My passion for travel was sparked when I travelled to Australia for three months before going to university. Landing on the other side of the world I was completely taken in by the sense of adventure. Desperate to experience this again, a few years later I spent four months backpacking around Southeast Asia.
The next adventure was six months in South America, a part of the world I immediately fell in love with. I was blown away by the warmth and hospitality of the people, the fascinating history, incredible food and vibrant music. Beyond this I was also astounded by the diverse and dramatic scenery; from the Amazon rainforest to the Uyuni salt flats, it felt like being transported to another world.
A few years later, while living in New Zealand, the penny dropped that I could turn travel into a career and I’ve never looked back since.
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Q&A with Ed
What鈥檚 the best local dish you鈥檝e tasted?
All over Brazil I鈥檇 been told by locals that moqueca was the dish to try and that Bahia in the north is the best place to have it. Moqueca is a beautiful, creamy seafood stew which tends to have coconut milk, onions, peppers, garlic, prawns and fish, although the ingredients can differ slightly depending on where you have it. Upon arriving in Salvador I ordered one at the first restaurant I went to and it was so good I had two more that week. Definitely give it a try if you鈥檙e in Brazil.
What's your most vivid travel moment?
Seeing pink river dolphins in the Bolivian Amazon was a truly awe-inspiring experience. Cruising down the river in a tiny boat surrounded by the sounds of monkeys and birds in the jungle, with capybaras sunning themselves on the river banks, we came across a pod of dolphins and followed them to a spot where the guide insisted it was safe to swim. Choosing to ignore the caimans and piranhas we鈥檇 encountered 20 minutes upstream, I jumped on in. Sadly, I managed to take my phone in too, ruining all photographic evidence, but the memory is still very much there.
Your best piece of travel advice?
Try to learn even just a handful of words or phrases before visiting South America. The hospitality is second to none and local people are often very enthusiastic to show off their country and culture to visitors. English isn鈥檛 spoken by everyone though so it can really enhance your experience in having interactions with locals just to be able to say a few words. Making that effort can go a long way. Of course, that can be easier said than done so failing this, have a phrasebook or Google translate handy.