Melissa Hoyer is one of Australia’s most respected lifestyle commentators, journalists and editors, who has worked in the travel and lifestyle sector of the media industry for more than three decades, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Lady Gaga, Cate Blanchett and JK Rowling.
This week, we take a look at what life's like for a leading commentator travelling on the celeb circuit, and find out where the A-listers like to go.
Also, Intrepid's "Not Hot List" is out! This annual report highlights the lesser-known destinations and regions for those who care about treading lightly when they travel.
And our tip this week is from eSIM provider Saily about how to get the most out of your data when you travel.
Visit us at https://theworldawaits.au or on Instagram here.
Visit us at https://theworldawaits.au
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
Welcome to the World Awaits.
Travel tales to inspire yourWonderless.
Welcome back to the WorldAwaits.
How are you all?
How's your week been, Kirsty?
SPEAKER_02 (00:13):
I had a lovely weekend down at Philippine last
week with my tribe, so it fillsyour soul when you go away with
some old friends and when theyall get along, considering some
of them didn't know each other.
But uh well, they did, they knoweach other.
But you know how when you bringold friends together and they
don't, yeah, they don'tnecessarily hook up outside of
you.
So um it was really lovely.
Um and it was such a beautifulspring weekend down there.
(00:35):
The um we went on a hike and ohmy gosh, there were wallabies
everywhere.
I just never tire of seeingthem.
It was incredible.
Um, and you can take a lookactually at the little wallabies
and on my Insta, which is KirstyRights, W-R-I-T-E-S.
And I've also been busy stillwriting about Cambodia, as well
as all the latest luxury newsfor carry-on.
(00:55):
So, how about you, Belle?
How's your week been?
SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
Uh, it was uh insanely busy.
So I was the first Journo towalk through Melbourne's newest
hotel.
Well, actually, it's hotelsbecause it's two hotels built
side by side, um, right in themiddle of Burke Street Mall.
So this is the five-star, well,they don't like to say
five-star, but this is theupmarket hotel Indigo Little
Collins, and then thefour-star-ish Holiday Inn right
(01:18):
beside each other.
So they're part of the samecompany, IHG.
And together it's about 450rooms overlooking the mall, or
behind it, Little CollinsStreet, and Union Lane runs down
the side, and it's got thatblockbuster mecca right next
door.
Oh my goodness, so good, Kirsty.
I went in there and I just aboutlost my mind and my wallet.
Um, back in the hotel, though, Idid test the menu by head chef
(01:41):
Daryl Hand, who runs thekitchens for both hotels.
Um, delicious, super cute liver,uh chicken liver parfait.
And the salmon was he served upa salmon, yum, and the salmon
was cured by gin from the localdistiller Little Lon, which is
actually in Melbourne CBD aswell.
So they're telling a reallyMelbourne story throughout.
I did post a TikTok and alsoInstagram about it, and what
(02:04):
polarized everyone was the boldblue um that they've used as the
feature colour.
It's a it's a Mondrian blue.
So think of a really strong umprimary blue, which is
apparently inspired by MelbourneStreet Science.
That's the signature colour forindigo.
So you can take a peek on myInstagram at global underscore
salsa and tell me what you thinkabout that blue.
SPEAKER_02 (02:27):
Amazing.
I'm actually staying at HotelIndigo Little Collins for
carry-on next month, and I'mgonna source out that salmon
cured by gin.
Oh, maybe we were at the sametime, bell.
Um be cool.
But you've had some other stuffgoing on this week, haven't you?
SPEAKER_00 (02:42):
Uh, yeah, right.
So as we um the other thingthat's been keeping me up at
night is prep for a trip toCentral Australia.
And when we go to air, I'llactually be driving through the
Red Center.
So we're starting in AliceSprings, working our way around
to King's Canyon and Uluru andtrying to find some of those
more off-beat experiences andplaces to camp and stay.
(03:02):
So I can't wait to tell you allabout it here on the podcast.
So I'm not going to say anymore.
I'm saving my powder, but alsoyou'll see it on the socials.
SPEAKER_02 (03:11):
Yeah, we actually have some really cool trips
coming up.
So make sure you're followingus.
We'll put them on the WorldAwaits um Insta as well.
