Why You Shouldn't Quit Your Job To Travel The World

We can't all be like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love. Photo: Eat Pray Love/Sony Pictures

It’s become a cliche of the 21st century, hasn’t it? Quitting your job to travel the world. From your local bookshop to Facebook to the Hollywood film industry, everyone is pushing this idea that in order to live your dream life, you have to quit your current job and travel the world.

I know. You are probably thinking this is a bit rich from a woman who quit her full-time job in London to write freelance and travel the world. But let me point out, this is not the right path for everyone. No matter what that inspirational quote on Instagram says.

Read more: What Is It Like To Do A Ski Season In Australia?

I’ve recently been reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s book on creativity, Big Magic. If you are a creative person, I encourage you to run (not walk) to your nearest bookshop and buy it. It’s a really inspirational book, jam-packed full of advice on how to pursue your creativity and live a happier, more well-rounded life.

So, what is the one piece of advice she DOES NOT give to someone who wants to live a more creative life? She doesn’t tell anyone to quit their jobs to pursue their dreams. Not once.

Yes, she promotes being creative every single day - whether it be singing, painting, writing or taking photos - but she definitely doesn’t suggest sacking in the day job to pursue it.

Why? Because living a creative life doesn't necessarily mean it will support you financially. Becoming a travel writer might be your idea of a dream life, but there's a possibility it won't pay your rent or put food on your table. You can still live a fantastic adventurous life while still holding down a 9 to 5 job.

Here are a few more reasons why I don’t think you should quit your job to travel the world...

LOTS OF PEOPLE REALLY LIKE THEIR JOBS

Your job can often be worth sticking around for. Photo: Alejandro Escamilla

I just completed my year-long yoga teaching training this June. Everyone afterwards was talking about their plans for the future. Quite a few people said they wanted to quit their jobs and become full-time yoga teachers - but there were plenty who didn’t.

I distinctly remember my friend Hayley saying, “I really like my job! Why would I want to give it all up, just because I love yoga too?”

You don’t have to hate your job, just because everyone else seems to hate theirs right now. Lots of people really like their jobs and don’t want to quit. You can still have a whole bunch of adventures while holding down a full-time job.

 I was lucky enough to travel as part of my job in London, so there are ways you can get the best of both worlds.

EVERYONE HAS A SHIT SANDWICH IN THEIR LIFE

Not all days look like this one.... Photo: Luke Gartside

In Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert explains the concept of the ‘shit sandwich’. A 'shit sandwich' is a metaphor for life. The bread represents the good bits but sandwiched in the middle, there's always a crappy part. 

It doesn’t matter where you live or how glamorous your job appears to be, there is always a downside a.k.a. the shit in your shit sandwich.

People often say to me, ‘You’re living the dream life, aren’t you?’ I laugh and nod, but inside I’m just thinking, yes I’m lucky but I also worked my butt off for this job.

Read more: 6 Great Podcasts You Need To Listen To When Hiking, Travelling Or Adventuring Alone

I studied hard, submitted endless work experience applications to magazines for five years. I spent hours commuting in and out of London. I wrote articles that didn’t fill my soul with joy, because that was the job I had to do.

I would sit in my bed, tears streaming down my face because I didn’t want to get on the Tube and endure another rush hour on a packed train one more time.

London, some people can hack rush hour. Others can't. Photo: Jamie Street

I hoped and prayed that hard work would pay off. Wishing, hoping and praying doesn’t always do the job, but if there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that hard work really, truly does.

Even now, working as a freelance writer and living in Australia, there’s still a shit sandwich. I love my life and I feel incredibly lucky to be sitting where I am today.

But there are still days when you feel like shit, your bank balance is low, your friends and family are 10,000 miles away, it’s raining and you dropped your piece of toast face down on the dirty kitchen floor.

Just because you are in Australia or Bali or Argentina won’t change the fact that you will still have bad days, just like anyone else.

TRY TO NEGOTIATE MORE FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS

View from my window in Morzine, France

One thing I’ve learnt from working in an office environment is if you don’t ask, you won’t get. It’s always worth asking, even if you think your boss will say no.

I was lucky to work full-time for a company that embraced working remotely. They had dozens of editorial employees who worked from Edinburgh, Cornwall, the French Alps, Wales and beyond.

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After a year working for the same company in their London office, I asked my boss if could also work remotely - and to my surprise, he said yes.

I moved to France and spent the winter working my same job from Morzine in the Alps. Everyday I would sign onto Skype, have some office banter via. instant message (honestly, you will miss the office banter) and would crack on with my work from my new home office (my kitchen table).

Morning snowshoe hikes before work in Morzine, France

It was a brilliant. I could squeeze in an hour of exercise before work. I would finish work at 5pm and already be at home, ready to spend my evening with friends or binge watching Making A Murderer. On the weekends, it was a ten-minute walk and I could be on the gondola up the mountain, ready to go snowboarding.

I met dozens of people in Morzine - from engineers to graphic designers to sales managers - who worked remotely, which just goes to show you can have a career and travel the world.

Tapping on the computer during the week. Riding powder on the weekends. 

