Travel as self care with Amanda Kendle

Amanda Kendle (EDITED)

Tue, Jul 02, 2024 1:45PM • 48:17

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

work, travel, people, years, podcast, good, days, love, job, amanda, talk, retreat, feel, episode, teach, lots, weekend, slow, paid, listen

SPEAKERS

Emma Lovell

Emma Lovell 00:01

Do you want to live a life of freedom and adventure? Are you wanting more than the daily grind? Me too. Welcome to the Emma Lovell show, a place where we talk about living a life you love now, I'm your host, Emma Lovell, and my number one value is freedom. I've spent the last 14 years running a business and traveling the world. And now I take my husband and toddler along for the adventure to it's possible and I know you can create a life doing what you truly love as well. This podcast will inspire, motivate and encourage you to go after your dreams to create a life you love until you get now don't wait for a time and or someday in the future. I'll be sharing episodes weekly about how I harmonize business travel and self care. I'll also bring on incredible guests to share their journeys, wins the challenges and how they're creating a life they love. Let's jump in and get dreaming. This is a space for you to manifest a life you love. I would like to acknowledge and recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of this place now known as Australia. I am grateful for the continuing care of the land waterways and skies where I work live. Listen, learn and play. From here on you can bear country and from wherever you are listening. I pay my respects to the elders past and present. Welcome to today's podcast, I am joined by the incredible Amanda Kendall host of the thoughtful travel podcast and owner of Amanda Kendall consulting. She has been running her social media and blogging consultancy business in Perth since it began by accident when her son was tiny. But she's also a travel addict and has been publishing the thoughtful trap travel podcast for more than eight years. And as a fun fact, she drinks more green tea and take more green tea each day than many people do in their lifetime. Amanda is such a brilliant podcast host and amazing conversationalist and shares my passion for bleisure. And I love this conversation and so many great tips for you in having the pleasure life as well. Or just adding some more different ways to work. Think about what's working differently. That's what Amanda does. She also really loves talking about slow travel. And and I really just think that this episode is about travel as self care. So listen in. Thank you for joining us, Amanda Kendall. Welcome to this podcast. Amanda Kendall.

02:36

Thank you very much. It's exciting. And I'm very keen to chat with you all.

Emma Lovell 02:40

I feel like you're one of my few who's been on or one or maybe one of the only. But maybe there's two who've been on all three of my podcasts.

02:49

I feel very, very, very privileged.

Emma Lovell 02:52

And unlike you, we will get to unlike me, there I've three, you have one podcast, which has many, many, many episodes. Can you tell us about that?

03:02

Indeed, I have been running the thoughtful travel podcast for eight and a bit years now. And I must confess that I'm constantly on the verge of starting an additional podcast. So you watch this space, you never know. But I do love the thoughtful travel podcast. It has been it's kind of like, you know, one of my children. And it has brought me many, many friends many, many opportunities, fabulous conversations, lots of learning. And yeah, I can't see myself ever stopping?

Emma Lovell 03:33

Well, yeah. Because I mean, you're like, you know, without aging you or anything and just in the podcast world, you are a veteran, like 80 years because you like we're podcasting been around eight years, and you must have been early early adopter.

03:48

Well, it's so funny because I thought I was nearly too late to start a podcast back then. I know now it seems really ridiculous because it's still not too late. But, you know, everyone around me was starting podcasts. I started my travel blog. In fact, it's just had its 19th anniversary, which does age me quite a lot. So I had I'd started blogging, you know, that was pretty early on in the days of blogs. And but a lot of those people I got to know through blogging had started podcasting already. And so I thought about that idea for at least two or three years before I actually began the thought will travel podcast. So I kept thinking, Oh, come on, hurry up, hurry up. I'll be too late. But yeah, it wasn't too late and it's fine. And I absolutely love podcasting. It's such a fabulous medium for getting to know people and for putting messages out there that you you know that are important to you. It's

Emma Lovell 04:45

so interesting like hearing your voice because we we talk from time to time anyway just as friends, but we have been on each other's podcast but then hearing your voice I'm just transported to the podcast. strap in and listen, oh, no, no, we're I've got my jumps do

05:06

I know it is a bit weird, isn't it that my voice is like, well, the our voices are known. Last year in Japan, I was in a dining room of seven people, my friend and I, two couples and a woman on her own, in his tiny little place in northern Japan. And we got chatting with a woman who was there on her own. And eventually, you know, we got to like, what do you do kind of thing. And my friend said to this woman of my friend here, Amanda, she's a podcast. And she's like, I thought I recognized your voice. And she was actually a listener. And she must have been a regular listener, because then she said to me, where's your son? So she knew that I have a son who obviously wasn't with me, etc. And I was like, oh, that's kind of scary to think that my voice had become recognizable. So yeah, as

Emma Lovell 05:51

well, right like that. You were like, oh, when you said these, and you're like, Wow, you really listen. And I don't remember saying, like shipping for salutely. Yeah.

05:59

So this stuff to be all the time. They're like, oh, and I know you did blah, blah, blah. I'm like, Oh, how do you know that

Emma Lovell 06:05

you're kind of a Netherlands or a bit of a stranger?