But so make sure you follow usbecause uh you can, you know,
see where we're going and thenyou'll know what we're we're
about to talk about.
So I'm also off to Tahiti nextweek to be to the first
international yoga festival thatthe um this stunning island
(03:31):
nation's ever had held.
Um and I'm going to be the onlyJoomless here from Australia, so
I'm told.
So I'll be writing a littlewellness story for Carry On as
well as um a feature for the NewZealand Herald.
So yeah, you can follow me ifyou can stand watching this
stunning shots that I'm bound toget, these um tropical paradise
images on Insta.
SPEAKER_01 (03:49):
Not to mention you doing downward dog in fun of
them.
SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
Uh, not jealous at all.
Oh my god, I'm so stiff.
I just think of nothing moreblissful than doing a week of
yoga.
Um, I have to look backwards tomake myself um remind myself,
because you know, I've beenstuck in a bit of a rut, just
writing and and not traveling.
Um so I've got to look back atpast travels on the weekend.
You might have caught my coverstory on the Sydney Morning
Herald and the Age, which isabout Tunisia.
(04:18):
So if you need a desert hit tocounteract all of those Tahitian
seas, um, and you know, it's notexactly a destination that's top
of mind.
And that steers me into, I'mimproving my segues now, Kirsty.
That steers me into this week'sconversation, which is about
travel in lesser-known places.
So this is an annual list thatspotlights lesser-known places
(04:41):
that are ready to welcome moretravelers in 2026.
So take a listen and see howmany you've been to, or you can
put them on your backup list.
So the list kicks off with TawaiIsland in Sierra Leone, where
they recently launched a 10-yeartourism strategy to attract
international travelers and torecast the country as a leader
in ecotourism.
And at the heart of this is thisisland which was inscribed as a
(05:04):
UNESCO World Heritage Site lastuh this year.
So it's renowned for diversepopulations of animals, and it's
also part of the Gola ForestNational Park.
SPEAKER_02 (05:13):
Yeah, love this list.
And Intrepid really walks thetalk when it comes to giving
back and sustainable travelbecause they support so many
projects, um, which you can findon their website.
There's loads, you know, far toomany little lists here, but this
isn't spawns and contains oranything, but they just they
truly do do an amazing job.
And um, this list is just anexample of the work that they
do.
So back to the list.
And second was Tian ShanMountain Range in Kyrgyzstan,
(05:37):
and the stands are so wellvisited, but um but not this
mountain range.
So Intrepid says that this islong traversed by nomads, but
little known by outsiders.
SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
Yeah, absolutely.
When you do visit, you tend tojust skim through a couple of
the cities.
So the massive country waitingto be explored.
Um the third is Sierra Norte inMexico, which is deep in the
mountains of the Oaxaca and issaid to be one of the most
compelling examples ofindigenous-led tourism in the
world.
This is a cooperative of eightself-governing villages, which
(06:11):
operates under thiscommunity-led model that shares
profits equally, and it alsolimits visitor numbers.
SPEAKER_02 (06:17):
That sounds so cool.
I want to go there.
Fourth is Ves Island in Croatia.
I feel like Croatia's reallyhaving a moment.
Um, I'm going to Croatiaactually in November.
I cannot wait.
I've never been.
And um, but yeah, it's alsoactually trying to steer
visitors away from overcrowdeddestinations um within the
country.
So this means places like VesIsland are emerging as a bit of
(06:39):
a serene sort of refuge.
And the island has small-scalelocal experiences that it says
celebrates the island's charmand um slower pace of life.
SPEAKER_00 (06:49):
Well, look, I think Horatia's been having a moment
since Tom Cruise stayed there acouple of decades ago.
And then Game of Thrones sorry,Game of Thrones was filmed
there, and it just wentabsolutely insane.
Um beautiful, but yeah, it's soheavily concentrated around
Dubrovnik.
Um, fifth on the list is acountry close to my heart, and
that is uh Turkey.
(07:10):
And the region they're trying topromote there is South,
southeastern Anatolia.
Um, so it's driven by a nationalpush to showcase the region's
cultural and culinary heritage.
And I think that's the thingwith Turkey.
We just it's, you know, we justthink it's all kebab and stuff
like that.
But this area, um, which ispoised for tourism revival,
everybody talks about the foodfrom here.
