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Business & Pleasure is the show that discusses what it’s really like to be a digital nomad. We talk about the ups and downs, the lessons learned and the big discussion about whether you can really have it all.
Lyd: Hello and welcome to the Business and Pleasure Podcast, the show that discusses what it's really like to be a digital nomad. We talk about the ups and the downs of the lessons learned and the big discussion about whether you can really have it all. Today we have Marc Hall on the show. Marc is an author and travel writer who is based in New Zealand. He's traveled the world and lived in quite a few different places. On Marc's website. Life went that way. He shares his experiences, stories, and lessons. He's also written a memoir where he shares his story in even more detail. Today we're gonna dig into why Marc chose travel, the highs and the lows of his traveling journey, why he wants to inspire more people to get out and see the world.
And of course, we'll talk to Marc about whether you can really have it all. Welcome to the show, marc. Thanks so much for joining us.
Marc: Thanks for me on.
Lyd: Nice to see you. So let's just get straight into it. What were you doing before you became an [00:01:00] author? Travel writer?
Marc: I grew up here in New Zealand, uh, moved to London when I was 19 on my own. I was originally for only six months, but that ended up best part of seven or eight years. Uh, which kickstarted a lot of the, uh, travel journey that's sort of gone on since, um, lived in Australia for a time in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Uh, but recently I've been sort of settled back in here. The travel writing author gig is something I've sort of always been interested in. At the moment, my sort of, it is a side hustle though. For now as, um, by day I'm a, I'm a copier with the New Zealand police, so that takes up a lot of my time.
But my, yeah, a true passion obviously lies on the writing side. So, uh, that's where I dedicate a lot of my hours and, um, I enjoy putting it out there and for the world to enjoy.
Lyd: Yeah. That's amazing that you moved literally to the other side of the world at 19. What made you
decide to do that?
Marc: Yeah. Yeah.
I, I was following a sporting dream, Lydia, uh, [00:02:00] when I was growing up. I was, uh, yeah, I, I, I I dream of playing professional, so, uh, that pathway took me to, took, yeah, it took, took me to London. Uh, I have three very enjoyable years playing that at. Yeah, it didn't quite work out as, as well as I planned, but actually put me on a different trajectory, which I'm actually grateful for and created some amazing memories.
Uh, I got to live all over the uk, uh, particularly a lot of time up north, which was great. Still got a lot of friends there. Um, some time in Scotland as well. So yeah, that was pretty much my twenties there. So yeah, before I ended up, uh, coming back to Melbourne.
Lyd: That's amazing and that's great that
at such a young age as well, you were like, yep, let's do it. Before you moved to London, had you always been interested in travel? Were your family interested in travel? Was it something you always wanted to do?
Marc: Absolutely. Absolutely. And I've, I've gotta really credit my, uh, credit my family fact. My mom, she's such an inspiration, but she's still traveling now in her seventies. Uh, I was [00:03:00] lucky, sort of my first real overseas trip was, was to the States when I was, um, about 11 years or 10 years old. My first real solo trip was when I was 16, when I went back to the States to visit some relatives.
So just when you go, when you're living in New Zealand, it's, it's, it's, it's a little bit different to the rest of the world because it's 'cause you're so isolated. Basically the nearest country is a three hour flight away. So when you're growing up, there's, there's always a fascination about what the rest of the world's like, because when you can't just sort of hop across the channel ferry or when you, when you just can't, there's no obviously, uh, land crossings and what have you.
I guess it puts more of a mystique in the world. So, and as I was growing up, obviously international travel wasn't as, common, I suppose. it's a, a real motivator to try and actually get out there and explore. And I'm, I'm not, I'm certainly not alone in that case. Uh, and I could probably speak for a lot of Australians too, where it's actually, yeah, there, there, there's a endless fascination with the rest of the world.
And I think that becomes part of who you are. And I think that's why you [00:04:00] sort of see for couple of countries with such small populations, there's so many of us scattered around the world. It's a motivator I find when you, it wasn't such a scary thing to move in 19 and it's something I reflect on now 'cause because people do bring it up and people do talk about like, wow, you're 19 years old.
Like, you sort of put it in perspective. You sort of can't quite imagine what it's like to pack up on your own and go to the other side of the world. But it's, it's not a. You don't worry about things that could go wrong. You don't worry about the, the the bad things because, 'cause when you're a bit younger you just, you're just excited.
I remember looking out the plane, the plane window and I talk about this book. You look out the window. I remember flying in to London and you're sort of seeing all the road houses and terrace houses and what have you. I know Hounds or wherever, wherever near Heath, I was just, I was just so excited. You just see opportunity.
You don't see what could go wrong. And unfortunately that comes with you as you get a bit older, isn't it?
Lyd: Yeah, that's true actually. [00:05:00] You were probably doing it at the best time because you are still young. You still have that bit of like naivety around it. You're more excited, you're optimistic, you're not really aware of all of the, the, bad things out in the
world. You're sort of just going with it. So that is probably such a,
a great time to just
go for it.
Marc: It is. It is. And, I still try and hold onto that and I still try and take that sort of attitude forward. Because it is so easy to worry about all the things, and especially in the, in such an age where there's so much information out there. You know, like when I sort of did it, it wasn't really that case.
It was, I would quite happily walk into a pub on my own and just sit at the bar and talk to someone back there, you know, and I still do that to this day if I'm ever around. But it's, um, it's not really a, it, it's definitely an attitude that I think we could all sort of enjoy and try and make the most of our sort of opportunities when we do get 'em, instead of sort of erring on the side of caution of fear all the time.
Lyd: Definitely. Yeah, I agree with that. I [00:06:00] think, yeah, you have so much information now at your fingertips and a lot of it is why you shouldn't do something or, uh,
Marc: Mm-hmm.
Lyd: and so's friends said this, or like, it's, a lot of it is negative.
For instance, when I started, solo traveling last year, whenever I
started properly, a lot of the, lots of the people like, oh, why, like, ah, or like, why this specific country?
Or whatever it was. And I was sort of just like, why not? And it was sort of nice going back to.
Marc: Yeah,
Lyd: Oh, screw it. I'll just do it and see what happens. Instead of like thinking through everything and, and then talking yourself out of it. It's
nice to just be like, okay, we'll see what happens. And you can
always go home if
anything goes wrong, so yeah.
That's amazing that you started, at 19 and it's interesting as well that you said that you traveled with your mom the first place you went. Outside of New Zealand was America. When [00:07:00] I've spoken to other digital nomads in the past, a lot of them, were lucky, lucky enough to sort of have that same, upbringing where their parents were also really interested in travel. They were lucky enough to go to different countries when they were growing up. It was the same with, my parents. We lived, in a few different countries when we were growing up with my dad's job.
He was always moving around. They've always loved travel. And then that's fed into me and my brother as well. But it's interesting to see people who do work and
Marc: Hmm.
