the well trodden tourist map path! Longreach - where QANTAS was born, Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt for wine, Charlieville for some history & Cape Tribulation for where the sharks and crocodiles meet! There is TOO much to see in this massive state but we will try our best to cover a whole bunch and have you planning your next holiday here - come visit me!

We're heading South now on our vicarious tour of Australia to the very aptly named, South Australia! It is in fact the state in the middle of Australia at the Southern end. World famous for its spectacular wines, this state has so much more to offer than just its delicious range of grape juice. Joined by former local Naomi Robinson, Emma revisits some of her 6 (or more) trips to this lovely region. From Adelaide, the city of churches which also has a rocking festival scene, to the coast for some shark diving and farmland to see some friends, we explore as much as we can in this episode. Highlights include the wine, the wine and the wine! Jokes, we also talk about the incredible food scene, some epics walks such as the Heysen Trail and of course, the much loved footy! Travel vicariously with us as we continue our Australia series! Join in the conversation on Facebook in the Lovelly Travels Community too! Links in the show notes.

Our Australia tour this week takes us to Victoria! One of the richest of all the states, after the Gold Rush in the 1800s, this fine state has a lot of incredible history and culture to soak up. Emma lived in Melbourne for 3 years and then frequently returned for work and leisure. Darius even went to visit her one time and together they revisit that trip and share their travels from the state of Victoria. We are also joined by regular Lovelly Travels guest, Danielle Phyland, who is a proud Victorian through and through. She's also a brilliant travel blogger and has written lots about her fine state of Vic, so get set for all the top tips. From the winding laneways of Melbourne to the epic mountains of the Aussie Alpine, from the famous Great Ocean Road to the charming English like location of Daylesford, Victoria has it all. Travel vicariously along with us. Remember the conversation always continues in the Lovelly Travels Community on Facebook too! Share your Victorian experiences there.

How to cover our home state in just one episode!! Well, we can't! And we will be back to deep dives into the regions. But continuing for now on our virtual tour of Australia, this week we are in Darius and Emma's childhood home state of NSW. Emma was born in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, and Darius moved to the Sutherland Shire as a young child from Germany. They met in High School in the Sutherland Shire, at Caringbah High, and have many great memories of Sydney. As we got older, and could explore more on our own, we've had the pleasure of exploring a lot of the famous East Coast of Australia. Many tourists come from around the world and roadtrip North from Sydney. And for good reason! It's stunning! From the wine country of Orange in the West, to the stunning surf spots near Nowra in the South, Cosmopolitan life in Sydney's east and epicly stunning hinterland in the Northern rivers region - we try to cover as much of this glorious state as possible. Make sure to jump in the Lovelly Travels Community and join in the conversation - sharing your favourite travel spots in NSW.

The first stop on our Australia series tour is the largest state of them all, Western Australia! Taking up more than a third of this enormous continent, WA has a lot of space and it needs a lot of time to explore. Luckily we have Perth local Amanda Kendle to help us tackle this mammoth location! Emma has also been to the lovely state of WA three times, so the two had wonderful chats about exploring the gorgeous and less frequented spots around the state. From tree top walks, to sunsets over the beach. From the most Westerly and Southern point, to the tippy top! We cover as much as we can. We'd love to hear your stories too! Make sure to join the conversation in the Lovelly Travels Community on Facebook.

I come from a land Down Under!! And we're going to deep dive in and explore it. Considering the fact that I won't be leaving my island home for some time, and these past 2 years have given me more time to explore this great land, I thought we could all go on the journey to visit all the states and territories together. This is our first series and we are so excited to kick off with Australia!! There are 8 states and territories so over the next two months, we'll visit them all. We're still looking for guests and stories, so make sure to email us if you'd like to share something or even join us on the podcast - info@lovellytravels.com. As always there'll be lots of chat in the group around this topic so please head on over and join us on Facebook in the Lovelly Travels Community. I'm so excited to travel vicariously around my home country with all of you!

Are you fascinated by the Tiny House movement that’s sweeping the world? Emma is slightly obsessed and when she discovered that her friend and colleague Yvonne was “going Tiny”, we had to get the story on the podcast! Yvonne is also the Sustainability Queen :) She’s passionate about sustainable living & a tiny house dweller. Yvonne and her partner built their tiny home in 2020 and following her experience on Instagram was so exciting. There’s a lot more to it than just deciding to live in a tiny home. In this episode, she shares tips and learnings for those who are keen on the tiny house way of life. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as fan girl Emma did recording it!

We’re continuing our COVID conversations series by revisiting interviews with people from around the world in 2020 and hearing what’s happening now in 2021. This episode we go back to a conversation in April 2020 between Emma and Darius. Before the podcast started! They discuss what’s happening in Germany and Australia and how COVID-19 was impacting their lives. In this time capsule style episode, we then Tak about what’s happening in 2021. We didn’t know then that we’d be in a similar position and nor do we know what the world will look like next year. But it’s pretty interesting documenting this very bizarre time in our lives - and we look forward to reflecting on this in future! More countries, more updates to come in this series too! Share with us what your world is like - then and now! See how to connect with us in the show notes.

Hola Bienvenido a Peru! This week we're traveling back to South America to visit the picturesque postcard perfect country of Peru. We're joined by Daniellle Phyland from The Adventures of Poss and Ruby to relive memories, revisit some of the epic places and talk as always about our favourite foods and experiences. Danielle traveled to Peru in 2013 and visited Lima, Cusco, The Amazon Rainforest and Machu Picchu, along with some other smaller places around Cusco, and in between Machu Picchu. Emma visited Peru in 2012 when she trekked for happiness with the Black Dog Institute raising funds for mental health. Along with 12 others she raised $60,000 and visited the wonder of the world that is Machu Picchu. She also stayed on in the country and got to see Cusco, Pisac, trek through the Lares Valley and then went on to do some whitewater rafting and off to Puno to visit the Uros islands, floating islands. Tune in to hear more of these great adventures with these two intrepid travellers in the magical Peru.