So it's no secret to the locals.
(07:32):
Um the cities of Diakabir andMardin are still well off the
beaten trap for most foreignvisitors because it borders
Syria.
And, you know, as we always say,war's not good for tourism.
But the area is absolutelyriddled with UNESCO World
Heritage sites.
And um those and its key citiesare deeply invested in
attracting more visitors.
(07:53):
And there's I mean, there'splenty more interesting places
on the top ten, um, includingArancha or Pradesh in far
northern India, probablyoverlooked in the shadow of
neighbouring Bhutan, and alsothe 2026 European City of
Culture, Ulu, in lovely, lovelyFinland.
SPEAKER_02 (08:10):
Yeah, and Romania, El Salvador, and the US also
have places on the top ten.
So we'll save those for youbecause you can then look at the
link and work out and see wherethey all are and have a good
read.
(08:31):
This week I'm challenging toMelissa Hoyer, one of
Australia's most respectedlifestyle commentators,
journalists, and editors, who'sworked in the travel and
lifestyle sector of the mediaindustry for decades, and she's
interviewed the likes of DrewBarrymore, Lady Gaga, Kate
Blanchett, and J.K.
Rowling.
SPEAKER_00 (08:49):
All right.
Well, so besides some of thebiggest names in the film and
music industry, what made youwant to chat with her?
I mean, what's the what's thetravel hook?
SPEAKER_02 (08:57):
So Melissa has traveled extensively, and she
got into the industry in the 90swhen budgets were big.
Um, I mean, I remember that backin our in my early journey days
in newsrooms, you know, budgetswere really big.
And most of her biggestinterviews with those really big
names were the result of herbeing flown somewhere to meet
them.
So I wanted to have a chat withher about what some of her
(09:18):
favorite places were that shewent and also where the
celebrities go for those of usthat want to follow on their
footsteps, which we all do.
Um and she's also just anall-round wonderfully warm and
really humble person and reallypersonable.
And I'm I'm sure that you willfeel that.
So take a listen.
Welcome to the show, Melissa.
SPEAKER_01 (09:37):
Thank you.
I'm really happy.
I'm excited about this, Kirsty.
It's a podcast that I I listento a lot.
So I'm uh excited to to delveinto it with you.
SPEAKER_02 (09:48):
Oh, it's so nice to have you on the World Awaits,
and thank you for saying that.
That's very kind.
Give us a little backgroundabout how you came to work in
the media industry.
SPEAKER_01 (09:55):
Yeah.
Okay, so I in a nutshell, when Iuh my first job, I was actually
in public relations.
So in that role, and that waswith um the then Grace Brothers,
which was which then turned intoMaya.
So that was it was a retail PRjob.
Obviously, in PR, I met a lot ofeditors, um, one of them being
(10:17):
the fashion editor of the thenTelegraph newspaper.
She was going on a sort of asix-month sabbatical, and I had
always um wanted to get intoactually into journalism, into
newspapers, and I'd studied andand all that, but I had got this
job in PR.
I thought, oh, well, you know,it's great.
(10:37):
You know, I'm it was it was agreat job, but always in the
back of my mind, it was actuallymedia I wanted to get into.
Um this this this lady who hasunfortunately since passed away,
she uh was going away.
I got the the sabbatical job.
And then once she came back,they had loved what I was doing
there in newspaper land.
(10:58):
So I stayed at the Sunday andthe Daily Telegraph, which were
then sort of, you know, the twobig newspapers in Sydney in the
in the News Corp group.
There was a Fairfax and NewsCorp.
So it was the Telegraph, therewas News Corp, and obviously
Sydney Morning Held in Fairfax.
So really that was my start.
And then from there, and thatwas, and I was doing fashion
(11:20):
columns, lifestyle columns,interviewing celebrities.
It just sort of, it just sort ofsteamrolled.
And I think in a weird way,those were the days when you
could kind of do that.
You know, I think now mostpeople have could have sort of
got a lane, they've got a gig ina particular area, unless you,
of course, you're you're a newsjournalist.
(11:42):
But mine was very lifestyle,travel, fashion, beauty,
celebrity driven.
And really, since then, I thenmoved and I did stuff on Foxtel.