However, I completely understand that this just isn’t possibly in some jobs, so it might not work for you.

A friend of mine worked seriously hard for a magazine for a few years and gained the respect of her bosses. They didn’t often grant sabbaticals - particularly to someone in their mid-20s - but they wanted to keep her on as an employee so much, they gave her two-month unpaid leave to volunteer on a course in California, USA.

Like I said, there might be an option you’ve haven’t thought of yet (or asked for!)

YOU DO STILL NEED TO MAKE A LIVING

If you can tie working a full-time job in with travelling, you are winning

It’s an obvious one, but you still need to pay your way. You don’t have to live in a big city like London, where 50 per cent of your salary (or more) is sucked up by rent and bills each month. But you do need to pay your own way in life.

Sometimes giving up your full-time job to travel is just not financially viable. This is the case for most people. My advice is to save, save, save (see below). If you have enough money stashed away, why not try looking for jobs that allow you to work remotely or give substantial amounts of holiday leave each year?

If this isn’t an option, see if you can work the same job but in another country. Whether you are a teacher or you work in a large corporate business, often there are opportunities within the same company or career field to work all over the world - from places like New York, Hong Kong or Sydney. This is a great jumping off point for exploring a different area of the world, all while holding down your career.

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE

If you want to travel, you need to save up money. I can’t emphasise this enough. Prioritise what you want from life. If you want to travel, then stop spending money on new clothes, takeaway cappuccinos, dinners out and fancy hair products.

Go through all of your outgoing expenses and see if you can cut things out - like that online yoga subscription that you don't really use.

Save every penny you can. Then when you have two weeks off, you’ll have the money to go trekking in Patagonia rather than spending your time off at home.

SOMETIMES IT’S NOT YOUR JOB THAT’S THE PROBLEM

Don't always blame the day job. Photo: Frances Gunn

Often when you’re working long hours and you’re tired, you think everything in your life is shit. Your job will often take the brunt of this abuse. I joke that my warning label should be: GETS WEEPY WHEN TIRED.

Yes, sometimes your job is exactly what’s making you unhappy. But it’s often worth considering whether something else is getting you down. Is it where you live? Or the company you work for? Maybe it’s your housemates or your partner or your lack of time to exercise that’s making you cranky?

Read more: Wild Camping in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Sometimes the change you need might not be sacking in your job, but something else in your life that requires closer inspection. It might not be easy to admit to yourself, but if you really search for what’s making you unhappy, you can start to take steps to changing it.

TRAVELLING IS REALLY HARD WORK

A moment of peace before heading out into the intense, busy streets of Delhi, India

Travel is often romanticised as being carefree and easy. This is totally not the case. Anyone who has dragged two heavy backpacks across Delhi in the middle of rush hour or through Russia in the middle of the night after 20 hours on the road knows travelling is not always a breeze.

Travelling can be tiring, expensive, frustrating and lonely (especially if you are by yourself in a foreign county where you don’t speak the language).

You constantly have to think about where you will be sleeping next, whether you can afford the next plane ticket home, how you are going to get from Point A to Point B without paying over £300+ in excess baggage.

Travelling can also be immensely rewarding too but don’t forget my shit sandwich analogy above. It applies here too.

YOU WILL MISS OUT ON OCCASIONS BACK HOME

Weddings are some of the saddest events to miss out on. Photo: Sweet Ice Cream Photography

Friends and family are always there for you. This won’t change if you are three miles or 10,000 miles away. Skype is an amazing invention for keeping in touch with everyone back home. But there will be times when you miss out on important events.

Weddings are a classic example. We’ve already missed weddings of friends we truly wished we could be there for. There will be many more to come. Same goes for birthdays, christenings, Christmas, even funerals.

Read more: How To Make Your Own Adventure In The City - The Urban Hike

It doesn’t even have to be big life-changing events that will pass you by. It’s nice to be there for your friends when they are going through a rough patch or even just spending time with them, eating takeaway curry with a glass of wine. This is something you will inevitably miss while on the road.

YOU WILL EVENTUALLY CRAVE STABILITY JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE

Dog lovers, unfortunately our canine friend don't travel well...

I have always wanted to travel and live out of a backpack. But every now and then, I crave stability. I ponder how nice it would be to have a house with furniture that I’ve picked out myself. My own place where I can keep my surfboard and my books and that nice bowl my sister bought for me last year. I could have my own dog. Even a postbox so I can stop lumbering my parents with all my mail.

TO SUM UP….

Sunset surfs in Woolacombe, Devon after work

It’s not all doom and gloom, folks. Travelling the world and making it work - any way you can - is an incredibly rewarding way to live. If travelling wasn’t so great, no one would ever do it, right?

But do bear my advice in mind. Don’t throw everything away on a whim. Plan, plan, plan. Save as much money as you can. Don’t run away from your problems. And don’t feel pressured to do something just because every other twenty-something free-spirit is doing it right now.

Take a really good, hard look at your life and work out whether it really is your job that needs throwing away - or whether you just need to re-jiggle a few other things in your life to make more time for adventures and travel.

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6 Great Podcasts You Need To Listen To When Hiking, Travelling Or Adventuring Alone

It's a gorgeous sunny day, you're by the beach or in the mountains, you've got no car and everyone you know is it work. What do you do?

