Katie About Me PageHi I’m Katie, and as you have probably guessed, I LOVE to travel.

Originally from beautiful New Zealand, I have been living abroad and traveling as much as I possibly can for the past 18 years. I know it’s a cliché but travel truly has changed my life.

It has helped me to become a happier, more positive, better informed and more conscious person. I couldn’t imagine my life without it.

I have wanted to travel since I was a little girl. I can partly thank my parents for that as well as the adventurous spirit and wanderlust that is bred in New Zealanders. 

Early on, my obsession was piqued by listening to my parents’ stories from their travels when they were younger.

When I was six I remember poring over a dog-eared Disneyland map that my Mum had brought back from a solo train journey through North America.

I loved to hear about her experiences traveling through Europe and it became the part of the world that I longed to see the most.

My Dad was quite the adventure traveler and as well as traveling throughout Europe and parts of the Middle East and Central Asia, he drove from London to South Africa in a VW van and lived in South Africa for a year.

I was always in awe of the adventures he had and the incredible places he has seen. I still am.

In my early teens, my Dad worked at a tour company and would bring home tour brochures with glossy pictures of US Cities and Canadian National Parks.

I can still picture the wildflower fields of Jasper and the wonder I felt that a place so beautiful existed somewhere in the world. I wanted to see these magical places for myself.

Hike to Blue Lakes near Ouray, Colorado

The problem was that it all seemed so hard. How would I ever afford to travel when it is so expensive? How would I get by in a country where I didn’t speak the language? How would I know what to do? It felt like a faraway dream and I was scared.

When I was 18, I moved away from home to study Travel and Tourism in a different city. I loved having my freedom and I loved my course. Talking about travel all day inspired me greatly and made me want to start my own travels as soon as possible.

Once I completed my Diploma, I tossed up ideas to do a ski season in the South Island or to work on a cruise ship but I didn’t know how to go about it. And I was still scared.

I ended up working in a hotel for a couple of years in a city I didn’t particularly like, with a boyfriend I didn’t particularly want to be with; plodding along and feeling more and more hopeless. I was still too scared to make a change.

Bronte Beach in the eastern suburbs of Sydney

One morning I woke up and decided to move to Sydney. Just like that. Something had changed in me and I knew that I would follow through and make it happen this time. Less than a year later, I did.

I have never looked back.

It didn’t turn out to be so hard after all. After 16 months in Sydney, I moved to London with one of my best friends and fell head over heels in love with Europe, as I always thought I would.

My love for travel grew with every place I visited and experience I had. I even picked up a South African boyfriend along the way who I shared my travels with from 2007 onwards. Unfortunately, we very sadly parted ways in early 2016. But that’s another story.

Temping for six years in London, Auckland, Sydney, Denver, and Vancouver gave me the flexibility to travel for a lot longer than the standard 2 – 4 weeks per year and I definitely made the most of it.

Tower Bridge in London

I have traveled to 64 countries so far, and I am always planning to see more and return to the places that are dearest to my heart. I am proud of what I have achieved. I am living the life I dreamt about.

Of course, there have been a lot of sacrifices along the way. I have scrimped and saved; working three jobs, living in dingy shared flats, and counting every penny.

I have not been able to have a pet for over 18 years and I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes or shoes. My need to travel was also the reason my nine-year relationship broke down.

But then I met my now-husband traveling. We met on New Years Eve in the Philippines and an initial friendship developed into something more. Toby and I were married in September 2018.

Wedding Photo 1

But the lessons I have learned during my travels and living abroad have been priceless and more than make up for the sacrifices I have made. My experiences mean so much more to me than having a lot of possessions.

I don’t own a house, I don’t own any furniture, and there is not much money in my savings account. We own a little campervan and a small RV but that’s about it.

I don’t feel like I have missed out on a thing.

I have been traveling constantly and living a nomadic lifestyle for over six years now, making money as a Digital Nomad along the way and doing a bit of temping and contract event work – firstly in New Zealand then in the US once I got my Green Card.

Why don’t you come along for the ride?

If you want to reach out to me with any questions about places I have been to or the Digital Nomad Lifestyle – I would love to hear from you! You can email me at theworldonmynecklace@outlook.com.