Lyd: all sort of have that same upbringing.
Not everyone, but a
lot
Marc: Yeah, Yeah. And I ab absolutely, and, and, and obviously the way we're raised, obviously that instills a lot of the values that we sort of carry on what we sort of. Become adults and what have you. So, so they have that sort of support and the permission almost to, to, to go and explore,
to go and make the most of things, you know, is, is actually something that's so actually quite special. I'm very grateful that actually had that upbringing and had the, [00:08:00] had the opportunity to do it. Like my brother lives in America now. Uh, my other brother lives in Perth, so we're spread all over the world.
Just uh, uh, and we have like a lot of that come down to my mom, you know, 'cause it's, um, I'm a stepfather and, uh, who've actually always encouraged us to, um, to go out and live, live, live a full life, you know, instead of like, instead of sort of living that sort of cautious, traditional life that perhaps, many of us are encouraged to do.
Lyd: yeah, yeah. It's, it's so nice, isn't it? It's just enjoying. Enjoy the life and
see what you can see and do what you can do and try, try lots of different things. It's, yeah, it's just having the opportunity to sort of just go for it and see, see what happens is what I really like. Like similar to
uh, you, my brother lived in Thailand now and before that he lived in China and so it's, it's funny how we're living the same life.
Marc: Yeah, absolutely. Look at,[00:09:00]
Lyd: Yeah. it would be great to talk more about , why specifically travel? What is the thing that really excites you about it? Is it exploring a new place that you've never been really like delving into a new culture, meeting people you've never come across before?
What is the, what
is that thing that
really has like kept you
traveling for so many years?
Marc: I think it's just a natural curiosity of the world out there. A natural urge to sort of discover new places, new ways of living, new ways of life. Along the way you do get to meet those people along the way. You do get to actually learn a lot, a lot about yourself as well, Lydia.
Because at the end of the day, it's all part of just an endless journey of actually, uh, trying to, trying to not only become a better sort of citizen of the planet, but also it's actually just, yeah. It just feeds in natural curiosity that, that a, I've always had. And, uh, yeah. It's, it's, it's something that hasn't really [00:10:00] gone away ever since I was a kid.
Lyd: Yeah. There's always more to
learn and see and do. Yeah. I don't think it will ever go away, which is. Great.
Marc: It's easy to overthink it too. And, and, and I think it's, there's, there's, there's a lot of whys and I'm, I'm sort of quite actively engaged on sort of Twitter where we sort of came across each other and X and what have you and there's so many why's and reasons, out there that people said to discuss about, which is great.
It sort of drives, drives the conversation. Any sort of travel conversation is gonna get, me engaged, but I think. I, I, I just keep coming back to the, just the natural curiosity. I think. Well, we've all got it to an extent. Uh, so, so, so, so beyond that, I don't particularly look for reasons. To an extent.
There's no reasons as to why I sort of do it. It's, it's just me and I do it for me. Uh, because, 'cause after I have a positive experience, after I have, after I see somewhere like I'll see the positive [00:11:00] and everywhere pretty much. Uh, but it's there, there's always a takeaway of some sort, you know? And it scratches a itch and it, it, it removes the what ifs.
I find, uh, 'cause, 'cause wherever we go somewhere, especially somewhere new, we always go with a preconceived idea of what a place is gonna be like. Easy as to say you going somewhere based on whether it's an Instagram reel or what have you, you know, those generate sort of expectations in a way.
Lyd: Yeah.
Marc: Rarely do those expectations actually meet where I'm going. That's a positive and a negative thing to a point, but it actually means what it actually means to me once I actually go and experience these places that actually I can actually make an assessment actually.
Yeah. And, and take something from that.
And I think that's something we take home with us and we forget about that too.
Lyd: Definitely. Yeah, it's nice to be able to , make and have your own opinion about something, about a place,
about an experience, whatever it is. Like we [00:12:00] said, so much information out there, oh, why would I bother going to whatever place when? But it's so nice to be able to have your own opinion about a place and then be able to tell people about it and then potentially change their mind on a place.
Like for instance, this year when I started traveling again, I started in Argentina and South America, and I've never touched this side of the world prior to coming here. None of my
friends have, none of my family have. We've always sort of gone the other way and like, unfortunately with
South America, there's slight stigma around few places and it's got quite an interesting history and that, you know, there's been like this series, Narcos and everything like this, and there's been lots of different things that feed into it, not always having like the best name. So
lots of people, when I first
started talking about going to South America, they were like, oh, [00:13:00] it's not safe. It's, it's this, it's that.
People who have never been. And I was like, well, why not? I've never been.
And these have been some of the best places I've ever. Travel to I've ever experienced.
I've never really had any issues at all. And it's been nice that I've been able to make my own opinion instead of just listening to, oh, well this place isn't safe, or, oh, this happened here.
And it's just like, well, no, because now I've had my experience and my experience has been absolutely amazing that I can now share that with people.
And I think that's a really nice, important like thing to have.
Marc: It, yeah, it is, it is important. Lydia, you know, and, and, and, and, and through your platforms, you know, you get the opportunity to actually sort of encourage, even if it's like one or two people that actually change someone's mind and may go, Hey, I may go to Columbia based on this Lydia's experience, you know that that's actually a win because it actually generates a.
It, it [00:14:00] more of an awareness, uh, a, a realistic awareness as opposed to, as opposed to what you said with the world of Narcos and all those sorts of things, which are obviously a long time ago now.
Uh, so no, it's, it's, it's, it's a really positive message that you're doing Lydia, by, by, uh, by discussing these places with your guests and what have you.
And yeah, if I can still contribute one small part to that, then, uh, and all, all good.
Lyd: definitely. Yeah, it's brilliant. So it would be great to, um, talk more about your book. You were always writing and then you decided to well to write a book.
What was the thing that really pushed you into writing a book and why? Why did you wanna write a book and share more of. Learnings and experiences with people.
Marc: hmm. A combination of things. Actually, uh, I, I'll be honest with you, when I started it, I didn't set out to write the book, let alone a 600 page book, I'd always sort of wanted to, so I've always loved reading [00:15:00] memoirs.
I've always sort of read non-fiction is very much sort of category I'm sort of really interested in. I knew I could write, okay. Actually, the funny story is when, when I was in high school, it's probably the first time actually realized I could actually string a couple of words together without getting them wrong, was I did a book review at high school and my English teacher called me in and basically put this review down and asked me, he said, who wrote this?
And I. Well I did, you know, like, and I had obviously, and he basically accused me of plagiarism. I wouldn't mark it. Um, I was about 16 at the time, I've always followed a natural sort of writing path from that. Because I've spent quite a bit of time overseas doing different things.
