Tahiti is one of the favourite destinations of Hyoumankind founder Steph Wyborn. Photo / Getty Images
For Travel - July 11
Tahiti is one of the favourite destinations of Hyoumankind founder Steph Wyborn. Photo / Getty Images
For Travel - July 11
Steph Wyborn, the owner of the Hyoumankind brand, shares some of her favourite travel memories.
What are your strongest memories from the first overseas trip you ever took?
I was 18, with my boyfriend. Excited and naïve, we booked a two-week roadtrip along the Californian coast. I got a (too) cheap deal for accommodation in LA, right beside Disneyland. We arrived and it stank, with filthy, stained carpet. Within five minutes, I’d booked the (then) Disneyland Hotel – more than eight times the price, but we had the time of our lives. Looking back that set a precedent: a love of amazing experiences and unique hotels. Unless the trip’s about exploring, then location and cleanliness do the trick.
What was a standard family holiday like when growing up?
Our family holidays were only taken over Christmas, staying on Mum’s family farm in Taranaki. On the local beach prying mussels off the rocks, helping in the milking and shearing sheds, climbing mountains, hanging out while my uncles and aunties rounded up the sheep . . . It’s the smells I remember, freshly baked scones for the shearers, stinky sheep wool, and crunchie cow pats.
My ex-partner and his family inspired my love for travel. They were so motivated at researching and organising our incredible adventures. I’m so appreciative of being shown the immense joy that comes from exploring the world!
Sleeping under the stars, on a safari in South Africa. As a surprise, the camp hosts led us on quad bikes across the barren salt plains. Then, at dusk, we reached a beautiful dinner table, where hot coals were dug into the ground to keep us warm. Then we slept – among the stillness, the stars, the sounds, the plummeting temperature – and kept toasty with beanies, hot water bottles, and a shot of liquor.
And the worst?
I was still young and naïve. I took a cruise around the Caribbean with my young son, a friend ... and 3000 close neighbours. The food and people en masse put me off buffets forever.
What is your approach to packing for a big trip?
I used to be a shocker, always too much stuff, especially shoes. Now I’m way more organised, I use packing cubes and group outfits and shoes. And, of course, I always take my portable Hyoumankind Go Pillow. There is nothing worse than a bad sleep on a holiday you’ve been looking forward to relaxing on.
What is the destination that most surprised you – good or bad?
The places that have impacted me the most are not just about the aesthetics, it’s the energy and feel - I love space, fresh air, and water. So far wholeheartedly I can say I love Whistler, Tahiti, and the islands off Hawaii. One destination I’d love to go is Formentera Island off Ibiza. The beaches and water are supposed to be out of this world, so that’s on my list.
Steph Wyborn, the owner of the Hyoumankind brand, is a passionate advocate for quality sleep on holiday. Photo / Supplied
What was your most memorable sunrise/sunset?
A sunset viewed from my home, right here in Matakana. It was magnificent and because I’d never seen one like it before here, it blew me away.
What is the first thing you do when you get home from a long trip?
Use my own bathroom - my own shower is bliss. Then straight into the pantry for a handful of potato chips, and a snuggle with my cat, Ruby.
What do you miss most about home when you travel?
I do often think about how easy it is to park directly outside a shop in NZ . . . and I miss my children. But I try to just love where I am, knowing it’ll be all over before I know it. Travel always inspires new ideas, whether from architecture, interior design, quirky products, food. My mind goes wild. I want to bring them all home, then I remind myself to “settle petal”!
Steph Wyborn is the founder and chief executive of Hyoumankind, a New Zealand-made luxury travel pillow brand. hyoumankind.co.nz