I did a fashion show where Ico-hosted with Hugh Jackman, and
then I did a lot with Foxtel,and I did a lot of commentary
with networks like the NineNetwork and Channel 7, and I've
(12:05):
done stuff on the ABC andChannel 10, I've done radio
commentary.
So it all kind of just it sortof happened.
And I think too, it was beforeobviously digital became the
thing.
So there, you know, we werenewspapers were our source of
news.
Digital obviously happened, youknow, around the like in my
(12:28):
world 2008, 2009.
And I then actually leftnewspaper land and focused on
the digital side of wanting toget into that world.
Because I just knew that thatwas where media was going.
And a lot of people sort ofwent, oh, you're, you know, why
are you doing that?
(12:49):
You know, you've you've gotthis, you know, solid, good,
strong job in newspaper land.
But I had been doing it for, youknow, 20 years.
And I sort of thought, no, I'mjust gonna do it and go
freelance, and which I did, butthen I got offered a job as the
editor at large of the digitalpublication at News Corp, which
(13:09):
is news.com.au.
So that was very much uh a rolethat was it, it was, it was
lifestyle, it was, it was, itwas beauty, it was travel, it
was entertainment, it was a bitof everything.
So I sort of was then using whatI had sort of learnt in the
digital land, because I had acouple of years in between, and
and I really embraced digitalwhile still not forgetting sort
(13:34):
of my roots of writing, becauseI still love writing for
publications, you know.
So it is just, you know, I mean,I think it's been good with
timing because I've had thatsort of experience in heritage
media, but of late, and it'sbeen much, much, much more
obviously about the digitalspace.
SPEAKER_02 (13:54):
Yes, absolutely.
Gosh, what a vast, um,incredible background.
Let's talk about some of theplaces you've been there,
amazing places that you've beento interview celebrities.
Have you actually have youtraveled a lot to interview them
or have a lot of them come toyou?
SPEAKER_01 (14:08):
Well, actually, interestingly, that there was a
real period that was probablysort of the early 2000s, late
90s, God sent sounds on a go.
And and and the naughtys.
I mean, I went I went toFlorence to interview Drew
Barrymore for a movie she wasdoing.
You know, I I I went to toLondon to interview um JK
(14:29):
Rowling.
I went to I was trying to thinkof other, I mean, oh, I went to
Japan to interview um there wasa a I think of who the the
celebrity wise, but she was thewhat a face for SK2, which is uh
a Japanese beauty brand.
(14:49):
I went to New York to speak withKate Blanchette, who was in a
play at that stage, plus she wasthe face of again the Japanese
brand SK2.
I've been, I've I've interviewedElle McPherson in London.
Um yeah, so so I think that waswhen your budgets were a little
bit bigger.
(15:10):
And um and and that people youyou would be flowing over to do
sort of, you know, what youknow, they're really junkets, I
guess.
Um so now they're probably notas as big simply because we can
be doing we can Zoom, you know,the amount of interviews we all
see now on morning shows or oror or news programs that have
(15:35):
been done via Zoom because, youknow, as we all know, the
technology is so good and it canlook as though you are
physically, you know, talking towhoever in in wherever.
I went I was in um I'm going toI was in Vegas a couple of years
ago to see the Carly Minogueshow, but I actually went just
(15:57):
on off my own steam because I'dactually I'd actually been on a
Oceania um two-day trip on oneof their ships from Los Angeles
to Mexico, and and I got back toLos Angeles and she was doing a
couple of shows in Vegas, CarlyMinogue.
So a friend of mine and I, webought bought tickets, which
(16:18):
were like ridiculouslyexpensive, but we had like the
best night ever seeing Carly.
We were like, you know, front,like literally front row on a
little cabaret table, and thereshe was, and we you know spoke
to her afterwards, and yeah, wethat I mean, just those sort of
things that have happened thatoften are sort of unexpected,
but there've been, you know, Imean I've interviewed, God, I
(16:41):
mean, you know, everyone fromlike Hugh Jack, mean Russell
Crowe, Naomi Campbell, um like amillion.
I mean, if anyone wanted tobother me have having a look
look at my LinkedIn, there's amillion names, there's a million
names there.
So I've I've been very fortunateand interviewed some really,
really fantastic people thathave that, you know, are people
(17:04):
that have inspired me.