I love going for a solo hike. You can choose the route, set the pace and stay out as long as you like. But sometimes you want some company, right?

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Recently, I've been loading up my phone with podcasts to keep me company on long hikes or even just to pass the time in airports/train stations/on planes. The best part about podcasts? They are totally free to download.

Here are few of my favourites... You can download all of these podcasts on the Apple Podcasts app.

DEAR SUGAR RADIO

Dear Sugar Radio is the podcast equivalent of a warm blanket and a cup of tea on a cold winter's night.

Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild, you can read my review here) and Steve Almond are both American writers who receive letters each week, asking for advice on a whole range of topics - from broken hearts to dealing with your family members during election time to being a mother. It's like an Agony Aunt column, but so much better. 

Cheryl and Steve give the best, down-to-earth advice on every problem under the sun. It gets you thinking about similar situations in your own life and how you would deal with them. It might not sound like your thing, but honestly give one episode a go.

Listen to Dear Sugar Radio here.

WOMEN OF THE HOUR WITH LENA DUNHAM

Famous for bringing the TV show Girls into the world, Lena Dunham released her book two years ago and a podcast last year. It's a funny, thought-provoking and inspiring listen, discussing everything modern women think and talk about today.

Sadly, there are only five episodes, but each one is gold. Look forward to advice from the witty Emma Stone to snippets of real life stories from women across America to tackling the big topics like friendship, death, first loves and body image. It's like an American, Lena Dunham-style version of Women's Hour on Radio 4.

Listen to the Women Of The Hour podcast here.

SHE EXPLORES

Female adventurer Gail Straub has a brilliant blog called She Explores which is a compilation of interviews, opinion pieces and advice posts around women in the outdoors. It's really great. Just a couple of months ago, she started a podcast for "women who are inspired to spend time outside". 

This is one of the most appropriate podcasts to listen to while hiking. The first episode tackles fear - the fear of backpacking alone, starting something new, featuring other female explorer guests. It addresses issues we all think about as outdoor-loving women. 

Listen to the She Explore podcast right here.

MAGIC LESSONS

This is one for the creatives among you. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the famous Eat Pray Love, released her book Big Magic in the UK last year.

It's a brilliant book for anyone who wants to live a creative life - or even just wants to live a more honest, authentic life.

She has also brought out a podcast to promote Big Magic called Magic Lessons, which covers all manner of creative fears and how to help artist overcome them.

Oh and Elizabeth Gilbert's Facebook Page is GREAT, if you haven't already explored it. I spent about two hours reading her posts when I first discovered it. Ideal for anyone who is curious about love, life, creativity and exploring your inner self and the world.

Listen to the Magic Lessons podcast here.

DESERT ISLAND DISCS

This classic Radio 4 programme has a podcast version. The format is simple. Kirsty Young interviews a celebrity - and they have to pick eight songs they would take with them if they were stranded to a desert island. 

The beauty of the podcast version is you can pick and choose which episodes you download, so you only listen to people you are particularly interested in. My personal favourites were Tom Hanks, Lily Allen and climber Conrad Anker.

Although I'd advise downloading a few random people too, you never know what you might learn about someone you didn't have much interest in before. 

Listen to the Desert Island Discs podcast here.

THIS AMERICAN LIFE

This American Life was the first podcast I ever listened to. Hosted by Ira Glass who has a fantastic soothing American voice, it tells the stories of ordinary Americans. Often these are stories that are submitted into the show and grouped into themes. 

My favourite episode is an old one called No Coincidences, No Story! The theme (as you might have guessed) is coincidences. Some of the stories actually made me gasp out loud. Really worth a listen.

You can listen to the most recent episodes for free or pay 79p for an old episode on iTunes. Highly worth it in the case of No Coincidences, No Story!

They were also the people behind the podcast of all podcasts, Serial. If you haven't listened to that yet, download it right this second.

Listen to This American Life podcast here.

Seasonaire Advice: What Is It Like To Do A Ski Season In Australia?

This is what skiing in Australia looks like - they have snow!

When you tell people in the UK that you are off to do a ski season in Australia, most of them will look at you blankly. "They have snow in Australia?!" Yep, they have snow in Australia. 

After a 21 hour flight to Sydney, followed by a one hour flight to Canberra and a two hour bus to Jindabyne, I finally found myself in the Snowy Mountains in Australia. Except it wasn't snowy at all. It was a balmy 10 degrees as I lugged my heavy snowboard bag and two backpacks down the street to our new flat.

The next morning I finally got the chance to explore.

Waking up here sounds like waking up with Jurassic Park outside. The birds don't sound anything like home. They don't have wood pigeons or sparrows here. Instead they have red-breasted pigeons and colourful blue parrots. The most bizarre bird is one that looks like a black crow but sounds like a 1980s robot. Or maybe an old school internet start-up connection.

THE SKI RESORT - PERISHER

View from the top of Mount Perisher

We live in Jindabyne. Unlike Europe, you can't walk to the ski lifts here. The resort, Perisher, is a good 40 minute journey from door to door.

