Interview with Ashlea, a freelance travel writer and social media manager5 min read

Interview with Ashlea, a freelance travel writer and social media manager5 min read

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Hi Ashlea, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your lifestyle?

Hello! I’m an excitable Australian with a passion for photography, sustainability, and travel. I’m also the creator of A Globe Well Travelled-a blog for those who want to be more adventurous while exploring the world. I started travelling internationally after I turned 18, and since then I’ve visited 44 countries over 5 continents.

I currently work as a freelance Travel Writer and Social Media Manager. The idea of commuting with thousands of other city workers to a stale office every day has always sounded awful to me, so instead I created a lifestyle where I’m able to work and travel at the same time. Being a digital nomad is something I do occasionally rather than full-time as I enjoy the social life and family relationships that come with having a home base.

What is your current destination and what you are planning next?

I’m at home in Sydney, Australia at the moment. It’s obviously been difficult to make travel plans with the pandemic blocking international travel for the past few months, and there’s no clear indication of when it will be possible. I’ve got some domestic flights to Western Australia booked for the end of the year… fingers crossed that I’ll be able to take them!

What do you like the most about being a Digital Nomad?

I love the freedom of being able to choose my own working hours. If there’s something specific that I want to do while I’m visiting a destination, I can work around it. For example, the ski season just started here in Australia and I was able to spend a few days in the Snowy Mountains hitting the slopes in the mornings and working during the afternoons/evenings. To me, that’s living the dream!

Is there something that you do not like?

I usually travel with my husband (who also has a remote job) and while we get along fabulously, it can feel lonely having no other socialisation while we’re abroad. It’s absolutely possible to make friends on the road, but I find that it’s difficult to foster close relationships with people that you meet while travelling. It’s nice to have a home base where you can keep those long-term friendships going.

What is a place/country you liked the most while travelling and why?

I travelled to Japan last summer and really fell in love with it. The people are polite, everything is ultra-organised, the vibe is fun and quirky, and the country is insanely pretty. It feels like a destination that fully aligns with my personality! I really want to go back for a ski trip next winter, but who knows if that will be possible.

Are you going to coworking spaces while you travel and work remotely? 

I try to choose accommodations that have a work desk and WiFi, or I tend to work in cafes. My husband is the one that spends time in coworking spaces because the company he works for has a budget for it! Freelancing can be a little less lucrative.

Let´s talk about community. Is there a special place/city that you particularly liked because of people/community?

My husband and I lived in New York City for two years and we made some truly excellent friends there. It seems weird to think that you could find a tight community of people in such a crowded city, but it was actually an amazing place to create friendships. Almost everyone who lives in NYC is a transplant from somewhere else, so everyone knows what it’s like to arrive and not know anyone. We met some wonderful people there are still very close friends of ours today, even though we now live on opposite sides of the world.

Ashlea, can you tell us what is your biggest dream?

My ultimate goal is to visit every continent. Africa has so far eluded me, though it’s high up on my list of future trips. Antarctica is a difficult one to cross off because of the cost involved. I’m sure I’ll get there one day, though it’s unlikely to be anytime soon.

In case you have a motto, could you share it with us?

I don’t, but I suppose it would be something like ‘Don’t be normal. Be adventurous!’.

Written by: Kristina Lukacova, a DN that enjoys good food, good wine and good vibes. If you would like to know more about Ashlea, you can have a look at her blog A Globe Well Travelled.

Kika

Kristina Lukacova, a DN that enjoys good food, good wine and good vibes.

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