32 Comments on So Who is Katie?

  1. Hello katie,, I noticed your top searches regarding alaska is of my boat in sitka with the sea lion I know so well. (The ida june) I’m from sitka and fished there on the I.J. for 22years since age ten. I’d like a print if possible. And I have pics and stories for days from whales to orcas, killing glacier ( home of the world’s largest recorded tsunami where we used to anchor up by every year) I wrote a book during covid that 9 publishers want. The puc is nostalgic, if you ever want any advice on sitk lmk. I’ve got like 20 cousins there and 2 of them prominent artists at the sitka rose gallery and in NZ. My dad grew up in NZ, mums from Australia we ended up in sitka fishing. I now have a med. Practice in SD CA. I’d like a print for nostalgic reasons but look me up A beam
    Any ideas on the book I’m all ears,
    All the best,
    Dr. B
    F/V IDA JUNE

    Reply

    • Hi Dr B, thanks for your message. I would be happy to send you the picture but unfortunately I am traveling till the end of April and the pic is on my hard drive in the US. Send me a reminder email (theworldonmynecklace@outlook.com) in May and I can send it to you.

      Reply

  2. I just read your good, bad, and ugly piece. I have been thinking about this so much the last few years. I’ve always wanted to live that life. I always talk about doing that and living that life on my motorcycle exploring the United States to start. People think i am nuts, but the last 2-3 years it has really been a heavy debate with myself. I have some things I think about and some current situations I need to handle. I’m not sure if this is the place to ask opinions or advice or not, if so insight is appreciated! Thank you for letting us in on your experiences!!

    Reply

    • Hi Joshua, thanks for your comment. Everything that is against the norm can be scary but don’t worry about what other people think, in places like the US a lot of people are going to think you are crazy but in other countries like New Zealand and the UK it is more common. If you have been thinking about it for years and you can’t let it go, I think you should definitely try it. Can you take a sabbatical from your job for 6 months and try it out? Or can you save enough money to support yourself for 6 months to a year and quit your job to try?

      Reply

  3. Hello Katie. My name is Eric. Is there an email where you can be reached at? I don’t want to take too much of your time so I understand if you can’t reply but your blog best resembles what I have in mind for traveling and living abroad for a short time. Any guidance or advice even to just start would be greatly appreciated !

    Reply

  4. Very inspiring. I’m 46 and travelled loads back in my late teens and early 20’s. Had jobs and quit them once I’d saved up cash to go on my next adventure. I stumbled on your twitter page after coming back from Koh Lanta in April with my family. By chance we did a lot of the things you did there. I try to teach my kids that although we have enough money to do typical tourist holidays, back to basics gives you so much more. Street food in Saladan and Bangkok was amuzing for 12 and 15 year olds as was 3 on a moped mooching round the island. We’re on v2 of our Utah trip this month – zion, Bryce, Yellowstone, Arches etc. Keep telling myself to start a blog but never got round to it.

    Anyway, I’ve shared your site with my kids to inspire them. I plan to retire at 55 and re live my youth with my wife on a world backpacking trip until we run out of cash.

    Reply

    • I love it Mark! If I ever have kids I hope to do the same. I will be doing a Utah trip myself to Moab, Arches and Canyonlands in September – can’t wait. You should start a blog if its something you really want to do, I should have started mine at least a couple of years before I eventually did it 🙂

      Reply

  8. Hi Katie!! Great stories you have shared..I will look forward to read more of them… and cool that you have been to my home country Brazil 😀 I hope you liked it! Safe travels 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Claire, thanks so much! I will definitely answer the questions and pass it on to 11 more bloggers in the next couple of days. If you want any Sydney tips of places to go away from the crowds (and some great brunch spots) – let me know 🙂

      Reply

  14. You sound just like me at your age! I travelled or was back in Oz saving to travel for 8 years from age 23 to 31. Then 2 years later moved to Canada, first to the far north then to Vancouver. It’s a fabulous city as you obviously know, and we still call it home. Well, I still call Oz home too 🙂
    Thanks for following our blog. I hope you enjoy the stories of our journey, both inner and outer. Happy travels, Alison

    Reply

    • Hi Alison and Don, thanks for checking out my blog, I love reading yours! Yes I definitely love Vancouver and am looking forward to immigrating there (hopefully!) in a few years. It will be great to spend a few years in Sydney first and travel some more. I look forward to reading your next installment 🙂

      Reply

  15. You have a gift for writing Katie I have enjoyed what I have so far read and look forward to reading more

    Reply

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