It's a 20 minute drive to Bullock's Flat, a big theme-park sized car park, then a 10 minute ride in the Ski Tube (an old fashioned train - rather like the metro system in Munich) up to Perisher Village.

That's if you've got a car (more on that below). Otherwise you're hiking to the hitching spot or waiting to shotgun a seat in your kind flatmate's car.

The road up to Perisher is through barren fields, rolling hills with cows grazing and a lot of roadkill. "I've seen more dead kangaroos than live ones," says Ed on our first journey up. If you keep your eyes peeled, you'll see live ones. They are often bent over, eating, either at dawn or dusk. Sometimes they venture onto the piste - like this one at Smiggins Hole last week.
 

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When you've finally managed to get up the mountain, you'll get to Perisher Village. There's a handful of hotels, some staff accommodation and a few restaurants that are mainly open during the day - plus lots of tourists - but very few people actually live up here. Most live in Jindabyne.

With 133 runs and 47 lifts, Perisher is the biggest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere. The terrain is more like the Lake District than the French Alps. Think rolling green hills and gum trees (eucalyptus trees) than towering alpine peaks and pine trees. It's very unintimidating terrain which makes it a perfect resort for beginners. 

The best hot chocolate in the world, served up at the mid-station cafe near Front Valley. It's even got a TimTam on top!

And there are a LOT of beginners. "There are so many more kooks here than there are in Europe," groaned Ed as he battled his way off the chairlift beside two snowboarders who could barely stand upright. He's right.

As you look down the main slope in Perisher called Front Valley, it's a sea of people skidding into each other and face-planting in the snow. Some take lessons, but many just grab a snowboard and head up the hill without a clue what they are doing. The most terrifying part of the day is crossing back across Front Valley on the home run, palming off any out-of-control beginners.

Your best bet is to escape Front Valley as quickly as possible and either head over to Mount Perisher where there's some nice steep off-piste to lap near the Eyre T-Bar or over through Pretty Valley to the Interceptor Chair. Blue Cow is also pretty nice - it can get busy on the weekends but we had some weekdays when the snow was really good condition and the lifts were empty.
 

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The standard of park riding here is pretty high - even little 10 year-old kids are throwing down 900s off the big kickers. There are a few different parks - from the mini park with baby kickers for wimps (like me) next to the Piper T Bar to the monster park on Front Valley with big 35ft+ kickers and nowhere to hide from the public if you stack it hard.

Like any ski resort, holiday weeks are BUSY. The main holidays are from the beginning of July for three weeks, so expect long lift queues and plenty of people driving cars around town with chains on (despite there being zero snow on the roads).

You'll see a lot of balaclava wearing, skinny pant clad, hipster park rat seasonaires and Sydney parents shepherding their children up the mountain every weekend for race training in the hope they'll become the next Torah Bright. Oh and lots of Japanese tourists in jeans playing in the snow.

Sunny days up at Blue Cow

THE SNOW CONDITIONS

They get snow here, but obviously not like the French Alps. You have to appreciate Perisher for what it is. When the sun is shining and there's fresh snow underfoot, it's really good fun. There's tonnes of places to explore and mid-week, it's really easy to escape the crowds by moving away from Front Valley.

Last week a polar vortex blew up from Antarctica and 50cm dumped on Perisher overnight, the biggest snowfall in a decade according to local news. We aren't talking waist deep powder, but there was some really nice patches of good snow.

It can be very wet and windy - it's probably the windiest place I've ever been riding. You will find yourself riding on a lot of slush or ice (and occasionally mud. They just keep those runs open, even when the grass is poking through) but Perisher definitely get its hot, sunny, bluebird days too. Like I said, you've just got to appreciate Perisher for what it is.

THE TOWN - JINDABYNE

Pooh Bay, a corner of Lake Jindabyne next to where we live

Set on a huge lake at the edge of the Kosciuszko National Park, Jindabyne is a beautiful town. The lake really sets the tone for the town. When it’s wild and windy, white water waves froth across the surface. Other days it’s totally still, reflecting the surrounding forest like a mirror.

Jindabyne seems to have its own microclimate. When it's wild and wet up on Mount Perisher, it can be dry and sunny down in Jindabyne. Since I've been here, we've had more sunshine than rain. 

In town, there's a main shopping street with restaurants, cafes and many, many ski shops. The main shopping area Nugget’s Crossing is inexplicably styled like the a Wild West style town with faux and wooden carts as decoration. Woolworths isn't a large newsagent selling games and pic'n'mix sweets here - it's a major supermarket chain.

Birchwood Cafe - and a Green Machine juice - the new hipster cafe in town and it is great!

There’s a mix of modern and old fashioned shops that play songs you haven't heard in 15 years - like Pink and Savage Garden - dozens of ski shops, and a hipster coffee house which serves great coffee called Birchwood Cafe.

My favourite clothes shop is Ebony & Chrome - they have nice, non-skiwear and soy candles. I definitely want to try out the Mexican Cocina restaurant as well - they have a bar upstairs serving jalapeno and cucumber margaritas. For yoga, check out the lovely studio I work at - Jindabyne Yoga Shala.