06:07

And I'm like, Oh, I must have been after 300 and whatever episodes and I've said all kinds of things that I really can't remember. So and I'm sure I sometimes repeat myself too sorry. But sometimes

Emma Lovell 06:18

I will. Some stories may be repeated and not everybody listens to every episode.

06:22

That's true. Good justification. No, such a good well,

Emma Lovell 06:26

no, and it sounds weird. But you also assume knowledge. So I never, we should never assume knowledge. And it's like, in case you don't know who I am. That's why we have interests or like it's why No, remember to find me or by the way, this is your first time. You know why I'm talking about this random thing is because you know why refurbish. My husband is Aqua Man. He works at SeaWorld, if you missed the Who am I episode? It is important information. I think it's remarkable. And I your group. I don't think I've ever seen such an engaged, beautiful supportive group. I mean, I've been in lots of groups, but like, I just think there. Yeah. And I listened to an episode about retreat, writing

07:12

retreats. Oh, yes, that's right. Yes. It was specifically Yeah, writing retreats.

Emma Lovell 07:17

You weren't years ago. They're sad. And then in the chat, so I'd listened to the episode went to the group to chat, because that's great. So you can all just share your thoughts about the episode. It's really though, kind of follows the path like that, and the engagement is high, which is great. And this woman posted in there. Oh, well, I'm running a retreat and it was cursed in Pilsen. I went on said retreat. She was writing a book at the time, which I've now read, and she's on this podcast talking about it. And I now run retreats because of that retreat. And you and I, Amanda will run a retreat one day I have vowed amazing

07:50

we must we must but that's the thing I love like the my thoughtful travelers Facebook group is so connecting like that. And there's like dozens of stories of those kinds of ways people have connected and something really cool has come with it. There's probably many more that I just don't know, about

Emma Lovell 08:03

five years ago. I just love that. Yeah, because I listened. And it's always that a certain negative Series of Unfortunate Events here. It's a fortunate and serendipitous events that I have that episode that I happen to go into the group that Kirsten, you know, took the opportunity to post. Yeah, when

08:19

you happen to be available to go like the timing was right. There's so many that happens. So yeah.

Emma Lovell 08:26

It was in Queensland and then so you know, Paul and Enders on an episode about why she can't go on a retreat. I'm like, Hey, Amanda. I'm going on a retreat,

08:33

like wills a little bit jealous. So because caston is amazing. So she's another friend I met through blogging originally, actually. So back in the days when we used to go to the Gold Coast for ProBlogger conferences. I met her there first. And then we caught up again when she was living in Vietnam, because we happen to be nearby. And yeah, just those kinds of connections is just fabulous. I love it

Emma Lovell 08:54

so much. Like I just missed you. Because I reckon I was there. 2016. And Eric and I would have we were either there at the same time. And I didn't get to meet you or provide joy. That was the last year of the big pro blog. And then the year after they did the smaller kind of more workshop II style.

09:11

I wonder, because I didn't always go every year, but I meant went to most so but I'd have to check back the years. I have no idea. But maybe we were even there at the same time. We do.

Emma Lovell 09:20

Just serve a lot of people. Yes,

09:24

that's true. The big ones would be big. Yeah.

Emma Lovell 09:27

Which was amazing. Okay, now, we've sort of jumped ahead did do an intro, but what is your business or job? What's your job? And we're like?

09:40

Yes. So this is a question that a lot of people ask in everyday life, but then I realized they don't really want the answer. But I know you really do want the answer. So it's quite it's a joy to be able to share. So it's very hard to describe, but I have, I guess what's best described these days as a portfolio career where I do lots of different things. So, for example, one of my jobs is that I teach or I lecture at Murdoch University here in Perth, I usually teach social media or podcasting in the post grad program, sometimes an undergrad program. Love that. And the best part is they run like these half semesters. So it's usually like six to eight weeks at a time, intense work, and marketing don't like the marketing part, but love teaching the students, then that's over. So that's one of the things I do. I also, of course, I run my podcast and get to travel with that in between some of these semesters, etc. And it's not the biggest income earner of in fact, it's probably proportionately the smallest income earner. But in the future, I hope it will be more, especially when I've got like more time to travel more. I also teach in various other places. So I teach in a program here called Creative schools, which tends to involve some kind of podcast a thing. So I've been working like just this last term, I've been working with kids at a at a care school. So they've disengaged from mainstream school, they're usually lots of anxiety and mental health stuff. And they come to school just a few times a week for an hour or so. And we've been podcasting together. Like they've been so brave. And I just love that chance to do things like that. And I run workshops for places like the Tourism Council here, which I love, because they send me all around Western Australia, Western Australia is a big empty state, it's very expensive to get to kind of narrow or broom or Esperance. So to be able to do it for work is perfect. And I always then tack on some extra days. So I'll run workshops for a day or two, and then spend some time exploring my beautiful state. So that's a few of the things that I do. I also still write for magazines, and teach for a few other places and also run kind of consulting work. I used to do a lot of that these days, I do less of it. But I'll still do social media strategy, etc, for small business for government organizations, for whoever asks, really. So I think that's about all I do. That's my job.