No, and I'm not not from a oh, Iwant to be an actor because I'm
interviewed, blah, blah, butjust the way they talk to you
and the way they treat you.
And it's so often the thereally, really big names who
actually do talk to you sobeautifully and they don't talk
down to you.
But it it's often like sort ofthe the B and the C listers who
(17:28):
think they're so clever, they'reoften the ones who are a-holes,
to be honest.
SPEAKER_02 (17:34):
From some of those trips that you've done, what
what was your favorite?
And were and who who are theactors?
Uh can you name some that areactually were just really
lovely?
Um actresses.
SPEAKER_01 (17:47):
Oh, actually, yeah.
Um Drew Barrymore wasphenomenal, Angelica Houston was
phenomenal.
Um I mean, Russell Crowe'salways a great interview.
Um who else?
Oh boy, who else am I done?
I mean, Hugh Jackman, like whatyou see is what you get with
him.
Like he's just perfection.
(18:10):
I I mean, from a you know, he hegives you gives you what you
need.
And yeah, and you know, and andand and and with you know, yeah,
there's a there's a lot of sortof provisos that some people
want, you know, they won't talkabout this or they won't talk
about that.
Kate Blanchette, amazing.
Nicole Kidman, another fantasticinterview.
(18:31):
Naomi Watts, you know, all ofthat sort of, you know, they
they're probably all slightly abit older now, but I think, you
know, they have learnt as asthey've gone along as well that
you know, they want to be niceas well, you know, that that
they've they've probably gone aswell and as far in their career
(18:52):
because they are genuinely, youknow, they're creative, they
they they they want to give whatthey they know, and and they've
all been, you know, fantasticwhen when I I've spoken to them.
So it's it's been there hasn'treally been one absolute sort of
dickhead, which is sort offortunate, isn't it?
(19:14):
That's very fortunate,particularly Gang Street.
That's exactly, yeah.
So really good.
Yeah.
And also a lot of musicians too.
I mean, people like sort of likeJ Jimmy Barnes, Kate Sabrano.
Um, I did um I I had aninteresting encounter with um
Lady Gaga quite a few years ago.
(19:35):
She was in town doing like a biggig, but she did a very, very
small gig in a little uh uhlittle place off Oxford Street
in Sydney called Nevermind.
And it was there were only about120 people there, and it was
like a it was a secret squealgig that the organizer, a friend
of mine who unfortunately passedaway a few weeks ago, Stevie
(19:56):
Lowe, he organized and you know,we had to go through the back
way, and we had to be, you know,our name signed off.
And and she did this likeprivate gig for us.
And and then, you know,afterwards we were chatting to
her and talking to her, and andand and I and I did ask her, I
said, Oh, do you mind if I wasthere just as me, as opposed to
Melissa Hoy, journalist doing aninterview.
(20:17):
But I did ask her, Oh, do youmind if I just asked a few
questions?
And she was so lovely.
I asked her some lovelyquestions, and you know, I I got
a beautiful story out of it thatI I think it was I put it on
towisternews.com that I use.
So it was, yeah, yeah, thosesort of often those unexpected,
and then often I've met sort ofinteresting people at the those
those Melbourne Cup carnivals,like like Crazy Paris Hilton and
(20:39):
and people like that, thatthey've they've uh they've
they've you know often flowingin to be sort of you know the
guests.
Naomi Campbell was one of those,but she kept everyone waiting
for like three hours, so we allgot over that.
So, you know, she was a bit of adiva, let me tell you, but I
think that that's that's sort ofcommon knowledge.
So uh so I think you sort ofjust uh you know, you you often
(21:00):
learn to live with people whohave got sort of existing
reputation.
SPEAKER_02 (21:05):
Incredible.
And so did any of them thatyou've interviewed, have they
sort of talked to you abouttheir favourite places where
they've filmed or or orperformed as a musician?
Like what are some of their um Imean, there's a big thing at the
moment, just sort of a segue wecan we can either touch on now
or a bit later, but um, youknow, this set jetting um idea
of and white lotus has reallytaken off as far as people
(21:27):
wanting to follow in thefootsteps of of of where places
are filmed.
