World Travellers: Steph from Big World Small Pockets

The latest in my World Travellers series is Steph from Big World Small Pockets. I was quite intrigued to have Steph in the series, as not only did Steph feature my story on her site, but she also hails from Jersey, one of the gorgeous Channel Islands and a place I visited many times while working on Condor Ferries on crazy days that also saw me backpack through Herm, Guernsey and Sark, as well as some nights on the rip in St. Helier, Jersey. Anyway, it’s over to you Steph.

Who are you? Hi there I’m Steph, 32 and still a budget travel addict. I backpack the world on a shoestring sharing my tips and tricks to help others do the same.

Where are you from? I’m originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, but am currently based in Australia

Where have you been? I’ve mostly travelled in Europe, Southern Africa, Central and South America, Australia and New Zealand.

Where are you now? I’m currently in Perth, Western Australia, but heading Eastern Africa in 2 weeks! I’m so excited!

What are the top 3 places you’ve visited? 1. Little Corn Island, Nicaragua 2. Chefchouen, Morocco 3. Fremantle, Western Australia

What is the best travel experience you’ve had? Trekking through the National Parks of New Zealand has to be one of the most breakthtaking experiences I’ve had. Especially the Queen Charlotte Track  – wow!

What is the worst travel experience you’ve had? That was probably sailing from Mozambique to Madagascar in a catamaran! It sounds idyllic, but when a storm hit and we realised how woefully unprepared the captain was, it was pretty scary!

What is the funniest travel experience you’ve had? Partying in Paris was definitely a lot of fun, especially when it was with my best friend who I hadn’t seen for 2 years!

What is the scariest travel experience you’ve had? Breaking down in Australia’s remote Arnhem Land without a satellite phone and / or a UHF radio was not that fun! Luckily we had enough food and water to last us a few days so the rescue waiting wasn’t that bad!

What is the most random job you have had on your travels?
Oh my goodness, where to begin?! Possibly running a hire car company on Magnetic Island, Queensland.

How do you fund your travels?
Working! No seriously I do a lot of hospitality work – cafes, restaurants, bars – a lot of hotel work – reception, concierge – and a lot of blogging!

What 3 tips would you give a new traveller before they set off on their adventure? 1. Pack light – you can buy most things you’ll need when you’re away 2. Buy insurance – it’s not worth the risk skipping the insurance 3. Be open to new experiences – you never know in which direction life is going to take you.

What are your future travel plans? In 2 weeks I’m heading back to Africa for a long trip through the Southern and Eastern parts of the continent. Very excited about trekking with the Gorillas and exploring Ethiopia among other places!

Stephanie Parker is a travel addict and creator of the budget travel blog Big World Small Pockets. Never one for staying still, she’s always had to travel cheap to maintain her nomadic lifestyle … even into her 30’s! Originally from the UK, Stephanie likes nothing more than backpacking the world on a shoestring collecting stories she shares with a smile.