Emma Lovell 12:05

I love it. And you know, I've had on this podcast before Valerie to and instead of a book about being microcredentials. So having all these different credit, like little things that then can lead into a career, or like recognizing that Oh, wow, yeah, like I'm skilled in this, like, I'm skilled in this. And I'm skilled in that. And those two things can go together, which is essentially where I got to be with the bleisure. Coach is that it was like, Oh, these are the two things I'm very good at. And actually that could have been offering, as opposed to having them so long separated. And I think in my book, there's an income chapter. And I think your income history could probably give my income history a run for its money in terms of like, how do you make your money or like, well, well, I used some words.

12:56

I used to publish every I haven't done it for few years, I think but but I used to publish every year on my on my business blog, a pie chart of the various income sources, because people and people still ask me about if they say you're gonna do your pie chart, because people are astounded, you know, the average person has one job, and they get paid every fortnight or whatever. And they're kind of astounded by the people like us who get all these different sources of income from all these different kinds of things. And I think not everyone wants to do it. But for me, it is the absolute best way, I'm always interested in what I get to do, I get all kinds of cool opportunities. Sometimes the calendar is a bit of a juggle, but then I usually take like December, January off, and in school holidays, I usually don't work much. So I get more kind of annual leave than I would in a real real job. So

Emma Lovell 13:44

like you're managing various stakeholders, right? Your stakeholders or clients. Even within a job, you don't just report generally, somebody will might didn't always just report to one person, you have to work with a number of different people. So just looking at it just same thing, you're on projects you don't just work on, like even if you're working on one project, there's multiple parts to that project. So we all have to have multiple different pieces within our work or skill sets within our work hours to separate it and sometimes it's not so you can really turn them off you go, I can tap off on this on the uni stuff and that's put to bed. And now I'm turning the tap on for the articles. I mean, just this weekend, I've been doing mystery shopping. So I've been out tending to do things but I just made money and then yesterday I had $117 Or like landing my PayPal, and it's my affiliate commission. So from referring something, so it's like, that's money or selling crap around your house. That's money like we just think about it like that, like oh, somebody I do this thing I can get money as Oh, I've got to do another job.

14:52

Yeah, yeah. Like, you know, when they get well exactly when I had to refinance as a single homeowner So, as a single parent, self employed banks hated me when I needed to get my mortgage just in my name, right. But I could never understand this, if I was a bank, I would think completely differently. Because as a self employed person with multiple income streams over the years, I have, like, you know, something like I used to teach in a university summer program, summer school program for years, used to get, you know, big chunk of income from it, suddenly it closed. But that was fine, because then I could just approach someone else or I found, you know, pumped up some work, like you say, turn the tap higher on something else, like, where I always managed to get the income, it just wasn't always from the same place. And I think I'm a much better bet to be able to pay my mortgage than a person who has just one job, which they could lose at any time, for whatever reason, you know, often beyond their control. So yeah, exactly. Where is he at? I just kind of, I pivoted with lots of things I'll do with COVID. And I still managed to like, that was still fine. Because, like, we have that ability to be very flexible, and to have diverse income streams, which just, to me, seems safer as well. So things

Emma Lovell 16:07

are just way more fun thing. Yeah, I think so too. But you've also got some things that are, you know, and I took a long time to recognize it's a good thing is that you've got something that's more solid, and so that it is more like, if you will guaranteed Yes, the client work can be quite fluctuating. Or you're like, Oh, I gotta try and scramble these things. But it's like, you know, doing a contract, you know, say or, you know, yes, having this, you know, yes, twice a month I write for this publication, like, you can have the study thing. And so then, that's just saying to people, like, if you like having that one job, that's fine. But then if you don't have enough money, then think like, Amanda and I do, and there are you would have skill sets that you can apply in other places, or, like my husband campaign offense, because you might need some help laboring or perfect, you know, like, there's

16:52

so much ways Yeah, that, especially

Emma Lovell 16:56

for people like us, you love travel. They're like, Well, how am I gonna pay for that trip to Japan? You know, and it's not gotta hustle. It's, where's another revenue stream? Or what? Which tap to return on to get that Japan money? Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So how long have you been working this way? Oh,

17:14

so the last time I applied for a job was last century. So. But in the early 2000s, I did a lot of ESL teaching, teaching English as a as an additional language around the world. So I didn't apply for those jobs, either. They just appeared. But so I was doing that. But those are kind of those kinds of jobs where you get allocated, you know, classes at certain times. And then I was like, freelance writing around that. So I guess that's where it began. And then, when my son was born, yeah, 14 ish years ago. By then I knew I wanted to be really fully self employed. My mum was self employed. She was a real estate agent and work from home. And I wanted that for my child, because that flexibility meant that yes, she worked a lot on weekends. And we went in to see lots of the insides of many, many houses across Perth. But she was there when I got home from school, often with the freshly baked bread, and I never really did that. I must confess. Sorry, to my son. But

Emma Lovell 18:20

you took into Yeah, like Europe. So I think he's, yeah, yeah. No,

18:24

he's, he's not complaining. But yeah. So So since then, I was determined already by then to make sure I was self employed. So 15 years properly. But really, more than that.