Yoga at the Shala - how cool is that mural?

The street signs, the roads and the buildings are like America but the culture is like the UK. They have Yorkshire Tea and crumpets in the supermarket. Everyone is super friendly - and everyone knows everyone.

If you are stood for more than 10 seconds looking at map, I guarantee someone will offer you directions - and possibly offer you a Freddo. Yes the 10p chocolate bars. They love them here.

There’s one bus from Jindabyne to Canberra each day and that’s in the high season. In the low season, there are three buses a week. So it's not the best connected place on the planet, but hey, you'll only be here for three and a half months and the ocean is just a two hour drive away, so you could surf and snowboard all in the same day.

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE DOING A SKI SEASON AT PERISHER

YOU NEED A CAR

There's no public transport to get you from Jindabyne to the Ski Tube or Perisher. I know, it's mad. Most people buy cheap cars at the beginning of the season, often sharing between a household and getting a three-month insurance plan, then sell the car at the end of the season. Your other option is to hitchhike, which is surprisingly easy and safe, most people are just on their way up to the mountain.

THE POLICE ARE TOUGH

Don't speed in Jindabyne or they will fine you on the spot. Don't drive after you've had a heavy night on the town - there are regular random breathalyser tests on the road. Don't cut corners in the car park or you'll be fined as well. I've even heard there are undercover police on the slopes. You can't escape them. They don't take well to humour either, so best to stick by the rules unless you want to rinse your pay cheque on paying fines.

IT'S NOT CHEAP

Accommodation isn't cheap. I've heard of people paying around $200 (£115) per week for a shared room in staff accommodation. We lucked out (thanks to some savvy Aussie housemates) and we pay $150 (£86) per week each for a room as a couple in a three-bedroom flat with two bathrooms, a well-stocked kitchen plus washer/dryer, garden and view of the lake. 

The season pass isn't cheap either. It cost me $1900 for a 16 week season pass for Perisher including Ski Tube pass (which you can't really do without). You can get it cheaper if you buy before the season starts - the prices will go up without warning. I wish someone had told me this sooner and saved me $1000!

DON'T BOTHER WITH OFF-PISTE INSURANCE

I mean, most people don't anyway, but there is no point spending extra money on adding off-piste cover onto your ski insurance. There isn't really such thing as off-piste here. There are no piste markers, you can pretty much ski everywhere. The resort boundaries are clearly marked - and you won't be heading off there without a splitboard/touring skis anyway.

IT GETS REALLY COLD

This might sound stupid but just because it is Australia doesn't mean it's warm. It's often frosty here in the mornings and temperatures hover around 2 degrees on average.

The houses are pretty chilly - they aren't built for cold weather in the same way houses in the UK are. We've just got one plug-in heater per room and it's not quite enough to warm up a room. Bring extra layers as you'll be wearing all of them inside the house.

IT'S REALLY FUN

I've moaned about the snow, the lack of public transport and the fact they hand out free Freddos (that is nothing to complain about), I know, but it's a really fun place to come and do a winter season, especially if you are looking for a totally different experience to your European winter. 

Oh, and it's great for British ski instructors who want to come teach in their summer holidays (as long as you don't mind skipping summer, but let's be honest, you'll probably get more sunshine in winter here anyway).

Freelance Writer Confessions: This Is What It Is Really Like To Work Remotely

Photos by Cathryn Lavery and Lesly B. Juarez

I work from home. In lots of ways, it’s a pretty sweet deal. My commute to work is a three metre walk from my bedroom to the kitchen.

When I finish for the day, I’m already home. I don’t have to get dressed or do my hair to start work. I can squeeze in an hour of exercise before work - then after work go out to the cinema, cook dinner and meet some pals for drinks before bedtime.

"I spend 90 per cent of my time in pyjama bottoms with last night’s curry stain on them"

But working from home definitely has its downsides. I spend 90 per cent of my time in yoga leggings or pyjama bottoms with last night’s curry stain on them. I don’t see human beings all day. Unless you count Twitter and Skype Instant Messenger as human contact. As soon as my boyfriend comes home, I bombard him with questions.

“How was your day? What did you do? So I’ve been reading this article on avocados....This person said the funniest thing on Twitter. What are we having for dinner? Do you want to go for a walk before dinner? I might do some yoga before dinner and then cook... Have you spoken to so-and-so today?”

Errrrr... I have worn something other than my pyjamas for the last 72 hours. Promise. Photo: Bridget Jones' Diary

And this is all before he’s taken his coat and shoes off. The poor guy is dumbstruck while I spout word vomit because I’ve spent eight hours staring at a computer screen with no one to toss the ball of conversation with. He’s tired and ready to hit the sofa with a beer and an episode of Making A Murderer and I’m bouncing off the walls like an over-excited Jack Russell who needs entertaining.

Everyone says to me, “Oh you are so lucky to work from home”. And I know it’s true - but when I’m spending my fourth day in the same sweaty pants, it feels kinda… well, gross. Human contact is actually great. I like the office banter, the in-jokes, the small talk while making a cup of tea. Friday beers aren’t quite the same when you’re sat alone on your sofa.