But are there any places, Iguess, more so about the people
from the people you interviewedwho they talked about sort of
places they filmed that theyjust thought were I remember I
actually once interviewed um TomCruise when he was in New
Zealand um and he just you knowadored Mount Taranaki because
(21:48):
they were they were filmingthere uh and uh and talked a lot
about this surfing and this loveof surfing in New Zealand.
So I wondered if there are anywho specifically talked about
certain places that youinterviewed.
SPEAKER_01 (21:58):
Yeah, it's interesting because a lot of
sort of uh celebs who that whocome to Australia for
interviews, often as part oftheir sort of their their their
interviewing sort of schedulehere, they'll often be then sent
set up to um either sort of umHamilton Island or Heyman Island
as a as a for a week afterthey've they've sort of they've
(22:21):
done their stuff in in Sydney,Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide,
da da da.
But I've it's funny, it's quitea few that I've spoken to of
late who have really wanted togo to New Zealand.
So it's interesting that youmentioned that because I think,
you know, I mean, from a from avisual, I mean, it still is it
is the most spectacular.
I mean, everything, I mean,there were so many places in all
(22:42):
the world, whether it's whetheryou go to Puli or whether you go
to an amazing uh what do youlike the Morocco or Marrakesh or
or the Cotswolds, everywherethere's there's beautiful
elements.
I mean, yeah, I've got gone tolovely islands in Fiji, I've
been to Vanuatu, um, I just Iwas in the the Maldives just
recently.
Like there's all of these placeswe enter, we go, oh wow, wow,
(23:04):
wow.
But there is something about NewZealand that so many people that
I have spoken to have oftengone, they've they've come and
done their Australian sort ofpromotional thing, but they'll
go over to New Zealand.
It it it's it's sort of, and andI think that's probably a lot to
do with so much filming that youknow that has been done in New
(23:25):
Zealand and and and and it andit's so spectacular.
I went I was in Queenstown aboutseven years ago for a friend's
wedding, and it was it was itwas I think it was June or July,
so it was cold.
But she she wore thisextraordinary, like feathered,
and she's not sort of afashionista, but she wore this,
she's very tall, and she woreshe she walked down and she wore
(23:47):
this like big feathered cape,and you'd think we were on the
set of of like some amazingspectacular Peter Jackson movie.
Like it was just beautiful, butbut yeah, I'm I'm really New
Zealand is is something, and Ithink a lot of um like Fijian
islands as well, you know, a lotof people are wanting to go
(24:09):
there who have spent time doingtheir sort of uh you know
promotional stuff here, thenthey'll they'll go whether
whether it's whether it's umKokomo or Tokariki or or or uh
Royal Diva Davui.
You know, there's so manybeautiful Fijian islands.
So yeah, I think that kind of gthat's sort of they want like a
(24:32):
real holiday at the end of oftheir time in Australia, whether
they've been filming or whetherthey're here for a promotional
thing.
So it's yeah, there's certainlythe places that that I'm hearing
that people are wanting to go toif they've come to Australia and
they've got a week to sort ofhave for a bit of hour and hour
afterwards.
SPEAKER_02 (24:52):
So for a local getaway, if you want to spot the
selege, you need to go to HeymanIsland, Hamilton Island, or New
Zealand.
SPEAKER_01 (24:58):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (24:59):
Yeah, and a bit of Fiji in there as well.
And a bit of Fiji, of course.
Yeah.
And VG is obviously alwaysalways a popular one.
And and uh and also probablyincreasingly because of the
incredible results that areopening now.
SPEAKER_01 (25:10):
Yep, and so and so and and and so close.
I mean, as in as in Australia.
I mean, like, you know, when youyou you're there in four hours,
you know, like it's it's a veryyou sort of often forget how
close Fijian islands are toAustralia.
So it's um yeah, and I think alot, you know, a lot of people
are looking at that too, thatthat they they don't want to
spend a day getting to a resortholiday.
(25:33):
You know, they're happy to dofour, five, six hours, but but
any longer, it's like, well,hang on, when I get there, I
just want to relax.
I don't want to spend sort of 24hours getting to somewhere where
I'm just gonna sort of relax.
So yeah, it's genius.
SPEAKER_02 (25:48):
Of all the places that you've been interviewing
celebrities or musicians, um,which are obviously also
celebrities, um, where where issomewhere, if you had to pick
one place as a complete standoutand somewhere that people that
you would recommend to people togo, where would it be?
