My passion for travel is inspired by the way my grandparents pursue authentic and adventurous experiences. They took me to the Galapagos Islands and Egypt to share their profound love of exploration. Their undying curiosity began to rub-off on me and I ventured on my own journeys to Thailand, Tanzania, and Spain.
After college, I moved to Australia. I lived in Sydney for four months where I fell in love with the beaches and laid-back lifestyle. I explored New Zealand before heading to Western Australia, where I drove to Exmouth to swim with whale sharks and scuba dive on Ningaloo Reef. I set my sights on Southeast Asia to dive in Komodo National Park and explore Bali, before heading to the Philippines. I came home filled with a real sense of awe and wonder for the world we live in — and a passion to share it with others.
Q&A with Katie
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
While I was living in Western Australia, my best friend and I took a campervan trip up the coast to Exmouth. We stopped at Shark Bay, Coral Bay, and Turquoise Bay on our way. One night, we found a campsite all to ourselves in Shark Bay. We carried our chairs and our dinner down a small path to sit on the beach and enjoy the sunset. As we watched the water, we noticed shadows moving all over. We realized there were hundreds of baby sharks and stingrays swimming around. We later learned that the beach is essentially their nursery. We sat in our chairs, toes in the water, and for a while we didn’t speak, we just took in the magic that surrounded us and basked in the glory of having it all to ourselves.
Where would you love to travel next?
Vietnam, and more specifically the Ha Giang Loop, made its way to the top of my bucket list while I was traveling in Southeast Asia. I met people who had explored the whole region and when asked what their favorite country was, almost all of them said Vietnam.
Which book, film or artwork captures Australia the most?
'Puff' is a documentary following a baby pufferfish that lives on the Great Barrier Reef. The documentary focuses on all the tiny and sometimes overlooked creatures that are vital parts of the reef system. It shows footage of coral spawning which happens only once a year — dictated by lunar cycles and the water temperature. When conditions are just right, whole coral reef colonies begin simultaneously releasing their gametes into the ocean. This is how the corals reproduce and regenerate. I highly recommend watching Puff before a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. It will make you so much more aware and appreciative of the complexity of life that makes up the magnificent reef.