So, what’s the answer? Well, I’m still trying to work it out. You get SO much more free time when you work from home. I can go snowshoeing for an hour before work with my friends, make poached eggs on toast and still be at my desk, ready to start work at 9am.

You don't get sunrise views like THAT before work when you're tied to an office in London. Photo: Amie Marsh

I wouldn’t want to give up that freedom to do more of the things I like doing - squeezing surf session in at lunchtime, a run after work before it’s dark, cooking some elaborate recipe that requires a lot of chopping. And I’m not exhausted all the time from a two hour commute.

But I miss people. So here are my top tips for surviving working from home:

PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, GIRL

While it’s tempting to just lounge around in your pyjamas (and then quickly hurry to get changed at 4.30pm so your boyfriend doesn’t think you are a lazy slob who lives in pyjamas) get dressed. Don’t wear tight skinny jeans, that’s just self-inflicted punishment. But wear proper clothes - you’ll feel all the better for it.

GET OUTSIDE BEFORE AND AFTER WORK

Again, it sounds dumb, but actually get outside. Exercise is great. Now you can stop putting it off because you’re “too tired after work” and actually force that butt out the front door. Exercise with friends is even better - you can get all that chatting done at the same time.

STICK THE RADIO ON

It’s like a faithful, intelligent friend when no one else is around.

Illustration: Gemma Correll

DO INDULGE YOUR SINGING VOICE

If you've got no one else to talk to, you might as well sing at the top of your lungs. After all, there's no one to tell you your voice sounds like a strangled cat. Everyone wins. 

FIND OTHER FREELANCERS & WORK TOGETHER

Although I've found this can go one of two ways.

Either you’ll team up with a work buddy, only to find they talk to themselves and it drives you insane. This is why you decided to work from home in the first place, right?

The other scenario is working with a good friend. However, inevitably you will end up chin-wagging about the EU referendum and the benefits of coconut oil for three hours, and before you know it, it’s 4pm and you’ve got none of your shit done. If you’ve managed to strike a good balance, let me know how.

BE GRATEFUL

How many of your friends get to work from bed when they are feeling hungover? None. So suck it up, quit your whining and remember how good you’ve got it!

Surf Travel Guide: Imsouane, Morocco

High tide in the harbour at Imsouane, Morocco

Going to Morocco is like travelling back in time. Life is lived at a much slower pace. The cities aren't crammed with towering skyscrapers. There's little phone signal and far less reliance on technology. People live off the land and the days are dictated by the tides and the sun.

Instead of heading to Taghazout, arguably the most popular surf destination in Morocco, we decided to stay in Imsouane, a tiny fishing village just one hour's drive south from the city of Essaouira.

Walking down to Cathedrals, Imsouane

There's very little in Imsouane, a few places to stay, a lively harbour and fish market which comes to life in the morning, a handful of shops selling bread and basics such as water and crisps. We stayed in an Airbnb recommended by Charlotte Howells, author of the blog Float Stories. 

It is simply marked off the dirt road by a sign saying CAMPING. It's a large campsite on the edge of Imsouane with surf cabins overlooking Cathedral Point, one of the two major surf breaks in town. It's called Ocean Point and you can book it from just £18 per night for two people.

View from our surf cabin overlooking Cathedrals, Imsouane

All of the cabins overlook the water - some are made from old converted fishing boats. There's a shared kitchen/dining area, a big shower block and a car park behind for vans to park up in.

The campsite is supposedly owned by a British ex-pro windsurfer who we never saw but lived up on a house in the hill and hired a friendly Moroccan guy called Akeem to run the place. It was amazing. Our days went like this...

Catching a nice wave at Cathedral Point, Imsouane

7AM Wake up, head to beach for a surf.

9AM Buy loaf of bread (which cost 8p!) to eat with eggs or Nutella for breakfast.

10AM Sit in the sunshine, chat to other folks at Camping. Read.

Overlooking Imsouane from Cathedral Point

2PM Stroll into town, eat lunch and drink sweet Moroccan tea by the harbour. Buy fish for dinner.

4PM Nap.

5PM Head down to catch the pushing tide. Surf.

Walking the pier in Imsouane (followed by the local stray dogs)

7PM Make our way back to camp. Cook our fresh fish with harissa, vegetables and couscous for dinner.

8PM Drink beer and play cards with the other guests.

10PM Bed. Repeat the next day.

Longboarding for days at Cathedral Point, Imsouane

THE SURF

There are two major surf spots at Imsouane - the Bay and Cathedral Point - with enough variety for beginners right up to advanced surfers.

The Bay is said to be the longest point break in Africa. It's seriously long - we spoke to a guy who rode the wave for 1 minute and 20 seconds. It's a longboarders' dream, a perfect right hander breaking just inside the harbour, creating a super mellow wave.

Courduroy lines coming in at the Bay, Imsouane

Even if you drift towards the beach, there's a second section halfway to the beach where the waves reform. It's a great place to sit if the line-up near the harbour wall is super crowded.

The beauty of the Bay is you don't even need to paddle out back. When you get noodle arms, just paddle in, walk around the bay and hop back in at the harbour wall and you're out back again. The dream.

