I’m assuming that you’re looking for travel inspiration and I’m so glad you’ve ended up here.

I’m Charli, welcome to my blog Wanderlusters; the travel guide book for people in search of epic destinations and adventurous itineraries. 

You’ll also find the odd rambling opinion piece, a few posts about how I sustain my life of travel and adventure, and the odd piece of sponsored content; I’ve gotta make money somehow! However, for the most part there’s enough travel fodder to inspire your next break from reality.

Amen to that Mr Twain.

Want to know more about why I started this blog? …

In 2010 I made the decision to live a life less ordinary. I quit my job, moved out of my flat, and six months later after much downsizing and guide book consulting, I embarked on an undefined period of travel.

I call it ‘undefined’ because I had no time limitations restricting my journey. As far as I was concerned I was just going off on an adventure and I’d let fate decide my path.

Selling most of my possessions to fund my new life and putting a few sentimental items into storage, I am now content to live as a vagabond exploring one country at a time. I embrace every opportunity for adventure and have been fortunate enough to live like a local in eleven different countries to date.

I wasn’t born a traveller…

…and my adventurous streak is definitely something that has developed over the years. As a teenager I suffered from anxiety and consequently travel was an activity I rarely engaged in; the thought of getting onto a plane and flying half way across the world terrified me.

Fast forward 10 years and here I am, an adventure travel blogger with a passport full of stamps.

Travelling and blogging my way around the world was never my plan.

I graduated with a degree in Fine Art and actively avoided essay subjects at school. I interned in London and eventually decided I should take a gap year. Because that's what millennials do, no? However after 18 months of travel my desire to sustain a life of full time adventure took hold and so like many I decided to start a travel blog in a bid to earn a living online; FYI it's not easy. 

Excuse me while I divert on a bit of a tangent here - I know a lot of bloggers write guides to starting a travel blog. If you're here looking for tips on how to be a digital nomad then you're in the wrong place. 

Wanderlusters is about unadulterated travel, I'm never going to advise you to give up your day job and spend your life vlogging or Instagramming your way around the world. Don't get me wrong I love what I do and I do it because I love creating content, but I also do it to earn a living. If I had the option to, I'd choose to travel disconnected 100% of the time and make the most of every moment I could to immerse myself in the places I was visiting. 

Earn money - book an adventure - then go back to work to pay for your next trip. #justsaying. 

Anyway, back to my life story. 

In 2012 I gave myself 12 months in which to take the blog from zero to hero. To give myself the best start possible I put my travels on the back burner for a few months and bunkered down at a house sit in Auckland, there I launched Wanderlusters.com and made my mark on the weird and wonderful world of blogging.

It was daunting, it was intense, it was all consuming…

…but it gave me the means to continue travelling on my own terms.

Q. How can I afford to travel so often?

A. I utilise house sitting stays to subsidise my living costs and live in each country for the maximum duration of my visa. This keeps my cost of living lower than if I were to hop between countries and pay for hostel/hotel accommodation.

Q. How Do You Get Your House Sitting Stays?

A. Check out these handy house sitting guides to find out exactly how I live rent free.

Q. What’s Your Favourite Destination?

A. Honestly, I struggle to choose, and my answer changes frequently. However I have recently fallen in love with a destination that is far removed from the well trodden tourist trail and deserves an honourable mention due to the impact it has had on me since I arrived.

Intrigued? Check out my posts covering my stay here.

WHAT TO LEARN MORE?

You too can live for adventure, travel the world for less, and explore off the beaten path.

Head over to my blog and take a look around, ask me your travel and destination questions by commenting on my posts, sending me an email, or connecting with me on Instagram.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hope I see you out on the road someday!

Charli x