I was born way down in Invercargill and moved to Dunedin when I was 1 or 2. Mum and Dad loved travelling and were really keen on us seeing the country. We had this 1970s pop-up camper and we'd go away with other families to Central Otago, South Canterbury, Twizel, Naseby, Ruataniwha. Mum would have these Mobil Travel books and wherever we were she'd find the blurb about the place and read it out to us and we'd say "Oh God, Mum, that's so boring". And years later, that was me with the Lonely Planets.
When I was 13, we visited an uncle who lived in Bahrain and I remember going across the causeway to Saudi Arabia, from where I have vivid memories of mosques and morning prayers. As a Kiwi girl I found it a very different culture — all the women being covered and how male-dominated it was. At the time, rather than question it, I found it quite fascinating. But as a Western woman, I'd think harder about it now.
I didn't head out on my OE till I was about 28. On the way we stopped in Thailand for about three weeks. I wore Teva sandals, probably those shorts you zipped off at the knees and a money belt, so to get to my money I had to pull my top up. Carrying a guidebook and a camera, I would've looked so like a tourist while trying not to look one.
Once we found jobs in England we moved to Clapham South and a house with 10 people in it and it was a real comedown, from living in Wellington with a nice flat and good job. It was hard to get the right job in London but once I did I never looked back.
I was very lucky. I could do a lot of travel and keep my job, and I used every moment of my holidays. I'd come back from New Zealand, arrive at Heathrow at 7.30am and be at my desk by nine. I didn't waste time on jetlag.