SPEAKER_01 (26:05):
Auri.
Well, I mean, I I was fortunatewhen um I mean just before White
Lotus Thailand came out, I wentto um the Anantara hotels that
were used in White Lotus.
I mean, that there were twoparticular hotels that were used
(26:26):
as um as well as the so there'sfour seasons, but there were
there were two of the Anantara.
So I went on a on a media trip.
And even though we, you know, wewe didn't interview the because
the filming had already beendone.
But to actually, it wasinteresting to because to
actually go there and then comeback and then and then we hadn't
seen the show.
The show then was on, I thinkabout two months after we'd been
(26:49):
on our trip, then to actuallywatch the show and and and spot
the all the areas that we hadbeen to.
I mean, that that was reallysort of quite special.
And I can see the like theabsolute sort of reason why
people are sort of they're sortof flocking back to Thailand
because you know that they wantthat their own white lotus
(27:11):
experience.
And also, I sort of hadforgotten how beautiful sort of
Thailand is.
I think we sort of think bang,crazy Bangkok, da da da da.
But then when you actually thengo, you know, go to the islands,
um, it's just spectacular.
Like really just like that, youknow, they you can either you
can either do crazy and you cando nightclubs and all that, or
(27:34):
you can just do sort of useful,beautiful, calm, which which is
really probably the one thingmost people want to do when they
when they go to Thailand now.
And probably a bit of you know,a bit of shopping and eat well.
So it's good.
SPEAKER_02 (27:46):
Yeah, lots of well-being there too.
SPEAKER_01 (27:48):
Um yeah, very much.
SPEAKER_02 (27:50):
And so what are some of your other favourite sort of
travel experiences that you'vehad?
SPEAKER_01 (27:54):
Okay.
Well, my my father was Czech, soum I've had I've still got a
small uh amount of family inPrague.
So I've been to Prague a coupleof times, which is always an
interesting experience becausehis family, most of his family,
a few of them have passed onsince, but they could only speak
Czech.
There was one who could speakCzech, German, and bad, pretty
(28:19):
bad English.
My my Czech was hopeless, myGerman was okay.
So poor, I mean, poor he wouldhave to sort of I I would he
would ask me a question kind ofin in English and broken German.
I would sort of answer it inGerman, kind of broken English,
then he would then try totranslate it to Czech in order
(28:41):
to tell the family the question.
So who knows what he actuallyended up sort of answering some
of these questions with, becauseit was this lovely sort of
fusion of uh of three of threesort of languages.
But it was a you know, it'sfunny, even even though you you
you you'd have theseconversations, then you sort of
think, I wonder if she'sactually understanding my
(29:03):
answer.
But I think just in the way youwould talk and and and you know,
and and also photos, you know,just showing photos.
I mean, that was sort of a storyin itself.
So I I think I think I think wewent we went okay considering
the the the the complete lack ofthe Czech understanding of the
language from my part.
So yeah, so Prague, I lovePrague.
(29:25):
I mean, um Pulio, I've got afriend who has a fantastic place
there, a Maseria, it's calledMaseria Trapana.
He's an Australian-born friend,uh Rob Potter Um Sanders, who's
got a fabulous place.
Another great great guy calledCraig Markham, who works
actually with, he works inLondon for the um the Ferndale
(29:46):
group of hotels, which is likethe ham yard and I mean amazing
hotels.
He's just built um a place umjust outside of Puglia.
Collect Dinnigan is a friend ofmine, she's got a place there.
So I do love that.
Sort of I I love I love the bootof it of Italy, or the heel of
Italy, because that's obviouslywhere uh Puglia is.
(30:08):
Um oh yeah, I've I've I've hadlike um it's funny, I've I've
I've I've got these sort ofbucket list that I've had have
written down, and it'sinteresting.
I've just said yes to uh uh atrip that I'm gonna go on next
May, but it's with a group offriends, so we're we know we're
all paying for it, and it's toMarrakech and to Morocco because
I've not never I've never beenand I've always wanted to go.