You could tell people had a natural sort of curiosity. People that ask, you know, it's like, like we go back to the 19 years I wanna moved away thing. It's people actually sort of curious about how that sort of comes about, those sorts of things. The idea sort of came to actually start recording.
Some of my, my memoirs, if you like, was in my sort of third, late thirties when [00:16:00] I went and, uh, went to Nepal and did a lot of, did some trekking around there. And a lot of people were really interested in it. A lot of people were really sort of asking a lot of questions. And then in two. We basically traveled around the world for the best part of a year with a one year old on our back.
And, uh, we parked up in Portugal for three months. Um, just on the there. And after moving nonstop for months on end, I literally just got the laptop out and started writing. And it was essentially just a recording of whatever. I'm blessed, I've got a good memory. I can actually remember a lot of things, some things, some things not so much, but you do that in your twenties and, started doing that every day and every night, it just, we, we were parked up on a beach for three months, pretty much, and I'd just started and it became a habit and it just carried on and on and on.
And yeah, then lockdown came. We were back here in [00:17:00] New Zealand by that stage, and in a way it actually sort of got me through a lot of that sort of lockdown period because yeah, for an hour or two every day I was writing. And, then I realized I had a book at the end of it. And I obviously go through sort of editing phase and bits and pieces, but it's, I'm totally honest with you, when I started, I didn't set up to write a book, but that's what it became. It's something I'm proud of.
Lyd: Yeah. That's amazing. That's nice as well though because it's, it's really authentic then it, it was just purely you writing down everything and then it slowly progressed into a
book, so it couldn't be any more true
or honest, and that's nice you could lean on it in through Covid and all of that weird time
and it became a habit and you, yeah. That's really
great. So you mentioned then as well that you traveling with a one year old, which, , Sounds like it could potentially be challenging. How different is it traveling with a one year old and a family to traveling by yourself or with [00:18:00] your partner?
Marc: It's just a different experience there. Not any better, not any worse. And it's, it's something that, Until you sort of do it, you like, there is that fear of sort of how's, how's the experience gonna be any different or it's gonna be better or worse or what have you. I would say like it's as good as if not better, you just change things up, by the time.
Like, like your nighttime activities are far limited, but you get the opportunity of actually doing it, getting up way before everyone else. Like one of my favorite mornings was, um, we we're in Prague for a time and just going on the Charles Bridge,
literally there's a handful of office workers floating around. There's street sweepers and what have you, you know, there's, there's, there's hardly So basically the Charles Bridge to ourselves. So, so having those sorts of experiences where you can actually go out, you, it slows you down because you can't be rushed.
You can, you've got, effectively, you've gotta, uh, Katie is sort of trip to suit the one year old as opposed to sort of rushing everywhere, [00:19:00] you know, and dining out. All, all, all these other activities which you sort of do as in as, as adult Trevor, if you want, uh, just changes things. You get to meet more people, which I found to be.
Something I sort of hadn't expected. Just when you got a kid, it's a sort of a, you, you do get to meet more people. Like people are naturally curious about you look different, you, and they know you're different anyway. But when you've got a one year old, one year old as well, you know, people wanna make people wanna talk, people wanna meet you and Yeah, you always get priority seating and things like that sometimes and restaurants and what have you.
And, it's been a fantastic experience. It opened your eyes to many other things too. You know, like, I think there was, there are times when, when you've got, like with our one year old, obviously it's constantly attached, but they go and play with other kids.
There's no common language and things like that, you know, and it's, it's quite a humbling sort of experience, you know, it sort of shows people, kids, you know, it's the language of play, you know, it's, there's no borders there, there's no, [00:20:00] there's no no prejudices and things like that. It's quite a humbling sort of thing.
And I think, um, that's a big lesson I took from it. If anything, it's actually probably a cheaper way to travel too, because you, because you're not dining out all the time and things like that. It's, uh, yeah, it leaves you more time to actually focus on the experiences as, as opposed to sort of traditional nighttime adult activities.
Lyd: Yeah, I think that's a really nice point as well that you mentioned. Is it, it slows you down a little bit. Like you, you can't always be rushing around and, and when you are rushing around or jumping from place to place, a lot of the time you're not really, you're not present. You're not taking in your surroundings or you're stressed because you're rushing
When you start to slow down, take a step back and really sort of
appreciate where you
are, it's such a nice
feeling and you you remember why you're doing what you're doing, then when you do have a bit of time to enjoy
the new place you're at.
[00:21:00] That's a lovely, lovely point and something to always remember
as well,
Marc: You would appreciate, you would appreciate that more than most Lydia, the way you are sort of doing your thing, you know? One of my favorite trail riders. I sort of, a guy I sort of refer, he's a guy who, Ralph Pots, who sort of talks about this. Art of slow travel almost, you know, sort of that sort of immersive type sort of travel travel as opposed to, hit and miss seven days here and there.
But I appreciate a lot, a lot of the world doesn't have that opportunity to, to do that sort of slow travel Again, of message away that you are sort of doing your through your podcast and that to show there is other ways It's, we were incredibly grateful that we had the opportunity to actually travel that way.
It did change a lot of my perceptions, a lot of my ideas around trouble. 'cause as I alluded to before, you experience different ways of trouble instead of your sort of one week island vacations. You know, you sort of very much scratch the surface. But if you can stay [00:22:00] somewhere on that island for, for three weeks, you know, you start to get ready, you start to get to know the local.
Local coffee shop, you start to get to know the local, the local market, you know, it becomes a, far more immersive and, yeah. Personal experience. It's a really neat way of going about doing things if you have the opportunity.
Lyd: Definitely, I've been speaking to quite a few people recently and they have been talking about slow madding I mentioned it in one of the podcasts previously and when I started, well, at the end of last year, I was like here, there and everywhere and it completely like, ruined me. I wasn't, I wasn't enjoying it, as much as I was when I started. I was like, oh, what am I doing? Why am I jumping around so much? When I first came to Argentina, I was there for three
months and used Buenos Air's as my base and sort of then had a weekend here. Had a weekend there, and I absolutely loved that, like having a hub, a place that you can call your
home for [00:23:00] however long. Go to your local coffee shop and start talking to the same barista
every day and they start learning your orders. It's like
all of those little small things that help make a place feel a bit more like a home.
Especially when you are, you are having a
rough day and you are missing a home, or you're struggling with the language or anything like that.
Anything you can do to help make
something feel a bit more like a home is amazing
when you are traveling.
And I've
been
thinking about it a lot recently because, since after Argentina, I then started doing like a month and a half in this country, a month and a half in this country. And I've absolutely loved it and I haven't felt like I've, that's been too much of, of a rush.
But after Argentina I'm like, okay, I just, the next place I go, I just wanna stay in one place for a month or
whatever and then have like the weekends away. 'cause I think, yeah, that's sort of what I miss is [00:24:00] being able to, A bit, bit more of a home space.