Local surfer getting barrelled at Cathedral Point, Imsouane

Just watch out when the Taghazout crowds come to town - the water fills up with a lot of people that could do with a bit more surf etiquette guidance. 

Cathedrals is a faster point break to the north of town, opposite our campsite. It works best on a west/north-west swell. When the surf is tiny at the Bay, head round to Cathedrals and it's bound to have a ripple or two.

Cathedrals, Imsouane

There's another gnarlier reef break that only works at high tide when the surf is BIG. Needless to say, we didn't surf there - it's right in front of the town's main surf shops and cafes so everyone can watch the big wipeouts while drinking their tea.

If you've got a car, there are dozens of other surf breaks further down the coast - but if you're only around for a few days, there's more than enough to satisfy you in Imsouane.

We hired our surfboards from Ocean Vagabond in Essaouira. They had a really professional set-up on the beach and a good selection of boards to choose from (not just crappy foamies). It cost us around €80 per board for five days. 

There is a surf shop in Imsouane you can rent boards from, not sure what the selection is like there.

Two-eyed steak for tea in Imsouane

EAT

Let's just say the restaurants in Imsouane aren't exactly extensive. We mainly cooked in the campsite's kitchen - we did a big supermarket shop for all our meals before we left Essaouira in the big Carrefour. This was helpful because the groceries in Imsouane are limited and overpriced. 

We had one dinner out and it was delicious - at the Auberge Tasra hotel, just on the outskirts of town, right next to the campsite. A two course meal of soup and tagine (fish, meat or veg) plus two beers cost around £20 for both of us. Amazingly cheap. 

There's also a surf shack style cafe in town which serves paninis, pizza and Moroccan mint tea called Surf Pizza.

Sunrise over the harbour

DRINK

Morocco is a dry country, so there isn't much of a bar culture out there. You can buy alcohol in the supermarket, it's not cheap - about the same price as it is in the UK. There is a bar in the Auberge Tasra and it's nice, not crazy priced, plus they have pool tables to entertain you in the evenings.

Fish, fish and more fish at the market

REMEMBER

There's no cash point in Imsouane. The nearest is about 25km drive away, so make sure you get plenty of cash out before you leave Essaouira or the nearest main town.

There isn't many petrol stations down there either. Make sure you fill up when you see a legit filling station. We passed two guys who got some petrol off a guy selling it on the street - turned out it was unleaded rather than diesel and it totally messed up their engine.

That famous view of Imsouane harbour

Don't speed on the roads, particularly through towns. The police will fine you on the spot and won't be happy if you only have a Visa card on you - as some unlucky friends of ours found out.

Be respectful of the locals. We found everyone very friendly and accommodating. You don't get hassle like you do in big cities such as Marrakech. Just don't start stripping out of your wetsuit in front of the town mosque and you'll be alright.

New pals made back in Essaouira

As a woman in Morocco, I had no hassle but I was travelling with my boyfriend. It's a personal choice but if you want to avoid stares, I would say avoid tight, skimpy clothing and go for light baggy outfits instead.

Spend a day or two in Essaouira - it's only an hour away and it's pretty old market town with hammams, big hotels and lots of fresh seafood to eat.

We had the best time in Imsouane. Unlike other places in Morocco, we really felt like we escaped the crowds, surfed some amazingly long waves and met a whole bunch of excellent travellers from Sweden, France, America and beyond. Just get there quick before everyone else find's out.

The Bay at Imsouane looking mighty fine

Where Can You Go Scuba Diving With Turtles & Octopus In Europe?

Photo by Océano Sostenible

It’s silent as we glide through the water. Algae settling beneath us, fish swimming between us. Suddenly I feel a sharp tapping on my shoulder. My diving instructor David is pointing up towards the surface.

And then we see her, just a shadow at first until she swims deeper into the water. El Puertito, a sandy bay in Tenerife is home to four green turtles, a rare thing to see in the wild in Europe. We just met one of them.

The southern tip of Tenerife is traditionally known for parties and sunbathing, rather than getting up close with wild marine life.

So it was a pleasant surprise to find a group of scuba divers entirely dedicated to conserving the ocean at the heart of a tourist holiday resort.

“The turtle you met has swum all the way from America,” David tells me afterwards. “Turtles aren’t pack animals, so she will have travelled all that distance on her own.”

Read the rest of this article on Cooler Magazine

Snowboarding in Slovakia: Why Jasna Is The Ultimate Cheap Snowboarding Destination

“Bad weather today, isn’t it?” The receptionist has a grim expression on her face. We look outside. Snowflakes are falling thick and fast – thicker than we’ve seen all winter and we live in the French Alps. I nod in accordance, but there’s a smile on my face.

It’s not bad weather at all – at least not for snowboarders. Little did we know tomorrow was going to be the best powder day we would have all season.

Slovakia isn’t your regular choice of destination for a snowboarding holiday, but it is fast becoming a popular destination for Brits looking for fresh powder and cheap deals. Sandwiched between Austria, Ukraine and Poland, Slovakia is mostly made up of wilderness, thick forests and mountains.

