Wendy - Australian traveler, a passionate skier and much more

I'm Wendy from Melbourne Australia, but I haven't lived there for more than eleven years now. I love winter sports, languages, travelling, exploring, writing, animals and chocolate of course. I moved to London in February 2000, then moved to the French Alps in 2002, then hopped between Cambridge for summers and the French Alps for winters until moving permanently to France in 2005. I've moved house ten times since then.


1) Tell somethingt about your life before and the reasons why you have become location independent.
By my early twenties, I'd become a city worker who spent more time commuting and working than enjoying life. I needed a change so I decided to move to London for a year to see where my life would live. I had no expectations but lots of hopes for travel, work and a full life. Those needs have kept me away from home for much longer than a year!



2) How did you plan a new life as a location independent?
I did no proper planning. I bought a one-way ticket and tried to fit as much into my suitcase without the airline charging me for excess baggage. My skis came with me. My only friend in London picked me up at the airport (handy with the bulky ski bag and heavy suitcase) and I stayed on her couch until I could find somewhere to live and a job. The rest sorted itself out. It's been much the same on every move since then.


3) What is your job or source of travels funding?
I was a technical author for years which paid well, then I moved to Cambridge and got a second job in a bar so that I could afford to be a ski bum (living in a ski resort without needing to work) each winter in France. Eventually, I stopped going back to Cambridge and stayed in France after finding work as a production editor for a magazine. It funds my travels on a smaller budget than previously, but I get plenty of time to travel. I also do lots of freelance journalism work. My blog www.lefrancophoney.com makes enough money to support itself and to contribute ao tiny bit to my travel costs.

4) Which countries have you been?
Australia, obviously, America, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Lichtenstein, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Vatican City (does that count?), Monaco, Luxembourg, and Denmark. I'm looking forward to Sweden in a few months and there are plans for Africa later in the year.


5) What are the places you have loved more? and why?
There are so many to list. I think my favourite is Rome because of the ruins. When you're learning history at the age of 15 on the other side of the world, the Roman ruins seem like another planet away. To walk along the streets that Mark Antony and Ceasar once walked on was just amazing. Other favourite spots are the massive cliffs in Ireland and the European Alps - both for their enormity, London, England because it's such a huge city and feels like an old home for me, Cambridge, England for its bizarre marriage of hippies, scholars, tourists, nerds and suit-wearers, with entertainment to suit all tastes, and obviously my home town of Melbourne because it holds so many great memories for me and always welcomes me home for visits.

La Balme area of La Clusaz

6) Is there any curiosity or episode occurred during your trips that you want to tell us?
A man stopped me during my first week as a French student in Annecy and produced a bottle of wine and a wine glass from his coat and asked me if my friend and I would like a drink. I declined because I wasn't sure what he'd said (my French was bad, but my friend told me after that I had guessed correctly) - it seemed rude to just presume and take the glass! 


7) Is there any difficulty that you've to face in your travels? how did you get it?
My grandmother died when I was flying back to Australia to be with her before her final breath. Sadly, part of travelling is that the rest of the world does not stop. I had to accept that I wouldn't get to speak to her again when I stepped off the plane. Language can be a huge barrier when travelling, but thankfully it's normally only the 'wants' rather than the 'needs' that miss out: important stuff can be communicated with a bit more effort.


8) Can you tell us what happens when you are going to leave for a trip? (emotions, sensations, but also how you can organize a trip in practical termsand and how you choose a destination)
My destinations tend to choose me - visits to friends who I've met while travelling, who invite me to their country and to stay with them, or some monument that's calling my name to see, or the warm sun or freezing cold snow. Sometimes, I let others choose my travel for me and go along for the ride to experience something I might not otherwise choose. That's how I ended up going to Russia. Emotionally, it's always exciting and never sad (although sometimes tearful when saying goodbye to my mum if I'm leaving Australia). Mostly, I have to make sure I've organised for someone to feed the old-age cat that I've adopted.

Mer de Glace glacier in Chamonix

9) Has the confront between many places and different cultures taught you something in particular?
It's taught me lots about tolerance and wrong assumptions. I've witnessed so many wrong assumptions about myself (the French think I'm English, the English think I'm from New Zealand, the Americans think I'm English, dreadlocks = drug dealer, girl = weak/needs help etc.) that I try to keep an open mind about others.


10) Why do you think someone should decide to become a location independent?
Each person's reason is different. Everyone should base their decision on their true feelings rather than pressure from others to join them or a feeling that people expect them to travel before finding their first job, for example.

Le Grand Bornand and La Clusaz ski areas

11) Do you think that anyone could become a location independent? and what is required to become one?
I don't think it's for everyone. If someone feels no need to travel, they will have all the benefits of not travelling that I sometimes miss (good friends and family always nearby, local knowledge, no language barriers, home comforts that you don't have to sell/give away every time you move countries etc.).


12) Do you want to say anything else to the readers of this blog?
I'm the least organised person I know but I've still managed to get on flights and see so many great things around the world. If you want to do it, you'll find a way of making it happen, no matter what your circumstances are. Enjoy.