It's interesting, isn't it? And
everybody's different when it comes to
travel, but
Marc: We all have different ways of going about it and our circumstances didn't, our circumstances sort of dictate that to a long way. Whether, whether you have a family or depending on what sort of child you do, or, because at the end of the day, whatever, I'm a big believer in whatever sort of works for you is the way that's gonna work.
And, and you get, and you do adapt. You do actually figure it out. Figure out what the best way is. Uh, and you sort of talk about, That sort of feeling of, you know, you, we get into like the home sort of feeling, you know, because ultimately we all, we all come from a home somewhere and as, and as attractive and exotic as the old, the travel hopping lifestyle, it's, it, you can't do it forever.
So, so I think if you, if, if you can actually do the sort of [00:25:00] journey like, like you're on where it's a month or so here and there, it sort of strikes a nice balance there, you know? And if that works, you find whatever works. And I think you'll, if you speak to any of the sort of people I've sort of engaged with through sort of my network and they do a similar sort of thing to you, you know, where it's, it's, it's impossible to keep going and it can be anywhere between a month or even up to six months, whatever.
They just sort of park up and it just seems to work for them. It's all about finding your own pace and your own style of travel. Like I said, there's no one size fits all. It's just a case of going out there and actually trying to find what works for you.
Lyd: Definitely, yeah, it's a lot of trial and error. Um, and you figure it out
as you go. So with that in mind, when you
first started, so painting the picture, you were 19, you were the uk, you're exploring
and the great thing about being in the uk you're in Europe, so you could pop to [00:26:00] anywhere in
an hour, two hours.
It is that ridiculous. I think. We're very lucky being in the UK because yet there's so many amazing countries on our doorstep, which
I think we don't really realize until we talk to other people. But when you were first sort of started traveling and exploring new countries, what were your first learnings or your first hurdles that you came across when you first started traveling?
Marc: A couple actually come to sort of come to mind. First thing I understood was how, and it was apparent right from the very beginning is how wrong I was about pretty much everything until when you grow up. When you grow up and you're raised, you grow up with a perception of the world you grow up with almost, it's, it's almost a prejudice, almost an an assumption, prejudice of what another place is gonna be like based on whatever.
Whether it's can be an income, be on TVs to books you read to, to, to whatever [00:27:00] you,
so when I went away, like I could even go back to when I first started to in, in America, you go somewhere with preconceived ideas what somewhere's gonna be like. And very, very rarely. In fact, I could probably say never have I actually gone to anywhere where it's gone.
Ah, that's exactly as I thought it would be. So it actually challenges your assumptions. It actually makes you take a step back and forces you to. To watch, to learn. And then from there then you can sort of make an assumption as opposed to sort of going into somewhere and saying, no, this is black and white.
When it's more often than not a shade of grey That's a big learning for me and that has not stopped. If anything, it's probably continued and I think it drives that natural curiosity to actually find that what somewhere's really like and there's a weird little satisfaction that sort of comes about.
This doesn't just apply to travel as well. This sort of applies to just trying new things, you know, it's like actually if you've actually done something or actually experienced something new for the first time, at least you know now and at least you can make an informed sort of [00:28:00] assessment of whether a it's for you, whether you enjoyed it or whether you didn't.
I can probably talk about bungee jumping is a great one. So, oh, bungee jump the first time about three years ago and was, and. I had never done that before, but, and I'm quite frank, I'm quite scared of heights and what have you,
and went into, oh, I probably wouldn't do it again, but it's something that,
um, I'm actually, you know, it's actually something I, I can actually go, yes, I've actually done.
So I think when you, I think when you travel somewhere for when you sort of travel somewhere for the first time, those are the sort of learning and you actually, you actually gain a, a unique insight based on who you are as to what places like, and that's why, that's why I always encourage people to say, don't make any judgements about somewhere, and don't go ahead, don't go any with too many expectations because it's 'cause A, they're probably gonna be wrong, and b, you'll actually actually come out of it thinking something completely different.
That's a good one. [00:29:00] Uh, probably know, but probably the second learning was not everyone is,
Not everyone's into trouble as much as you, you, you might expect. I had some, I had a few sort of little challenges before I went away, particularly when I was 19, like a grateful support of my mum, you know? But there's still an element of society and people that I sort of knew who, who, who were very discouraging of it, almost to the point where you'd sort of pick and choose who you can and can't tell,
I think it's as far as a learning go in that sense. You know, it just, it just shows that you just gotta really take charge of your own life, your own choices, and be brave enough to actually go with them. Because at the end of the day, once you've made those decisions, once you've gone ahead and done whatever you're gonna do, no one really caress anyway.
It brings it back to you so much. So much of the way we sort of go about our lives today is to, is to get the validation [00:30:00] from others. It could be families, your boss, your friends, all these sorts of outside influences, which don't really matter much in the end. So it's, so as long as you can actually go and put yourself first, then I think everything else sort of flows and everything follows after that.
It's generally all right in the end. So yeah, they're probably a couple of the big things that I've reflect on. And those don't really change, to be honest. You those learnings are still in place today.
Lyd: Yeah, definitely. It's interesting as well that you mention that, , some people aren't as into traveling. As much as you are, it's a massive interest for me, but it might not be
an interest for someone else, and that is completely okay.
It's a funny thing it's a massive important thing in my life. And I just want other people to
experience it as well, but it's obviously, it's a lot more complicated than that.
Marc: The most popular sort of [00:31:00] article I've sort of written through a blog is actually, uh, called, it called Why No One Cares about your Travels When you come home. It's such a personal thing because I think every traveler can sort of understand that you go away on this life changing journey.
I remember when I did the UK thing, I came back and people didn't even know I've been gone for years and it was. You, you come back with this thing in your head. I've had this amazing experience. Look at me now. I've go, you know, you, you come back and you show your photos of wherever you tell, and people glaze over most of the time, 90% of the time they might be interested, for a couple of minutes, but, but then they attention will diver to the football on the screen.
You know, and it's like, you, you just feel like shaking them. Like, look at me. I've had this amazing experience.
Lyd: a.
Marc: And no, no one, you know, it's, it's a, you know, it's, it's really quite hard to sort of scratch that itch. And I think you can only scratch that itch is when you actually stop caring about sort of
[00:32:00] telling everyone about it. Uh, and people ask and obviously interested, interested, and that's great. And that's why I think the, I, I think the internet world's great for that. 'cause you, because it's so easy to find people into what you are into you can scratch out sort of travel it with people you may never even meet.
When you do come home, you see your family and friends and everyone's got different lives and into different things. It's, it can be a challenging, challenging time when all you just, all you want to do is tell people about an amazing experience you've had and, and what you've learned.
