Interview – Paula and Gordon (Contented Traveller)

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Today we would like to thank Paula and Gordon from Contented Traveller who have kindly given their time to interview with us, providing some great insight into their travel background and their passion for travelling the world.

Please feel free to comment, ask questions and connect with the Contented Traveller folks using their various social media fronts listed below.

We would like to give a special THANK YOU to Paula and Gordon for taking time to interview with us!

Contented Traveller

Name: Paula and Gordon

Introduction: We live in Wollongong, NSW about an hour south of Sydney, Australia. We live on the beach in a very beautiful city that has an escarpment running along one side and the ocean on the other.

Website: Contented Traveller

Social Media: 

What is your favorite aspect of traveling and if you are a travel blogger, why did you decide to create your website? 

Gordon and I had always travelled prior to meeting one another. When we did meet we went overseas within the first few months – to see if we were compatible. This was a big thing because if we weren’t well-matched travellers it would have been a deal breaker. It worked out exceptionally well and we are totally in sync when we travel and what we want to do and to see. We love to meet local people, do different things and we love to eat local food. We are great people watchers.

Contented Traveller Collection

When I finished teaching I considered what skills I had. It came down to travelling and orgnaising it and I enjoy writing. So much as I knew nothing at all I decided to start a travel blog. I have learnt a huge amount in the 11 months that Contented Traveller has been operational. We still have a lot to learn but we love it. We are starting to get ready for our 1st birthday celebration of Contented Traveller.

How many continents have you visited? 

Three

How many countries have you visited? 

30+

What is your favorite destination in the world and why? 

Too difficult to specify just one. Our gauge tends to be, do we want to return. We have returned time and time again to Japan for the skiing, the people and their traditions, the onsens and the food. We have been to Bali numerous times.

We have been to Thailand a lot and we will go there again and again. Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland are also repeaters. I am sure Turkey and Vietnam will get another run also.

If money/time was no object and you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you travel to and why? 

That is a big one and our answers are different. I would love to live in Europe for a year or so … It is just a lot easier to get to a lot of places than the very long journey from Australia that we have to take a few times a year.

Contented Traveller - Paula and Gordon

Gordon says sailing leisurely around the Caribbean at our own pace, stopping where and when we like. I think we will go with both.

Which of the following gadgets do you take on your travels? 

Camera, Phone, Tablet and Laptop. Gordon used to be the gadget geek now we both are.

What is your preferred method of transport? 

Walk! Our second preferred method is definitely rail. Nothing beats walking around a place and then catching a train to another.

Complete the following, “Everywhere I go, I visit….” 

We walk around and watch what is going on. We get lost and we find something exciting or different generally. That’s why we are big on serendipity. Some of the things that we have happened upon have really been amazing.

A fire fighters parade in Takayama, a ploicemans march in Istanbul, a crazy little back water café come in Cambodia, and a cock fighting village near Ubud in Bali have all made our travels special.

Here is your chance to sell yourself and your website! Tell us some more information about yourself, what your travel philosophies & future plans are and anything else that people may find interesting to read about… 

We love to travel our way and at Contented Traveller we share how people can do it themselves and not compromise on what they want. I think that my writing style verges on the quirky and at times irreverent but that makes people want to read more…. hopefully. It is not rocket science that we may be a bit more mature (!) but that certainly does not stop us doing whatever we feel like. Skiing, diving, trekking in jungles, eating unusual food and chatting to whoever.

I hope that other people realise that they don’t need to compromise on what they want and that mainstream travel is not the only option. For our delightful younger readers, I am pretty sure that they believe that there might be light at the end of the tunnel 🙂

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Chris Boothmanhttps://abritandasoutherner.com
Chris Boothman is the co-founder of A Brit and A Southerner. Born near Manchester, England, Chris moved to USA in 2006 where he soon after met his wife and travel partner in crime, Heather. They have since embarked on an amazing journey of travel as they challenge others to follow in their paths of working full-time but also being able to travel frequently! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Chris at [email protected]

19 COMMENTS

  1. Maybe we can trade places, you can live in Holland for a year and we can live in Australia? Great interview!

    • Thanks Katrina, we really enjoyed interviewing them and it’s definitely great to get to know them a little better. Certainly encourages us to follow them on their travels in the future plus they have some great series on their website that are worth reading.

  2. I have to agree with Paula and Gordon that walking is the best way to get the most out of your travels. A few minutes in one direction may yield a special parade or just a local coffee shop. Exploring on foot really adds to the excitement and wonder of a new place. And chatting with locals always enhances the experience – never be afraid to say hi!

    • Couldn’t agree more Dave with the walking comments! It is by far the best way to navigate a city and I always find it awesome whenever I visit somewhere that is really well suited to pedestrians and being able to just get out there and get lost around the hidden neighborhoods (of course within reason to ensure safety!). Friendliness with locals also never hurts and it really enhances your overall experience, especially as you are able to really gain a more cultural understanding of the region!

    • Cheers Margherita, these guys are great! We first got to know them through our #SundaySocial Twitter chat and they always provide some great interaction and stories that keep us all entertained!

  3. It was great to get to know them better! I also love walking everywhere as much as possible and slowly taking in the sights, whether it be away from home or around my own neighborhood! Also…living in Europe for a year or sailing around the Caribbean are both excellent choices!

    • Very true Lauren, living in Europe is a must for everyone I think! I am fortunate to be from Europe and have to admit that I probably took it for granted whenever I lived there. I am ready to go back and really explore Europe because there is so much to see there. Paula and Gordon have really experienced some great places there along with the rest of the world!

  4. Paula and Gordy are very inspirational and like-minded travelers. I love the people-watching aspect and a Japanese onsen! Great interview!

    Chris and Heather, I would love for Jim and I to be interviewed on your site!

  5. We would love to travel to Japan! I love the fact that they took the plunge as a couple and went off travelling together to see if the were compatible. If that is your passion in life to not want to compromise on that is so important and travelling clearly makes them who they are – I love reading their quirky stories. A great interview! 🙂

    • They really do have a great blog don’t they Shikha! We always enjoy reading their very unique opinions and experiences on their travels!

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