Emma Lovell 18:36

Yeah, it's being recorded in 2024. So you haven't applied for a job for 25 years? Yeah.

18:42

He sent me his CV the other day to look at it. And I was like, looks good to me. But I have no idea. Like, what you what you should do these days. So sorry.

Emma Lovell 18:52

Yeah. And yeah, when people asked me, I didn't know what it was I doing something they asked for CV and I'm like, Oh, I can just one off from 2018. I think

19:01

I do have like because sometimes for projects and stuff that I apply for I do need to have a CV but it's a pretty

Emma Lovell 19:06

short one writing back guy, like, come on.

19:08

I mean, like, I just like contracts. I understand they have to put it in but I don't think it's the kind of CV that would like actually pass through recruiting agencies Well, or something. I don't know. It's just very factual and very brief. That's all they need. For those circumstances. It's not a sell myself. It's just to prove the experience kind of CV so I can live with that. Yeah.

Emma Lovell 19:28

I think it's safe to say you'd love to travel. And you do try to do it as much as you can. But why? Oh,

19:35

so how long have you got Emma?

Emma Lovell 19:40

I'm going to be brief.

19:43

Okay, so the main reasons I love travel is for the connections the people that I've met through travel and the people that I meet, whether I only speak to them briefly, you know, five minute conversations when when I'm there or they become lifelong for ends. I love knowing how other people live. And learning from that contrasting it with my own experiences. I'm also just insatiably curious, and love to know, you know, what's different? And what's, what's the same. I've also always found travel to be really good. For me, personally, it's really good for my mental health. It's really good for resetting life. It's, yeah, for so many reasons, just it's the personal benefits of it. That's very selfish side, though. But also, I really love the opportunity to travel and do good. It's a really tricky thing to do to do. Well, that's something that we talk about a lot on the thoughtful travel podcast. But I like to try and have a positive impact when I travel and the challenge of trying to do that excites me. And I don't know, I just like getting away from home. And, you know, immersing myself in, in the wonderful and the new and, yeah, I don't know, there's 1000 reasons that I did have, like

Emma Lovell 21:08

you said before, it's selfish. And someone redefined selfish the other day, and I thought was very good. But it was like a course. So you think about yourself, and when I asked you why do you love it? Of course, it's love it. You did ask me. Everyone has their own reasons. I love your reasons. And I feel like I in some ways, I, you know, listen to the thoughtful travel podcast, and I love it. And I love you know, I think you do tend to lean towards slow travel. But you know, like, I feel like I'm the antithesis to that. of every country in the world. But I'm like, but for now, like I'm done. I'm not saying that's my only way of traveling. And even when I'm taking it like yeah, to have more time, I'd love to go there for more time. And I definitely have with a child, you're forced to learn how to do slow travel salutely Yes. A fondness in the in the, you know, my mission is, well, I wanted to tie it to mental health, and I think ultimately is tied to mental health in that it's my mental health, my way of mental health. But, you know, it's also that, like, it's a taste test. But we don't want to go back and we would spend a lot more time and yeah, and it's for a time. So that's my justification for it. It's a time and it's not the only way to travel. Yeah. And there are times because we were even when I went to India this time of like, 10 days, that's so short. And I'm like,

22:28

nice. Like, I

Emma Lovell 22:29

don't know, 10 days is I feel like that's kind of a I don't know, I feel like that's a standard trip. And it's like sometimes, all you have is 10 days. So I don't think I mean, this is Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you have to have three to four weeks to travel. I don't think that's sustainable. So like, well, what can we do in 10 days? And not that I obviously didn't try and say the whole country? I've I've seen a lot of it. It wasn't that and even Yeah, but I don't know, everyone's definition. That's, you know, we worked for me, it was a slow trip, we were in Delhi. And then we went to Safari to like you packed in a lot. And I was like, Oh, we would we just were in Delhi like, I don't know, like, because like it's other people's trip is sitting in a hammock, you know, so yeah,

23:11

I'm not very good at that. I, I have tried a couple of times to have like that, I guess I would call it a vacation like, relaxing

Emma Lovell 23:20

your nose did.