And we all do. E every trouble understands what a. A learning journey and sort of self development tool travelers that, uh, you just wanna share that and 'cause you care about your family and friends. You want to, you want 'em to feel a little bit of what you feel but of, of, of what you've gone through.
But when you sort of get that blank glaze look at just Yeah. It's, it's, it's an interesting one. , but it's one I'm used to and I'm sure you, I'm sure you've come across it more than a handful of times, I think every sort of has to some [00:33:00] degree.
Lyd: Yeah, that's very true. But that's actually a really good point as
well. There's so many people on the internet who do share your interest so you can find your little community, so you're not just getting
people rolling their eyes at the 40th photo of, you know, whatever that you are.
Marc: yeah. But even though it's, I'm. I find I'm a bit like that too. Someone comes back and shows me their photos of Fiji, like, great.
Like it's, you know, like
it's, it's, unless you're part of that experience, it's very difficult to, to be immersed in it. Like if I came across like, like I'll talk about people who spent years in the uk, you know, like, particularly from my side of the world, you know, we, we can have a great conversation, you know, about different things, but like, that's, that's very much except not the rule.
Lyd: Yeah, that's true. It is very, it is very specific [00:34:00] and I think as well why people who've been traveling for ages, digital nomad, sort of everybody who falls under that umbrella is so enthusiastic about it. And so passionate about it is because it
is, like we were saying, it really does. Change you as a person.
That sounds like, oh, blah, blah, but it's like very true. You have to face new challenges. You have to learn different things. There's a lot going on when you are traveling, traveling and working, whatever that travel looks like to you. There's a lot that happens in that
time. So it makes sense that
you would be so passionate about, you know, sharing your experiences with people because it's, you know, it can be, a lot can happen.
Marc:
Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's, and no experience is like the next, you know, and my experience of Rome might be different to you, my experience of Costa Rica, what it might be, it will be [00:35:00] completely different to yours. . So we all experience things in different ways based on sort of Yeah.
The way we grew up, the way what we value, all those sorts of things. It's, every experience is completely different. But, but by the same token, even in acknowledging that you still want to sort of share a little bit of that, experience, you know?
Lyd: What would you say your best travel experience is so far?
Marc: Yeah, probably the most influential one in the scheme of things is when I spent three weeks in the Himalayas, uh, a few short years ago. I went there with, um, I went there on my own, met up with a, an amazing mountain guy, cam, who's got his own, uh, started out his own, uh, tracking agency Himalaya.
I look it up. And that sort of three weeks was like, it was quite a. There was a time in my life when I was sort of struggling it's almost a bit of an identity sort of issue in the sense I'd sort of gone into a sort of a corporate-y sort of [00:36:00] world through government and what have you, and it's, it wasn't me.
I wasn't in a great space then. So the Himalayas trip came up at a perfect sort of time, and when I went over there, , and I'll explain at the end, like the whole idea of sort of going away and finding yourself.
I don't believe in any of that for a second, but I'll touch on that. When you go into those sorts of environments for three weeks on your own effectively, you know, where you're sort of being challenged mentally, physically, and those sorts of things, you do get a new appreciation of what's A, what's important, uh, b what you are capable of.
And you gain a sense of clarity. And that's what that sort of journey took me on through. Now, it didn't change my life. I didn't do any of that sort of stuff. And like, but what it did do, and then you can apply this to any sort of travel experience you have, is whenever you go somewhere or do something different for the first time, you're never quite the same when you come out the other side.[00:37:00]
It might just be a change perception. You might have learned something that you hadn't expected. In this sort of case, when you, when I sort of remove myself into such a, like a hostile, tough environment for, for a matter of weeks, it, it, I, I came up with a, with a higher appreciation for a lot of different things in my life and in a way it actually kickstarted the whole sort of travel journey that took place over the next couple of years.
So, So as far as influential that was a particularly big one. On the opposite end, probably, the three months of spent living in Portugal, in spring 2019. That was, uh, that was where I started writing my book. That's where I started, uh, engaging with sort of different people.
Online. That's where I started. Uh, I, I started getting this idea I could actually put something out there that could, uh, that could add value [00:38:00] somewhere the first time as opposed to just my sort of sort of normal day to day. So, and I think when you, when you're parked up somewhere for three months with little other than.
It's little to do other than going to get a book or going to grab a coffee or going to, uh, go walk to the beach. It actually, it actually frees you, frees your whole creative mind up and it actually allows you to, start working and in ways that you, you, you, you potentially don't get when you're at home, when you're, when you're dealing with your responsibilities, when you're dealing with your, with your work and all these sorts of things.
So, so two very different experiences, but both very, very influential in a lot of, in a lot of ways in completely different, different environments too. Which goes to show that I guess there's not a one size fits all when it comes to having a good trial experience.
Lyd: They're great, great choices.
Marc: What, what about you?
Lyd: oh, that's a good [00:39:00] question. Like I was saying when I sort of first, so I sort of really kick started like the digital nomad life properly March, April. And again, I had nothing. I was
very under prepared. Nothing was planned, nothing was researched. I was just like, screw it. I'll just see what happens.
So the beginning of that travel period, I, I think I was still sort of like jumping around, just figuring out, see what happens. And then I got to a really nice sweet spot, where I was in Bali for for like four months and, had explored the majority of it and then found sort of my happy place in atu, which is like south of Bali.
My work wasn't that busy. I had time to really sort of just sit and think about things. It had been a bit of a hectic year rolling up to that point. I was a bit here, there and everywhere, to be honest. And it was [00:40:00] just, and obviously barley's beautiful, it's green, beautiful sea.
And it was just the perfect place to sort of just sit and figure things out a bit and
take a bit of the pressure off.
I was just really, really happy and, in my head,
ATU is my happy place now because again, it wasn't, oh, I've just made a million pounds
through my business.
It wasn't
anything like that. It was just like, I've had a bit of time to reflect, think about everything
that's been happening recently, the big changes that have happened and, you know, I'm okay with it
and I'm just excited to see what happens. And it was just nice to like give yourself a bit of time. That will always be something I remember and go back to. So that's probably my number one. It's just a simple thing. It's not like, oh, well I went to this, you know, amazing place and stayed at this amazing hotel. It was just like, oh, well I had a bit
of time and had a bit of a think[00:41:00]
Marc: yeah. Yeah.
Lyd: how.
Marc: It's funny how it works out I think we overestimate the time, place circumstances type, sort of time we visit somewhere. Now, you obviously needed barley at that point in your life, and I think for me, probably lot of the places I just mentioned, I needed those experiences in my life.
If my mindset had been different in a way, or if yours had been in Bali, you might have had a completely different experience, but you obviously needed that sort of,
you needed that environment at that time and therefore actually worked for you. So the one is lovely, but yeah, my brother got married in Bali, so it's a great
Lyd: Oh, love it, love it. I know I'm already
planning just after Christmas, I'm gonna go back, need my barley fixed. It is really nice to sort of think about those things as well because I think with traveling you, you can constantly be on the go. Even if you are staying in a place for three months, three [00:42:00] months, it just, time goes so quickly, I guess in it.
