ABOUT ME - MY STORY
I’m Kaia, creator of ‘Travels with Kaia’. This blog has been an idea of mine since 2020, but I have loved travel and adventure long before that.
Since I can remember, I have always had a love of travel - from seeing photos of my dad standing in front of the pyramids of Giza, to stories of my mum bicycling around New Zealand, to receiving post cards from my step-dad on his Harley Davidson trips across the USA, to hearing about my step-mum’s work trips to remote indigenous communities in Australia, the open road and sense of adventure has always been a part of me.
From my first job, the money I earnt was always saved and put toward my next adventure. Growing up in Cairns, my first trip I saved up for was a school trip to Japan. I can remember the joy I felt just walking and exploring the streets of Japan - not necessarily doing anything in particular, but just taking in the feeling of being in a new place. This trip opened my eyes to the hustle and bustle of Asia, which is the part of the world I then spent most of my 20’s exploring.
My travels have taken me to amazing places, connecting me with like-minded people from all walks of life. It was on my most recent trip to Borneo in 2025 (whilst talking to a local tour guide) where I solidified that I wanted to work in the tourism industry. Not to just be a traveller, but to help shape travel and the tourism industry for future generations.
It was this decision that led me to move to Melbourne, Australia, to study a Master’s in International Sustainable Tourism Management. This decision has also led me to reconnect with local tour operator’s and to reflect on my past travels, which led me to this blog. I had always wanted to create a blog for my travels, but I could never work out what I wanted my blog to be about. I realised though, everyone has a unique story, and this blog is my own unique story. As someone with parents from Papua New Guinea, who was born in the United States, and lived all over the east-coast of Australia, I feel I have a lot to share. Through my travels, I have also developed a love for photography, in particular wildlife photography. I hope through my travels and photos, that you can learn something new, be inspired, or simply enjoy reading stories from my travels.
“Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...”
I never realised how important those words were to me….
When I graduated from my undergraduate university degree back in 2017, my mum inscribed that famous Helen Keller quote on my journal. Little did I know, she had been imprinting that on me my whole life.
I have always been captivated by the amazing wonders of this planet, wanting to see and do as much as I possibly could. I credit a lot of that to my mum’s free spirit and the adventures she always took my sisters and I on when we were young.
Growing up in Far North Queensland, there was always something incredible to discover for those brave enough to seek it out. We never had to go far, we just hopped in our Pajero car and went away camping, on a road trip, off to a new waterhole, bike riding through the tablelands, wherever and whatever it was, we were always open to something new.
That feeling of awe and adventure has been instilled in me at a young age, and it has stayed with me my whole life. It has taken me to studying abroad in Taiwan and the USA, to volunteering in Thailand, to road tripping around the great outback of Australia, to safariing all across the country in Uganda, and so many other amazing places (plus a whole lot more to come).
My blog is an ever-growing collection of travel stories, photos, and memories. I hope to provide inspiration for you to book that ticket, hit the road, or even just explore your own city as a tourist.
There is always something to explore!
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