Who I am...

My 1st travel experience 1970

Born in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1970 my love for travel started young. My parents, passionate travellers who never conformed to convention, spent the 1st few months of my existence in the Canadian wilderness. Flash forward 13 years, add 4 more children, and picture my brave parents packing up all 5 kids and a great aunt on a 3 month European adventure (aka 'Griswold's European Vacation') and officially kicking off a family wide passion for travel. All my siblings have lived and worked overseas at various points including Turkey, London, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Ireland, South Africa and Dubai.

After completing a Bachelor of Business Marketing in 1992 I took the well travelled right of passage threw on a backpack and spent a year travelling Europe - highlights included sleeping on the top of Stomboli (Italy), serving long island iced teas in Santorini for 3 mths, hiking a cliff face to dine on traditional Turkish fare in Butterfly Valley Turkey.

In 2001 my husband and I decided to give London a try. We spent 7 glorious years living and working in one of the world's greatest cities. At this point our travel life hit a new high - no backpack, cashed up and benefiting from the rise of cheap flights and boutique travel sites. By Nov 08 we finally returned to our Melbourne roots as British citizens with 2 toddlers in tow.

I have spent the last 14mths enjoying the warmer weather, proximity of family but lamenting our boutique travel lifestyle in Europe and our inner London sanctum of Maida Vale. I hanker for an easy way to plan my next phase of travel...boutique Australasia, and self catering boutique style with or without kids in tow. Bring on Mr and Mrs Smith Australia/Asia Pacific.

Rue de Soixante degrees Vernet les Bains

Amirandes Crete