Whatever you do in life time, just fliess
by and it's important to. Think
about the things and remind yourself about what you have done, where you've been, what you've learned, what you've gone through. Just everything. In whatever you are doing.
Marc: Yeah. Writing's a great medium for doing that too.
Lyd: It's something that I've,
I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to writing and journaling. It's something I've always dipped into. It's the making it a habit, which is my problem because especially with
traveling as well, I would love to have something I can reference back to, like in physical form.
'cause photos are great, but, you know, you,
it's, you're missing a lot of detail around that. So that's something I really want to, and hopes to. Start doing is write, just writing more of my travel
experiences down because it helps you remember it as well,
Marc: It does. It does.
Making [00:43:00] habits is, it is never an easy, like, it's not an easy, it's not something you can do overnight. It's something you need to sort of stick at consistently. And even, even, it's just for five minutes a day, you know? So you can think of all the millions of good habits that are out there that we sort of get encouraged to, whether it's writing or exercise or diets or whatever.
You know, it's everything, everything takes time to build. But once, once it actually becomes part of what you sort of do, it becomes, it just becomes part of your day, part of your routine. And that's, yeah, I'm sort of grateful. I've got a writing habit, it's the writing I do for me, you know, and ultimately I get to sort of share it, but , it's something that's good for my mind.
It's something that's good for my creativity and things like that. So ultimately people will see the end product of it, but the process of actually doing it and actually having that as part of my day every day is, is, is very valuable. It's like any sort of thing. Like I get, get a bit cranky if I don't
write at least something, even if it's just a few weeks.
You know, it's something that's, uh, yeah, it's just part of what I do. So.[00:44:00]
Lyd: Um, so we've spoken a bit about best travel experiences, the experiences that really have stood out to us and sort of still stand out to us. And I find with online when it comes to, you know, being a digital nomad, traveling and working it, It's amazing, but a lot of
the time you, you just read a lot of the good things that come with it. And it can be very like glamorized, and be seen as this amazing thing. And it is amazing. Like it's great. But is there anything
that you can think of from your, your traveling and the negative side to it really?
Have you got a story in mind that pops up when you think, oh, you know, actually, is there anything that makes you question it?
Marc: Yeah, absolutely. You're right, hundred travel is glamorized to like, like, and, and it is. We all see the highlights rules we all see, we all know that's not like that in real life, you know? And it's, there's a, particularly with [00:45:00] sort of tr holiday trail and that sort of thing, you know, there's, there's always bad experiences.
You know, you do get Bali belly, you do get, there are missed flights. You do get lost, you do get ripped off. That's something I sort of try and discuss, you know, because it, because the highlight reels. Generally very, very short. A lot of travel's, actually very mundane and boring.
Even, you know, it's waiting, you are waiting for things. You, you're queuing, you are, you are lost, you know, all these sorts of things. You know, you don't see, hear about those things. You don't see those on the, on the Instagram reels, you know? So it's, I sort of discuss as far as I'm, I'm an optimist, Lydia, I'm, I'm very positive when it comes to, like, I see the Gooden pretty much everywhere, but there have been a, a, like, there have been multiple, sort, a couple to mind when I was 16, when I went to the States.
Remember. Coming down the freeways in la you know, just that busy road, just like in the movies and what have you. So we come across, across [00:46:00] a car accident and it was dead person. And it was, it was, it was horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. And the bus slowed down and goes past, you know, and so, so this was within an hour of arriving and, and la sort of thing.
Another time I was, on the tube in London and I saw this assault in the carriage just probably 15 meters ahead of me. I said I was the only person on the train, and these two people just beat the living Gs outta each other along. I was unconscious and covered and, you know, just absolute. And I was sitting there by myself, like, I hadn't been there long.
I was, I was absolutely terrified and jumped out. I mean, it was Brentford station. I jumped out and I was, I was shaking, , so these sorts of experiences, yeah, you don't hear about those, but it's, it's, it's part of everyday life because I think I, I, I think while we, like, I will always put a positive spin on everywhere.
Even if I don't particularly enjoy somewhere as much, I'll always sort of look back and go, yeah, but [00:47:00] that was cool. You know? And I think that's human instinct, nature. We generally do take the problem. We, we don't like to discuss negatives. We don't like talking about. That's, that's sort of, you start talk about, you talk about the beautiful sunset.
You don't talk about the glass on the beach or the um, or the people that get standing in front of your photos and whatever. It's just human nature to sort of go that way. So, like I said, I, like, I have a positive I'll, I'll never if if people there, there, there, obviously there are places I enjoyed more than others.
But there's also the, the, the ability to change your mind as well once you actually go somewhere to An example I think of here is, is, is France. When I was living in London all those years ago, like I had a job opportunity in France, but basically working for a London company. But I went over to Paris, but it's about six weeks, like two weeks at a time or something like that.
And at the time, I really didn't enjoy it. I didn't enjoy the culture or the people at that time sort of [00:48:00] thing. And it was, yeah, I wasn't disappointing. It was just surprising. But I think it comes back to that expectation type sort of thing. But when I went back, uh, many years later, I have totally the opposite experience to the point I, where France was like, like I was actually quite, didn't really want to go there.
I. But when I went back that second time, it was a totally opposite, opposite experience. And it was like, and I absolutely loved it. So, so I think when we sort of start talking about our sort of bad experiences, you know, it's, it's, it's that time place sort of thing, you know, and there's always a different experience to sort of have.
Uh, there'll always be bad stuff wherever you go, ev e even on your most memorable holiday, Lydia, and I'm sure you can, when you move to Costa Rica three weeks ago, I'm sure there are frustrations there. I'm sure there are frustrations with all sorts. You know, like we've sort of touched on a couple other things earlier, but it's, there's, there's always things that.
Frustrate you? Annoy [00:49:00] you. It could be a million different things, but yeah, it's, it's, I think by, by bias thing, we sort of tend to look at the more positive side. So, so in terms of getting sort of any particularly negative or somewhat, I didn't really like, and that's, that's usually quite hard to sort of get from me.
But, um, but there's definitely, like those experiences I've touched on before were quite pretty terrifying to be honestly is a, uh, to sort of see how close and there have been other things, but I'll always look at the positive things because ultimately everything's a learning.
Lyd: I think it's all, it's all a learning. It sort of depends where you are in this stage of like your travel journey. For instance, like when I started, it didn't help. I had just started. In D B A I was going off on my own. I, I felt like I had all of these pressures when really I was just putting pressure on myself. And then I had sort of this vision of,
oh, what it, what it means to travel by [00:50:00] myself and doing this and doing this. And if anything, I used to be a project manager, so I used to love a plan, and if anything went out
of my plan, I would like freak out.