Jasná Nízke Tatry, the country’s biggest ski resort, is nestled in the centre of the Tatras Mountains. It’s just two and a half hour’s flight from the UK and only a 30 minute drive from Poprad Airport.

Slovakia gets serious powder in the winter, thanks to its cold continental climate and it is really cheap for us Brits. Pints are around €1.20 and B&Bs can cost as little as €25 per night.

Read the full article on Mpora here

Golden Hour: Autumn Surf Session at Woolacombe, Devon

Autumn is definitely here. The air is crisper. The water temperatures are dropping. The sun is setting at 6.30pm. 

I got out to take some photos of the sunset surfers and SUPers at Woolacombe this evening. It was so quiet - just a handful of people out on the water and seagulls swooping, barely skimming the surface of the water.

Adventures In North Devon: Barnstaple Food Market

How great is this guy? Dan the Fishman at the Barnstaple Real Food Market in North Devon

When I was living in North Devon, I discovered the amazing Barnstaple Real Food Market - a local food market that takes place on the second Sunday of every month in the Pannier Market.

It's a great place for lunch, particularly if the surf is flat and you are kicking your heels wondering what to do.

Guaranteed you will go in with empty hands and come back with a fresh loaf of bread, local cheese, chocolates made from goat's milk (I kid you not - pun intended - they are delicious!) and a curry making kit.

A word on the curry making kit - they are made by a company called Boom Kitchen and they are the best homemade curries my sister and I have ever made. They won gold at the Taste Of The West awards - well deserved! 

Ice cream, Snorkelling & Sunshine: Exploring Puglia, Italy

"Where is Puglia?" is the question everyone asked me before we went this summer. "It's the heel of the boot," I'd reply. People would give you a nod of recognition and move on.

That's because Puglia isn't like other places in Italy. Sicily and Tuscany as filled with British holidaymakers looking for an escape from the wet British Isles in July - but they don't tend to go to. Puglia is where Italians go on holiday. 

We were staying in a villa just outside Ostuni in the middle of the Italian countryside, just twenty minutes drive to the coast. And it was hot, like REALLY hot. Most days the average temperature was 34°C, which was a heat wave even by Italian standards. 

When the mercury is hitting these heights, the temptation is to spend the day between the pool and the shade - but there's plenty to explore in Puglia. 

What to do

Head to Torre Guaceto if you're looking for a nice beach. All the beaches in this area of Italy are small and crowded. Your best bet is to walk a little further down 

Go snorkelling. The water is beautifully clear and warm in Puglia. While marine life isn't abundant, you will definitely catch sight of fish, jellyfish and maybe the odd octopus. 

Hire a boat from Marina di Ostuni. If you want to explore the coastline and find a swimming spot away from the crowds, this is your best bet. However, make sure you check if fuel is including in the rental price before you set off - and always challenge them at the end if they charge you an extortionate amount.

Go wakeboarding. The Aegean sea in the height of summer is generally super flat, which makes it perfect for wakeboarding and waterskiing. We gave it a go at the beaches around Capitolo near Monopoli. It was €20 for fifteen minutes (guaranteed you'll be knackered after that).

Make a trip to the Trulli of Alberobello. Trulli are little white limestone huts that are dotted all over southern Puglia. The trulli village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - and we can vouch for the fact that it's really worth visit. Go early before the crowds and the heat make it unbearable.

Take an Italian cooking lesson

We learnt to make pasta from scratch with pasta pomodoro and polpette di melazane (aubergine balls in tomato sauce) with the Artisans of Taste near Brindisi. Our host Cinzia was an olive oil expert. She travels all over the world to take part on olive oil tasting panels. What did we learn?

Never buy olive oil in a bottle - it should always be kept away from the light in a tin can. Good olive oil will smell grassy and leave you with a spicy aftertaste. Make sure you buy high quality olive oil as it's better for you - cold-pressed extra virgin is the way forward.

Eat

Orecchiette is the local pasta. It's made from durum wheat and resembles a small ear in shape. The rough texture and domed shape helps keep the pasta sauce sticking to the pasta as you eat it.

Deep fried courgette flowers stuffed with cheese are everywhere - don't leave without trying them. Oh and the flat peaches, we couldn't get enough of these.

Ice cream. Obviously. Although I would steer clear of ice cream which looked like chocolate, but was actually pure Nutella on a cone. Sounds delicious, but one sickly treat in reality.

If you're looking for a really special meal, you've got to go to the Cielo Restaurant at the Hotel La Sommita in Ostuni and pick the Creativeness menu. Think Heston Blumenthal's creativity but less sheep trotters.

Every course has a sense of humour - for example, one dessert looked like an egg, cracked into a pile of flour. The shell was made of white chocolate and inside was creme brulee. It wasn't out-of-this-world price outrageously price either, around €60 a head. The same meal would be double the price in London.

My parents said it was the best meal they've ever had (trust me, they don't make statements like that very often).

Remember...

Bring insect repellent. Mosquitos plagued us all in the evenings, particularly in the middle of the countryside. I would recommend bringing some of this 100 per cet natural repellent from Incognito with you.

Take out euros before you arrive. There are ATMs in the major towns, but these are few and far betweeen.