At the moment we have a case of wanderlust something pretty bad. At first it was the Incu magazine with its theme of travel, exploration and discovery. Then it was the news that everyone we know was going on extravagant holidays to far flung destinations from Hong Kong to Hawaii, Berlin to Bali. Now we want to fling a few clothes into a suitcase and head out onto the road, anywhere, anywhere, as long as it's away from here. Wouldn't that be grand? But, since it doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon, we've contacted five of our favourite people - and intrepid travellers filled with wanderlust - to share their travel stories and their pictures with you all. We're hoping that it will both whet your exploration appetite and soothe your travelling desires at the same time. But then, it might do neither, and it might lead you to the flight centre website, desperately refreshing the sale page. That's cool with us, too.
Our first voyager, now (see what we did there?) is the lovely Anna. She works as the Fashion News Editor at Shop Til You Drop, keeping us all up to date on the underground Australian labels and the best style trends on the street. But she also has a pretty fantastic blog, which is a perfect mix of fashion things and other good stuff, like food and friends and family and, yes, travel. We chose Anna because she is incredibly well-travelled and genuinely enjoys getting on a plane and heading off, whether to America to visit her family or chasing the sunshine across the Amalfi coast. She always shares her discoveries in each new city on her blog. Our favourites are Shanghai, Sicilia, New York, where she used to live, and, of course, Paris.
one. favourite holiday destination
Nantucket Island (off the coast of Massachusetts) will always be my favourite because I grew up spending summers there. It is so rustic and simple in its beauty – rolling sand dunes and dirt roads. Our summer home was a shack no electricity, so the only thing to do was be outside on the beach or a bike (or play cards inside on rainy days).
My favourite recent discovery has to be Sicily. It is gritty and soulful. The Aeolian Islands are magical, especially a small one called Panarea. Southern Italy in general is a dream. Italians just do summer so well! I also love Positano. A day spent here might just be heaven on earth. And, the food! It’s on another level.
two. dream place you haven't been yet
I want to explore my boyfriend’s home country: Colombia. I hear Cartagena (northern coast) is fantastic.
Sicily
three. five essential items
one. Camera: I switch between a Canon G11 and a Canon 1000D SLR.
two. Cetaphil moisturizing cream: even if my hair is salty and unruly, my skin always gets premium care (including daily SPF!).
three. Comfy cashmere pashmina/scarf: so good for snuggling up to while in transit or on chilly evenings.
four. Bikini: my favourite holidays are ones where I end up wearing a bikini more than actual clothes. My picks are LOVER, Anna & Boy and J Crew.
Jac + Jack beach towel. super thin and easy to pack.
one - america, two - new york
four. best travel companion
Anyone who shares my enthusiasm for food (thankfully, my boyfriend fits the bill).
one to three - Capri, four - Paris
five. travel playlist
Summer time Rolls- Janes Addiction
That’s the way- Led Zeppelin
Where is my mind- Pixies
Sunny afternoon- The Kinks
Time tough- Toots & the Maytals
I love Hot Nights- Jonathan Richman
Jolene- Dolly Parton
Nantucket Island (off the coast of Massachusetts) will always be my favourite because I grew up spending summers there. It is so rustic and simple in its beauty – rolling sand dunes and dirt roads. Our summer home was a shack no electricity, so the only thing to do was be outside on the beach or a bike (or play cards inside on rainy days).
My favourite recent discovery has to be Sicily. It is gritty and soulful. The Aeolian Islands are magical, especially a small one called Panarea. Southern Italy in general is a dream. Italians just do summer so well! I also love Positano. A day spent here might just be heaven on earth. And, the food! It’s on another level.
two. dream place you haven't been yet
I want to explore my boyfriend’s home country: Colombia. I hear Cartagena (northern coast) is fantastic.
three. five essential items
one. Camera: I switch between a Canon G11 and a Canon 1000D SLR.
two. Cetaphil moisturizing cream: even if my hair is salty and unruly, my skin always gets premium care (including daily SPF!).
three. Comfy cashmere pashmina/scarf: so good for snuggling up to while in transit or on chilly evenings.
four. Bikini: my favourite holidays are ones where I end up wearing a bikini more than actual clothes. My picks are LOVER, Anna & Boy and J Crew.
Jac + Jack beach towel. super thin and easy to pack.
four. best travel companion
Anyone who shares my enthusiasm for food (thankfully, my boyfriend fits the bill).
five. travel playlist
Summer time Rolls- Janes Addiction
That’s the way- Led Zeppelin
Where is my mind- Pixies
Sunny afternoon- The Kinks
Time tough- Toots & the Maytals
I love Hot Nights- Jonathan Richman
Jolene- Dolly Parton
one to three - Shanghai, four - Paris
See what we mean? There are so many pictures because we couldn't narrow it down - all of Anna's holidays look so blissful they make us long for winter-y New York, New York getaways and quiet beach-side sojourns in equal measures. Thanks to Anna we've added Sicily, Corsica and Positano to our list of ultimate summer travel destinations. Italia, here we come!
Stay tuned to the blog for more wanderlust posts, we've got four more amazing travellers to share with you...