And when I first started traveling,
Marc: yeah,
Lyd: because when I first started it, none of it was planned, which everything, but when I first started traveling and things
started going out of my original plan, it would really affect me. And I then my mind would just go negative. Like if I was on an island and there was a power cut and I had work to do, it would completely ruin my day. But then
a few months later,
If there was a power cup, that's totally fine. I can just jump on that work tomorrow.
I'll just go in the sea instead.
Like it's, it's sort of, it depends sort of where you are in your journey, where you are in life, I guess, as well.
It's nice how my mindset has changed on that.
Like now I've always sort of seen [00:51:00] myself as a very optimistic person as well, but I think where I was when I started traveling Yeah.
And I loved a plan, I would then go into like a negative mindset, whereas now it's nice to
see how I approach an issue now compared to how I'd approached it then.
Marc: You're a hundred percent right. And as you sort of go through those experiences, you actually learn to, you learn, you learn more about yourself. You learn what for you, you learn to adapt. You learn how you respond. And yeah, it all sort of comes down. It's, it's, it's, it's so easy to sit back and complain and moan and do all those sorts of easy things, you know, but, but a sort of slight mindset shift, which you're forced into.
And I appreciate your situation. You're sort of doing this thing on your own, it's up to you. You know, it's, it's up to you to sort of try and try and make whatever situation work, because ultimately, It's just what it comes down to, you know? And I think every, any sort of traveler who's sort of [00:52:00] been in, , a difficult situation or whatever, you actually realizes and understands that.
There might not be that person to hold your hand to sort of do the other side. You have to actually do that yourself. You have to work on your own sort of toolkit, you know, to actually sort of get you through in one piece without tearing out too much.
Lyd: It's a lot of growth, a lot of learning, which is good. I think that's another reason why I'm so passionate about travel and, and why I'm like, oh, everyone should like solo travel at least once in their life if they can.
And it doesn't have to be like
a really grand, oh, well I'm going away for seven months.
I'm gonna be by myself. It could be having a weekend away in the next town over. It really could be anything. It's just
challenging, challenging yourself a little, putting yourself out of your comfort zone, whatever that is, and just having a bit of time
to yourself. It just makes such
a.
Marc: Solo travel in particular is something, 'cause it's [00:53:00] something I sort of started out doing again, it's sort of come back to that idea. I didn't really look at it like solo travel and I was just going somewhere and it's, it's once I, like, it's such a thing now.
And, it's great. And I'll always be an advocate for sort of solo travel and, and the discovery and all those sorts of learnings that it can actually bring you. But by the other hand, You can get incredible experiences, whether you're traveling with a family or whether you're traveling, whether your partner or, you know, you know what I mean?
They're, they're just different the solo traveling was great, but like, like I mentioned before, you know, it was a completely different experience when I did it with my young family, you know, but, but, and, and no trouble is better than the other. I think I'm just, I'm just a total advocate for sort of actually going out and doing,
Lyd: it. Yeah.
Marc: doing it.
As you mentioned there, it might just be, you don't need to go away and disappear to Bali for the other side of the world or go [00:54:00] to backpack Southeast Asia for six months. That might, it might just be, go to a different town. It might just be to go for a walk in a different park, an hour up the road, whatever starts your.
Your curiosity or feeds you curiosity. 'cause you can actually always sort of build on that. And if your travel journey starts with just the visit to the next town just to do something a little bit different next week, and it might be somewhere else next, next week, it might be somewhere else. And it's, it's, it's, it's a momentum thing as well, you know.
So I think I'll always encourage people to, to to feed their curiosity, you know, at whatever level they're comfortable at because yeah, we're all different. And, uh, like the way you and I were brought up is, is we're encouraged that the world's a big, wide place. Why not go and explore it? But not everyone's like that.
If your exploration or travel journey starts with just next town, then that's, that's totally fine too. So it's whatever, whatever works for you. And I think ultimately there is [00:55:00] a, we're all by nature curious. Uh, it's, it's just finding something that. Maybe pushes it, makes it a little bit uncomfortable or makes you a little bit nervous about something without being too scary, and then that can get the ball
Lyd: definitely. Or just makes you think there's no right or wrong way to travel.
It's just that experience,
Marc: As a growing up here, because the world was such an interesting place, and, and I don't, I'm, I'm certainly not alone here, it's. You sort of ignore your own neighborhood to a point, or it's very easy to ignore your own neighborhood
I've spent dozens of countries before I'd even really explored my own country here, and it actually took Covid to actually change that up. So I've done a lot of domestic travel in the last, yeah, pretty much the last three years. And I've seen most of the country now and it's not, yeah, 95% [00:56:00] of the country, which is great.
It proved that there's sort of more ways there's different ways you can actually just sort of scratch that trouble bug without actually doing anything particularly adventurous
or
Lyd: You mentioned you're based in New Zealand now and through Covid you've been able to explore New Zealand more,, why should someone visit New Zealand? F y I is definitely on my list. You mentioned earlier about bungee jumping.
I really wanna go to New Zealand and do a bungee jump. 'cause my mom, when
she was younger, she did a
Marc: yeah, yeah. Oh, nice.
Lyd: on my.
Marc: With New Zealand, it's a only, a very small place. In terms of your sort of bang for your buck, you got cradle beaches , the mountains as good as anywhere I've sort of seen in the world different, , but in terms of that sort of spectacular sort of landscape, I.
Sort of thing. If you're on Instagram, then that's, yeah. It's just, yeah, new Zealand's the Instagram sort of place, you know, regards to sort of people that come [00:57:00] here, I think it's a really, really good place to come to actually sort of immerse yourself into, into that sort of, uh, natural environment, if that's your thing.
So we do have towns and cities and what have you. And like Auckland, I love gonna Auckland, which is our main city, and it's, it's a very walkable, pretty city, but, , new Zealand's about the outdoors and, we've got a very mild climate here. Somes are generally good. It's a year round destination where you can actually enjoy, nature pretty much all year round.
It gets snowy down south. Nothing that particularly sort of causes any real. Travel difficulties. It's a sort of place where it's very easy to get around. It's, it's a very, drivable.
It's very camp of any type sort of friendly. It's perfect for people who want to explore, people who want to sort of peek around the, explore different roads, different villages, different places, , and it's a very welcoming sort of place too. So I'll always be an adv advocate for this place as much as my curiosity is [00:58:00] live overseas.
I'm very conscious and aware that there's, there's a lot of my own doorstep here that, uh, that people are naturally very curious about. You can thank Hollywood for a lot of that. It's like that, you know, it's, there's no green screen. A lot of the stuff that left around here.
