A spontaneous five-week trip up the east coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns back in 2010 sparked a real passion for travel in me. Soon after graduating university, I booked a one-way flight to Southeast Asia for five months before returning to Australia for the next two years.
Living in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney gave me the chance to explore more of this amazing country from snorkeling with whale sharks in the Ningaloo reef, driving the Great Ocean Road to seeing quokkas on Rottnest Island.
After leaving Australia I traveled through Central America before returning to the UK and securing a job in the travel industry in 2015. This allowed me to continue traveling and experience memorable moments such as gorilla trekking in Rwanda, hiking in Patagonia, and relaxing on a beach in the Maldives.
A recent trip back to Australia gave me the opportunity to explore Tasmania, sample wines in the Yarra Valley and see plenty of wildlife on Kangaroo Island.
Q&A with Joe
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
The most memorable travel moment I have is hiking hours with a group through the rainforest and up a mountain making our way through thick, dense vegetation following an incredible guide hoping to see mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Once we were close, we were reminded of our safety briefing from earlier that morning before coming to an opening which I will never forget. My first sighting was a number of juveniles running and playing with each other oblivious to our arrival. We then slowly made our way around the family to see the silverback sat observing our group. The following hour spent with them is something I’ll never forget.
Where would you love to travel next?
I would love to see the orangutans and other incredible wildlife that Borneo has to offer. Visiting the rainforest, mountain and beaches the island has to offer is on my bucket list.
Your best piece of travel advice?
It might sound obvious, but remembering the size and scale of Australia is important when visiting. There could be days when you're flying cross country or driving hours from one place to another, so I would always advise including days where you can relax and enjoy a bit of downtime throughout your trip.