23:24

Just not very good at it. I mean, like for half a day or so. Like, oh, you know, I love nothing more than sitting by a pool with a cocktail. But like, there's a limit to how many times I wanted to when there's like this whole world out there. And it's not that I want to rush around, I might just want to stroll the streets. But sitting by unless I'm sitting by the pool with a cocktail and some really interesting cool people that I've just met, then that, you know, lifts that to another level. So

Emma Lovell 23:51

yeah, look, and I think I'm probably we probably need to define slow travel because I'm the same like, and I've built a road from my own back. And after this episode, after I record with you, I'm gonna record a solo, talking about my reflections of India and what went well, and what did not. But it was a main road from my own back by saying the switching off. But the reality is, I don't, I don't know, switching off the teeth for a few days. And when we were in the Safari, like when we were in the jeep. So present, like you have to be you have to and I love that forced that and then we were in the safari camp and we had a dongle but we had a download and upload limit. So it was like Well, I'm really just gonna get on do the things we're going to do and then turn it off. And I really did disconnect and switch off and enjoy being so present there. You know, in Delhi when I'm I had to be on WhatsApp to be able to talk to our driver to be able to make an arrangement with our friends. And unfortunately, then I still could see other messages coming in. And so even when I wanted to, and it was like Matt could switch off but I had to talk to the driver. I had to make a plan for getting out of the hotel. So well. Maybe Didn't like we spent the whole day but but we wanted to see our friends. So you know what I mean? Like, and then also just having a kid like it was like, well, you're gonna get the gym, and then I'll go to the gym and then, you know, he's like, Whoa, that might be the relaxing with our massages in our pool like the time heals up. Yeah, yeah, but I do love what you said then I think yes, slow travel, like just standing at the front with Finn actually, as an activity watching the cars go by and watch Exactly. Interesting vehicles that are very different to home and bus, car and motorbike talk to you know, like to

25:36

Oh yeah, when my son was probably Finn's age, we have many, many photographs from around the world of standing watching rubbish trucks working, because they're very different around the world. And I immediately am immediately transported to a spot in Penang where we watched a recycling truck for I don't know how long and in Vienna I was trying to take him to the Stephens dorm, you know, beautiful cathedral in the center came out of the underground, up the stairs, he saw a rubbish truck in the opposite direction, we spent half an hour following it down little alleys of Vienna. And it was fabulous. And the guys realized we were following and kept waving and they were great. And it was like he never saw Stephens dorm. And he probably doesn't care. And one day he'll see it. You know, it's really not important to me. It's a beautiful building. But there are wander through the alleyways was probably much more real Vienna and, and I remember it to this day, whereas if we just gone to the cathedral, I probably wouldn't remember. So. Yeah, I love it. I love it.

Emma Lovell 26:30

That's the definition of slow travel for you or for your audience.

26:34

Yeah. So I mean, I think every, what I always try and do with my when I talk about these sort of things is to get everyone to frame traveling slower as an experiment. So it'll be different for everyone. And because everyone's circumstances are different. Some people like might be retired, and they have all the time in the world. And some people like might be Americans with like one week of holiday pay per year, paid holidays per year and stuff like that. So I think it's more about the mindset and the frame of mind. So I think slow travel means you don't change hotels every night, that you try and stay as long as possible. Like on my recent trip to the UK, I think our shortest we had maybe two nights in some places, but usually more. And the next place was only like an hour or two hours drive away. We weren't spending all day traveling. So that's part of slow travel. Part of it is not planning too much. I just had this discussion this morning in my thoughtful travels, Facebook groups, some things now we just have to plan. Like if you want to go to a museum that's popular, or a restaurant, etc. Unfortunately, these days, you often have to book or you can't get in. So if there's loads things that are important to you, then definitely booking but they're not booking other things around it like not jam packing your schedule, because you want to have time to literally wander down the street, or, I mean, I remember when we were staying in Copenhagen in Denmark, we were obsessed with cinnamon buns, because they're very good. And I wanted time every day to try one in a different place, you know, because I wanted to decide which ones are the best and just having that time to be spontaneous. And to see what else crops up on, you're wondering or you're chatting to someone and they recommend a place and then you've got time to do that. And so that I think just not over planning and not moving too quickly. And also, I know this is really hard, but trying to ditch the FOMO. So a lot of people are like, Oh, but if I don't plan everything I might miss out on this, this most amazing restaurant. But like, also, if you don't plan everything, you might meet a little local person somewhere that tells you about a little restaurant that know that you would never have found in your research because it's not on the tourist track. And you'll go there and have a much better meal and experience and like, you know, whatever, I always go in with the thinking that whatever presents itself to me is the right thing. And that's the way I'm meant to experience this trip. And it will be wonderful. I mean, I'm a pretty optimistic person, I find every experience on travel pretty fun. We were quite sick on our last trip. But we were in this like beautiful little hotel in northern Wales, overlooking this amazing river and bridge. And I was like, this is a great place to be sick, because now I can just sit in bed all day and watch this. And it's so beautiful. And I'm so lucky, you know. So

Emma Lovell 29:18

even when exactly, it was brilliant, I read a fabulous

29:21

book and it was just great. So, but I know like the FOMO thing, especially that social media kind of crams at us as well, like, all slams into our brains, like you've got to see this you'll miss out. But actually you won't miss out. Like just find the things that are really of interest to you. Like don't go to every museum on the list. If you don't like museums, or you know, just find what is something you love and don't worry about all the rest. So sorry, I could go on a rant for about an hour.