So I think people are naturally curious. It is, it's only got a very small population. It's isolated. Um, it's, yeah. I, I, I know very few people who have sort of had any particularly negative experiences down here. It's something I'll always advocate for and it's, and, and it's cool that people reach out and ask me about things to plan on their own trips here.
Lyd: The photos you just post on Twitter just look, just looks lovely.
I really hope to be visit it next year. Like I just, I've had so many great things about it
Marc: It's, but like anywhere it's, it's, everyone's experience is different and everyone's gonna like, like vast variety people I know sort of loved it, you know? And that's, that's all well and good, you know? Uh, [00:59:00] but ultimately you sort of, if, if you go anywhere, whether it's here or Australia or whatever trouble you sort of do, if you go there with a generally sort of positive, curious mindset, you know, you get, you, you, you're gonna find the good and you're actually gonna enjoy, uh, en, en enjoy a destination a lot more.
Down here it's as, as far as sort of scratching that adventurous itch that a lot of us have. There's fewer places there. There's a few places that actually sort of do that much better.
Lyd: Oh,
Marc: Mm-hmm.
Lyd: I can't wait. Can't wait to go. Where's next on your list?
Marc: Something that's sort of been in development for the last sort of month or two is, uh, returning. I'll, we'll going back to Nepal likely in May next year,
It's gonna be a bit of a thing about it.
Like I sort of won't divulge too much details now, but basically, yeah. It's, it's, it's gonna be a longer along, even like a particularly challenging, I think I'm gonna be up to over there, but like, yeah, I'm just sort of working out a few of the finer [01:00:00] details. But yeah, basically it involves mountains, a lot of, sore knees and out of breath altitude.
So that's next for me. Uh, there are always plans to sort of look further field and do different things. Uh, actually I'm gonna, uh, Australia next
But that's only, yeah, that's only for a few days. But beyond, but beyond that sort of, I don't try and look too far ahead these days.
I'm sort of quite, quite content with sort of having been effectively sort of somebody who has traveled so much. I'm actually like my spot right now. And, but that could change that, that could change in a few months time. There's one, probably an overriding lesson I've sort of lived my life by and sort of learned as I've gone forward is.
I don't try and sort of plan too much. I don't try and say, I'm gonna be here in two or three years time because I'm very, that that plan changes. If you can be open to doing new things open to, open to being in different places, then that's, then that's really good for your mind.
So it [01:01:00] changes that sort of fixed mindset thing, I'm always sort of looking, keeping an open mind about where New Journeys, adventures. Experiences could be. And , that goes beyond travel too. So,
I'll always keep an open mind on things.
I've got a few, creative things. I've sort of working their way in the background too, so, yeah. I'll continue to explore those. I just don't want, I just don't wanna end up being a, a couch, couch, surfer and, into that world of, Netflix. Anytime.
Lyd: Yeah, definitely. I think that's a really good point as well though, is like just being open to things, and not
always having a strict plan in place, because if you're so. External vision on a plan, you are potentially missing out on a lot of other things and closing
yourself off to things, which again is something I have learned from being such a, like a plan ahead kind of gal, to just sort
of where I am now.
Also just going with the flowing and seeing what [01:02:00] happens. 'cause a lot of the time
when you do that, it ends up really well
and in your favor a
lot of the time,
Marc: , I love goals. I love those sorts of visions of sort of wanting to accomplish something, you know, so it's something big where it's creative or with their career. I think, I think it's really, really important, but it's, it's, this is equally important as to sort of keep that sort of wider, wider view as well to, and try not to ignore.
What's happening right now? What's, um, what's what you can do something right now. It's a constant sort of, um, battle. I think we, I think it's all so easy to sort of look forward to things at the expense of things you're sort of doing at the present. I think I, I find like a journaling habit's actually quite good with that.
I find a journaling habit actually sort of keeps you reasonably present, even if, even if, if it's just for that five minutes a day when you sort of do that. But, uh, yeah, but like, yeah, looking forward to next week going. I haven't been to Australia [01:03:00] quite a while, so it'd be good to go there and, uh, actually, actually ironic guess to see a bit of catch up with some, um, travel friends while I'm at it from many years ago.
So it'll be good.
Lyd: That would be great. Catch up
on all, all of the old stories.
Marc: Oh, oh yeah. And I think that's a whole podcast in itself talking about travel friends, it's special to sort of have those people in your life where you can actually sort of talk about things that happened 10 years ago, 20 years ago, you know, that you can actually go back.
The stories always change and get a bit exaggerated, but it's, it's fun and healthy, you know, because I think when we reflect on our positive sort of experiences, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's really, really important because there's so many things in our lives today that actually are stresses effectively.
So every opportunity, whether you can go back and whether it's to speak with a friend or family member, you know, we can actually have a laugh and actually talk about some of these really positive experiences in your life. And then, and then you always come away feeling better for it. So it's a win-win,
Lyd: definitely. Oh, that sounds great.
I'm [01:04:00] excited to, see all the updates from
Nepal as well. Very, very jealous.
Mark, I'm aware I've chewed off your ear for far too long now, so we are on the final question. Can you really have it all?
Can you have a balance of business and pleasure? I.
Marc: You can, you can. And for each person it's gonna be different though. And that's why there's no one size fits all when it comes to saying, this is how you do, this is how your experience can be as equally satisfying as, as the person next to you. You just have to persevere and actually find out what works for you.
Whether it's a creativity project alongside your normal work or whether, whether you are creativity project is, is is the nomad lifestyle. Like you sort of do. You know, there's always gotta be a balance there somewhere. 'cause ultimately it can't all be. Pleasure and it can't all be business. We've all gotta explore what works for us and find our balance [01:05:00] and what works for us, works for us.
Let's find to sort of talk about that, what works for other people. I've found a reasonably decent balance with what I do and, and sometimes that might only be an hour or two of sort of my sort of creative, which is a lot of my pleasure stuff, like I love my sort of outdoors and what have you, but like that it's always different.
We've all got different things going on, so it's something I'm very conscious of as long as I incorporate some of that balance into my daily life. I'm happy. It is something you can do, but you just need to work out what actually works for you and what actually scratches that edge. And if you're struggling to find that, the key, most important thing is to keep trying because there is a balance there somewhere.
And when you do find it, it's a pretty cool way of living as it'll show you appreciate.
Lyd: Amazing. Well, thank you so much for joining, the podcast, Marc. I really appreciate it. I really, really enjoyed this conversation. I feel like I've got a lot out of it and like, I feel like we could, this episode could be [01:06:00] hours long. Um, so thank you so much for joining.
Marc: Really enjoyed it too, Lydia. Yeah. Grateful to, uh, have the opportunity to chat all things, travel and all those sorts of cool experiences, which I think we need to. I think it's a healthy conversation, you know.
Lyd: I'll make sure to include all of your links in the description below. Thank you everybody for listening and we'll see you again soon.