Twenty-five years have handed between Kerryn’s first Intrepid journey to India and her fiftieth in Bali. And although she’s now, I’d argue, the very definition of an Intrepid traveller, that first journey took place by pure probability.
‘A woman at work stated she was going to India,’ explains Kerryn. ‘She was going to promote for somebody to go together with her. I used to be like, don’t be silly, I’ll come. So we went on the journey and cherished it and it began a cycle. She handed away a number of years in the past, however we took most likely 20, 25 journeys collectively through the years.’
These journeys – plus those Kerryn has taken since her pal handed – have taken Kerryn from her house in Australia to 70 nations throughout all seven continents. Ever the Intrepid traveller, she prides herself on searching for journeys that don’t usually seem on most travellers’ bucket lists: Timor-Leste, for instance, or Rwanda and Uganda.
‘I all the time search for one thing that’s a bit extra area of interest,’ Kerryn says. ‘The journey would possibly go to one tiny a part of a rustic or go someplace uncommon. I don’t actually like mainstream [destinations].’
From tenting beneath Egyptian stars to swaying in a hammock cocooned within the Bornean jungle, Kerryn has seen extra good views, made extra good pals and loved extra good occasions than most. And it’s solely pure that such a prolific traveller would have realized a number of classes alongside the best way. I caught up together with her to search out out what these may be.
1. All the time carry rest room paper in your pocket
‘This actually is my primary tip. All the time, all the time carry rest room paper. When you study nothing else, study this. However you continue to all the time find yourself with humorous rest room tales whenever you journey. And everybody is aware of everybody else’s rest room enterprise, too. I’m not shy, although. I don’t care.’
2. Become involved with the locals
‘What I actually love about travelling is simply getting misplaced. You might have free time to stroll round and mingle with the locals and I believe that’s actually essential. I’ve met so many individuals that I keep up a correspondence with, even a girl I met on that very first India journey in 1999. In the event that they invite you in for a cup of tea, go in. Don’t be scared to sit down down and play with the children. When you keep in somebody’s house, become involved. Assist them prepare dinner dinner or milk the cows or no matter. I believe simply being a part of their surroundings and doing what they do – the on a regular basis stuff – is enjoyable.’
3. Let little moments final a lifetime
‘It will sound bizarre, however one among my favorite recollections was spending a Saturday night time in Romania watching the cows come house. We had been doing a homestay on this tiny little city – one road, 12 homes – and we sat on a bridge and watched the cows come down from the paddocks to their homes. It was superb. You don’t all the time want a big-ticket merchandise just like the Taj Mahal or Eiffel Tower. You’ll be able to benefit from the little issues and it makes a very massive distinction.’
4. Comply with your pursuits (and produce good strolling footwear)
‘I’m all about wildlife, so I usually decide my journeys primarily based on the animals I’m going to see. I went to Ethiopia as a result of I wished to see the gelada monkeys, and Rwanda and Uganda for the gorillas and chimps. One of many gorillas even grabbed my arms. Antarctica was superb, too, having penguins stroll throughout my toes. And being in a blow-up boat with a whale swimming beneath me was phenomenal. I’ve been chased by a hippo – a number of animals, in truth – in order that’s one other good lesson: all the time deliver good strolling footwear.’
5. Embrace spontaneity
‘I prefer to take every day because it comes and don’t have any expectations apart from anticipating the sudden. Stay within the second and go along with no matter occurs – it all the time results in the perfect experiences. Even getting bogged in Africa was superb. We had been there at the hours of darkness, the park was closed and we had been pushing the truck in pouring rain. The ranger stated, “I believe it’s worthwhile to get on the roof as a result of there are some lions simply over there.” That type of stuff, it might’t be deliberate.’
6. Don’t watch for anybody else
‘Go by your self. Don’t watch for others. You’ll make new pals and get sorted so properly by the Intrepid leaders. It’s actually protected as a girl, so simply do it. You’ll be able to all the time make more cash, however you’ll be able to’t all the time make the recollections. My motto is figure, save, journey, repeat.’
7. Rent a Sherpa
‘All the time rent a Sherpa whenever you’re on a trek. Once more, it’s a lot extra gratifying having that interplay with a neighborhood. And it offers them with an revenue, too. I used to all the time carry my very own stuff, then I employed a Sherpa and realised it was sensible. I couldn’t consider I’d been carrying my very own stuff all these years.’
8. Give again to communities
‘I actually just like the accountable journey side of Intrepid. I additionally like that they now use native leaders… I believe the native leaders make a very massive distinction since you’ve acquired insider information. And I all the time decide Intrepid as a result of I really like that they provide again to the communities that we go to. They’re Australian, too, which I prefer to help, however for me, the primary factor is that they provide again.’
Discover the right first or fiftieth small group journey with Intrepid.