Emma Lovell 29:45

I think Stop, stop like putting that on to other people to like, Is it nothing worse and you go somewhere and they go, did you see this? And you're like No, and they're like, Oh, how could you miss it and you're like, Well, I don't know I missed I don't know what I missed because I do didn't

30:00

see it. Yeah. And I had a fabulous trip going to A, B, and C. And they didn't ask

Emma Lovell 30:04

me what I did do. And what I did do is sit in my friend's lounge room and talk to them and have proper actual tea from a local, you know, or I don't know, I did go back to the same cafe with my husband and fan. And I didn't try new restaurant because the doses were the best I've ever tried. And I tried it again, like, actually,

30:24

that reminds me many years ago, on my podcast, a guy I spoke to gave a good definition of slow travel. And he said, slow travel is when the person at the cafe nearest where you're staying knows your order, when you're walking. And I thought, Oh, that's nice. So you know, you've got to be there for like, you know, four or five days before they're going to know. Oh, well, I recognize you and I know what you want. So yeah, it's

Emma Lovell 30:45

so good. Yeah. And it was really funny being telling people this trip, especially Even Indians that I was in Delhi for five days. I'm like, Why? Because I don't do a film daily. And I was like, you like it? And they were like, Why? Like, why aren't you doing here? I was like, because I've done I have done that. And actually, it was a friend reminding me that I'm always coming to such a short time. And always, she's like, and I and I said, I used to come for a little time and do that. And then it was like the reminder of like, oh, yeah, why not doing what I love in the country that I love. Just because I've done it before. And actually, it's okay to do it again. In our hotel, we're all these like monuments of Delhi. And I was like I said to my colleague, I've been to like, who we he runs a travel company. I was like, may I've been to like four of them got into Delphi. I haven't seen some of the major sites, because I'm being with the people are and that's what you remember

31:37

more than going to shopping or

Emma Lovell 31:40

eating or being in the five star hotel that you've paid for, and enjoying the actual facilities of the place, as opposed to staying in this beautiful place, and then constantly going out? Exactly, yeah. So I have it in my own way. I sort of yeah, there's still no,

31:56

no, yeah, that's what I mean that slow travel is a mindset, it doesn't mean that you have to spend four weeks in one place. But if you're approaching it with that ticking, so

Emma Lovell 32:05

yeah. And like to have a night because sometimes, sometimes you do have that thing where you know, it's a night here at night there and absolutely ideal, but it's like this

32:15

is but as long as your approach is that generally that's not what you do when you Yeah, then I think that's absolutely fine.

Emma Lovell 32:21

So it's really kind to honor the Americans as well, like, is it? Because

32:25

they do have? Yeah, I do. Yeah,

Emma Lovell 32:29

to kind of do a tour and pack it in. I mean, they could make the choice not to but if they really taught me is they've only got 10 weeks. Imagine? No Americans. Hi lovely. I want to open the doors to incredible opportunities for you. On an all inclusive luxury retreat exclusively for people who are ready to live a life they love. I invite you to join me for five inspiring nights in sensational Sri Lanka for the rest and receive retreat, hosted from second to seventh of November 2024. by yours truly, Emma Lovell, I asked you to disconnect your senses and immersed in this exotic culture while you reconnect with yourself. You get to share this luxurious experience with 12 incredible people, while forming connections that last a lifetime. I really cannot undersell or overestimate this incredible retreat and the magic of going to a place to give yourself space and time. I want to share it with you. And if you are interested, then please head to my website. Emma lovell.au/srilanka Retreat. I'd love to see you there. And I'm happy to chat. If you have any questions whatsoever, please take this opportunity to come along and join me in stunning Sri Lanka. Okay, what would be your advice to someone who is looking to include more traveling their work and life?

34:03

Oh, good question. Obviously, if you are able to combine them in any way, then that's the best way. So for example, for me, when I was first approached by the Tourism Council here to run workshops with them, I was like, Oh, yes, that's perfect. And like it actually like from a pure business proposition. It's not a like a get paid for one day of work. But I'll usually spend three or four days away. So someone who is only focused on the money aspect. You know, it's not a great deal. But for me, it's like, Oh, I'm getting you know, I'm getting flown up to Broome or an hour and the value for me is immense. So and they know now not to book my flights without asking me because normal people would just book you know, the closest flight in before the workshop start the first one out, but they're like, What would you like to do? You know, they know I'll extend as much as I can, etc. So Oh, that kind of thing for a start, I think, you know, take advantage of anything like that. So that you can see more of a place, I just, I love those strips in immensely. So, you know, you might be in a position where you can incorporate travel into your work. And I think that is one way to do it. And otherwise, I think, oh, gosh, I don't know, it's so easy for me to say, just make sure you've got plenty of time because I can arrange my working year, so that I do have plenty of time. And I can take chunks off and go traveling. But there are ways to I mean, even like 20 something, what 25 Oh, my gosh, 30 years ago, when I did my honours thesis, it was about working time arrangements, for example, like the four fifths arrangement, which is common in education systems where you can get paid at 80% of your wage for five years, and you only work for four years, and then you get a year off. So you're still getting paid at the 8% rate all the way. So especially when you take into account tax, it works out pretty well. If you can live it 80% of your wage instead of salary instead of 100%. And you get a whole year to do whatever you like and go traveling. You know, that's amazing. There's all sorts of things you can do like that, even if you have a quote unquote, real job to be a bit more flexible. Yeah, people don't want to do it, you can do it. Just prioritize it. So ask the question. The other thing is, I have a small house and an old car, and I don't care. Like yeah, I don't want to have I don't need to have the latest, latest things like that, I don't need a bigger house, I would rather have that money ready to travel. So that's the other part of it.

