Joining us today on the Nomad Files is Skeeter Stopher of Happy Travelers. Skeeter is one of my tribe-mates on Triberr, a great collection of bloggers focused on discovering and sharing other blogs. Thanks for joining us on The Nomad Files Skeeter, great to have you. Let’s get into it.
When did you discover that you were a travel fiend and what was the influencing factor?
I first realized that I wanted to spend my life travelling when I as in 8th grade, I was in Model U.N at school and the idea that I could have a career travelling the world helping people really fascinated me. I had travelled a lot as a child, but mostly within the continental United States. So my brain was just thrilled with the concept that there was so much more for me to see and that it could be a lifestyle.
Do you have a particular song/video/poem/quote that particularly inspires you to travel?
“All good things are wild and free.” Henry David Thoreau
I have this quote framed on a wall at my home. It serves as a constant reminder to be brave and to know that I am free to make my life exactly what I want it to be. I think so many people live life in a very prescribed way. Go to school, get a job, get married, have kids, die. If instead, we encourage ourselves to be a bit more wild and free, then perhaps we can live a more extraordinary life than we could have ever imagined.
Can you let us in on a secret? What is one discovery you have made through your travels that really felt like ‘the road less travelled’?
Realizing that I could love living in a van while backpacking New Zealand definitely felt like the road less travelled. Up until I did that trip, I wouldn’t say I was high maintenance, but I did like my creature comforts. I was actually just thinking this morning about how I cried when we sold that van. It helped us see New Zealand in a way you can’t from a hotel room. It also helped me realize that our consumer culture often drives the course of our lives without us realizing it. We have to work harder, so we can make more money, so we can buy things that in the end don’t enrich our lives. Living in a van helped me realize in a real way how I could change the course of my life and spend my efforts and money on experiences that would make my life spectacular and above all happy.
Apart from Hobbits, is New Zealand known for anything in particular?
New Zealand is known for a lot of things. They invented bungee jumping and they are home to more flightless birds than anywhere else in the world. The natural beauty that you’ll find there is second to none, which is part of the reason why Lord of the Rings was filmed there. The people are incredibly friendly and will drink you under the table. Be sure to prep your liver before you go.
Living so long as a NZ nomad you must have seen a lot! Can you pull out a few highlights?
We also chose New Zealand because we love the outdoors and wanted to camp and hike and be at the beach as often as humanly possible. We camped at the base of a volcano, hiked to glaciers, skinny dipped in the ocean, swam under waterfalls, ran down the beach as dolphins played nearby, and made some great friends. I think so often New Zealand ends up being a place that people dream of going, but rarely do. It’s a long flight but it’s so worth it. We travelled the length of both coasts on both islands and never once saw a landscape that didn’t take our breath away. It should be moved to the top of everyone’s travel list.
Agreed, it is almost impossble to drive to the shops in NZ without the view being spectacular. What took you there and how did you find out about it?
Partly, we just wanted to spend a year abroad and wanted to be able to work on and off to fund our travels and New Zealand is one of a few places that has a very easy working holiday visa program for Americans. It had also been a dream of my husband and his best friend to run off to New Zealand when they were in high school and spend their days dirt biking and having adventures. That dream didn’t quite work out (at least not yet), but I think we checked a few big items of our dream list.
Tell me about the food. Was it different to anything you’d experienced before?
The one thing that sticks with me about the food is that it’s a lot healthier for you than what you’d find in the U.S.
You’re not setting the bar very high Skeeter…
Even what would be considered junk food there was good and would probably be in the health food isle in an American grocery store. We actually had a hard time picking out cheese because it wasn’t filled with dyes. It was a big wake-up call for me. I also learned to love having an egg on my burger and my fish and chips wrapped in a newspaper. What I usually end up craving is an L&P Soda, chicken tripod crisps, and some Monteith’s Beer. Geez, I sound like I live in a frat house! We spent most of our time in Whitianga which is famous for their scallops. They have a delicious annual festival that is worth the trip.
What was the culture like? Did you have much interaction with the locals?
The culture is great. The people are friendly and it seems that each of them have a sense of adventure in them. We were there for about 9 months and I worked at a resort while I was there. So I had a really great chance to work and get to know the people there. There wasn’t a huge culture shock, but I think working in another country is a sure fire way to get to know people better, challenge yourself to learn new things and gets you immersed in the culture right away.
Beyond the things to visit, do you have any tips on how someone might best experience New Zealand?
Without a doubt the best way to experience New Zealand is by campervan. There are plenty of places you can rent them, or you can buy one and sell it super easy before you leave if you’re planning on being there for a long time. Camping is super cheap and there are few places in the world where you can have access to world class beaches and have them all to yourself. I can’t count the number of times we had a campsite/beach/trail all to ourselves. It made for a truly memorable adventure.
Changing lanes a little now, think of your favourite big city. Can you share with us a tip about this city that you would never find in a travel guide book?
I only recently went to Tokyo, but I think it might be one of my favorite big cities. One thing I would recommend is to take a stroll past the temples at night. They’ll be closed, but they are lit up at night and so beautiful. It was arguably one on of the best ways to experience them.
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Luke, thank you so much for featuring me, it was a ton of fun to participate!!