Emma Lovell 36:33

I think sometimes as well like, though, you know, again, might be the antithesis to slow travel, but not necessarily that like my husband thinks like, sometimes it will be like a ski trip. He's like, we don't have time, like a weekend is not long enough. And I was like, but the snow is so immersive. And just I feel like even if you drive an hour and a half away, it's so immersive. It's so you are transported that you feel like you've been away for weeks? Absolutely. Yeah, you know, to, you know, with our fitness the way it is two days of skiing is enough enough to leave on the Friday, but like work a little bit early. Yes, we're gonna fly them we get in late at night. Like, it's not, it's not a restful weekend. But it's definitely a great experience that, you know, it's like a good tired, like, it's a physical illness and you're

37:22

like mentally refreshed and energized when I lived in Europe, and you could take a train somewhere easily for a weekend, you know, and it might be like that it might be six or seven hours on the train. But you then you've got two nights, or maybe you can, you know, swing three nights and you're in a brand new city, and especially when you're in Europe, or brand new country, usually and different language and food and like two or three nights of that is, you know, does feel amazing, especially if you can, like just hop a train there and back. It's you know, like, there are lots of possibilities, obviously from Perth, it's a bit harder. But

Emma Lovell 37:50

yeah, that kind of half the weekend is a lot but you but you know, I don't also think if I was going for a function or wedding, it'd be like, I'm gonna go for the weekend. And then if I get to do one extra thing, how lovely. They get to see that Perth sunset, happy days, you know, like, if it's, you know, adding like, it's like, look at the pros, not at the Oh, but I only have two days or three days. So I can't do all of these things. But what can you do? And you can certainly feel at least get that energized. refreshness. So yeah, I love that. Do you think, you know that I talked about the combination of business and leisure, which is bleisure. So which I think you do so well. Do you think it's possible and sustainable?

38:37

On a personal level? Or? Ah, yes, absolutely.

Emma Lovell 38:44

I mean, maybe for the audience as

38:45

well. Yeah. So I mean, I think there's so many more possibilities these days. And I know, you know, there's also people who have the ability to do some work remotely, and you know, get their boss to approve so then they can be working and traveling as they go. I've got a friend who does that out of Canada and at least two months a year she'll be working but in a new place. Which I think is you know, one example of that. I mean, I just I think all of it comes down to being flexible, open minded. Asking things trying things and I don't know I think just not being not being worried about being normal. Like you know, there's there's so many ways and you know, COVID showed us that normal doesn't have to be normal anymore. And I think yeah, just being open to be different and there's so many different ways we can do it. So yeah, I think totally sustainable. Love it.

Emma Lovell 39:42

Amanda and I need time limits and boundaries because otherwise we will talk forever because we have tried so hard to be successful doing so good. You're so good. I keep interjecting and waffling and have asked at least 17 questions instead of the ones plant so true. Any questions left?

40:00

Okay. All right.

Emma Lovell 40:01

How do you make time for self care or find some balance in your schedule?

40:08

So one thing is I think I don't need. I mean, yes, it's important. But I think because I do work that I really love, I have a lot less need for self care time, in a sense. I mean, I'm not, like stressed and strung out and like, exhausted by my work, because it really energizes me. So I think that's one part of it. If I kind of think back to decades ago, when I had a real job, then I would feel like by the weekend, I would feel like shattered, whereas the weekend is just like, fine. And then Monday is exciting, because I'll focus more on work like, so that's part of it. But also, yeah, like, the balance is really important because of working kind of unusual hours, then, at first, I was not good at this. But now I'm like, I don't care at all. And if my like, if my Tuesday happens to be all free, then I will go and do something fun, I'll arrange to meet a friend, I'll go to the movies, love going to the movies, by myself, especially like on a weekday morning, there's hardly anyone there. So at first, I would feel kind of guilty for that. And I would just try and you know, if it's Monday to Friday, nine to five, I shouldn't be working. But now I you know, I know that I might work or one Saturday running a workshop or whatever. So I just if the calendar is free, I'll block it out, you know, and go and do something fun for me. So I think that kind of prioritizing self care and time that's not work is important as well. Well,

Emma Lovell 41:29

and you said travel is self care for you. So yeah, absolutely. doing that. And so, yeah, I feel like you've found that way, which is lovely. And yeah, as you said, it's not the switch off. Like that was the other thing that I found. It's like, accepting that I really don't, I don't want whole days at a time to lay by the pool, that an hour or so top up is great. And that there are days where you want to completely veg but it's like, of course, I'm in this interesting place. Of course, I'm going to be doing things and I shouldn't be hard on myself. Or if it feels good to answer some emails so that I then do it or if I feel inspired, and I want to create some reels or whatever. Don't be like, Oh, but I said I'd switch off back. It's just I think that's just an arbitrary rule. Yeah, it's having boundaries, but then having understanding where like, yeah, you know, don't make rules for yourself that then become restrictive. Exactly. Yes. Speaking to myself. What is your dream destination to work in? Oh, um,

42:35

I don't think I have like a single dream destination to work in. But I mean, well, I mean, I really love Japan, and I would love to spend. I've worked in Japan for two years as a teacher, I've been back a few times since. And when I was last there, I was up in in Tokyo, so a few hours north of Tokyo. And there's lots of really lovely little towns or small cities there that just had a nice feel. And I would love to spend some more time. You know, working out of this, I even like was looking in the windows at the English language schools. They're thinking, Oh, it might be fun to come here and teach again. So yeah, I mean, there's no one I would go anywhere, really. But that's something that springs to mind.

Emma Lovell 43:20

I love it. Yeah. Well, the catch on that one. And what's tricky, everyone is the work in his dream destination to go dream. Oh, do I want to work? Yeah,

43:28

well, I would work anywhere. So it's totally fine. I could work anywhere. So it's kind of easy. But yeah, Japan, the people, the food, the history, the culture, like it was this, I like this. I think I could go back every year for the rest of my life, and still find so many new things. So that's, I think, why that's a destination that I like

Emma Lovell 43:48

the type of work as well and that you've sort of gone. It's like, obviously, you and I can work from anywhere. So it's like, Well, I do work from anywhere. And I have worked for many places. But like the type of work see like, because of where you want to go, you started thinking oh, I could teach again. Or like for me, it's like, I want to work on Kilimanjaro. I tried to Kilimanjaro but I want to do the tour managing I want to do the work. Awesome. Yeah. Or, but like when I think at the dream destination. I'm like, it's like speaking in New York. Oh, fabulous. Getting to do a presentation in New York or in New York, you know, so that it's like, I'm putting my speaking hat on, like, what would be the stage that I want to speak on? Yeah, that stage or like speaking on a cruise ship or the editor? You know, so yeah, the work predicted hate the type of destination as well.

44:35

Yes. Very true.

Emma Lovell 44:36

Anyway. Question. What's your dream? I'll do one of your style episodes with a little everybody's little lots of Yes.

44:45

Yeah. I know. It's a lot more work, but it's the

Emma Lovell 44:49

final question. What does living a life you love look like now.

44:57

Now? It looks like I'm having a really interesting variety of work and time to travel. And that's about it. And that's exactly what I'm doing really. So

Emma Lovell 45:12

please see previous answers. Yeah,

45:15

the only the only difference would be so at the moment, I have a kid who's a teenager in high school, and obviously, in like a surprisingly short amount of time, he'll be out of high school. And then those kinds of restrictions of term times and holiday times and stuff will be gone. And so then I will change things a bit. But yeah, but other than that, I don't resent not being like that. Now. That's just a phase of life. You know, that's totally fine.

Emma Lovell 45:41

And you know, you guys just did an amazing trip. And I must say, like, seeing you, Amanda, and I look to people like you and I looked at other people who have children and have made it work, because there is sort of a narrative that is, you can't travel when you have kids. And even you can Oh, now he's in school, like, Oh, what are you gonna do when he's in school? And I'm like, I don't know. Like, there's like 13 weeks of holidays. I feel like that's a lot a lot more than the Americans get exactly 13 weeks if I can't manage to get traveling that and like, what do you like, but school holidays are expensive. I was like, stop giving me suggestions. Yeah, we'll find you. I will give you an answer. They and brilliance will be because I can. Oh, I will. And yeah, I'll probably come back. A bit more expensive. Oh, yeah. We're a bit more restricted on time, but I don't know, breeds to plan it. And then I got 13 years to figure it out. And I will always just be like, what, what's Amanda doing? Please, just ask your role modeling, and I love it. And during COVID listening to those episodes, seeing your community like it's really inspiring, and you really do help people to look at travel a different way more thoughtfully, more consciously. Need, you're just doing it in a

46:58

loving way. Thank you. Well, that's lots of fun. I love doing it. So I will continue.

Emma Lovell 47:02

How can we find you? How can we connect with you? So the thoughtful

47:05

travel podcast is on all the podcast apps. And yes, if you're interested in joining our group on Facebook, just look for thoughtful travelers. And otherwise, all my other stuff is at not a ballerina.com and my business stuff at Amanda kendall.com.

Emma Lovell 47:22

I love it. Thank you, Amanda. I've no doubt you'll be back.

47:28

Yes, lovely. Thanks.

Emma Lovell 47:32

Thank you for listening. Lovely one. I hope this has inspired you to dream big and start creating a life you love today. If you love what you're hearing, don't forget to follow and rate on Spotify and rate review and subscribe on iTunes. It helps other awesome people to find this podcast and get motivated and inspired as well. Want to stay connected. Come and join the live a life you love group on Facebook, or connect with me on Instagram. Emma lovell.au, the same as my website. But all the details are in the show notes. Lovely. I'll see you next episode for more inspiration, motivation and freedom seeking Now go out there and live a life you love