(30:30):
And this trip has sort of comeup, and there's going to be 12
of us, and it's um yeah, so thatI'm so looking forward to that
because it's a a place I'vewanted to go to, but no, I'm I'm
a single person, and and it'ssort of hard sometimes to find
like like-minded people who youwant to travel to with who also
(30:51):
want to go at the same time,want to do it the same kind of
way.
You know, some people might havelots of money, some people may
not may want to do it sort of abit more budget-minded, but
yeah, the the way we're doing itis very sort of sort of middle
of the road.
That's it's it's a really it's agood price, and we're we're
we're paying and and it's afantastic itinerary.
So I'm that's next May.
(31:11):
So I'm that I'm really lookingforward to that.
And and I already know like fourpeople who are going on it, so
that's that'll be fun.
Uh yeah, and and and I'd loveto, um I'd love to go, I'd love
to do an amazing pon trip toAntarctica.
You know, I'd love to do allthat, but you know, it's it's
all relative and it's all youknow, it's about the the bank
balance and if someone cancommission me.
(31:33):
So it's all about that, as youknow.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:36):
So what would be uh give me a couple of top tips for
people who want to be doing whatyou're doing one day.
So who want to be traveling andalso uh interviewing um
celebrities.
Uh what what are a couple of toptips for people to get to get
into that?
SPEAKER_01 (31:52):
Okay.
Well, well, I think I mean andit's uh it's probably a lot
different now because because II started like you know, when I
did, you know, and you and youyou've been you know working in
the media for so long as well,not as long as me, because
you're you're much younger thanme.
SPEAKER_02 (32:07):
I don't think I don't think so.
SPEAKER_01 (32:09):
Yeah, actually, yeah, let's let's let it.
Let's have a bit about it.
Well, let's say we're abouteven.
Um, but um, you know, you sortof you you you you have to say,
I think it was social media.
I think the important thing andway to use social media,
particularly if you're juststarting off, is to really
engage with people.
You know, like a lot of peoplewill like stuff, like stuff,
(32:31):
like stuff, like stuff.
You know, that's all good andwell.
But if you are wanting to getinto that world of interviewing
celebrities, or I mean, and andand and if you're not some
nutcase, I mean, DM the person,you know, DM them.
I mean, like, you know, and andand and do your research, work
out who the management is or thePR who is looking after that
(32:55):
particular person or thatparticular resort or that
particular beauty brand or orthat particular fashion brand.
And and and and and and directmessage them because you know,
we we all do look at our DMs.
I mean, you know, obviously,you're not gonna DM, you know,
Kylie or Gaga or someone and go,oh hi, can I be work experience?
(33:16):
I mean, because I went whenthey've got you know 30 million
followers, it's a little bitdifferent.
But you know, but you know, withwith with marketing people and
their PR people, you know,direct message.
I mean, you might only have 500followers, but but you you have
to create start creating yourown brand.
And in and and by creating yourown brand, at least you're
(33:40):
getting your name out there.
You know, you your name is thengoing to be, you know, it might
only be a little tiny trickle inthat public relation person's um
life, but you are you're makingthe inroads into getting
potentially known.
You know, comment on onaccounts, don't just like
things, actually comment andsay, wow, well, you know,
(34:03):
Kirsty.
You know, that that I love thatstory, or I love that podcast
that you did about blah, blah,blah.
I was particularly interestedwhen you spoke to so and so
about that amazing resort inVietnam.
Yeah, so so so you look asthough, or you know, that you
are genuinely interested andpotentially interesting, because
(34:24):
you know, you are sounding asthough you are interested in the
subject matter because you'vetaken the time to actually, you
know, research and and listen towhether it's your podcast or or
a story someone's written or oror you know, read it or gone
through an entire magazine thatsomeone's just put out.
So, no, I think it's reallyinteresting.
(34:44):
It's really, I think socialmedia you it can be used so much
for good and for garneringreally good contacts.
SPEAKER_02 (34:52):
Yeah, that's really good advice.
We are sadly running out oftime.
So I'm gonna ask you the lastquestion we ask all of our
interviewees.
What was what's the most bizarrething that's ever happened to
you on your chores?
SPEAKER_01 (35:03):
Oh gosh.
Okay, yeah, okay, okay, this isbizarre.
I was I was flying from Londondown to Madrid because I was
actually about to walk um partof the Camino Trail.
And I'd been in um actually no,I'd been in London.
I then went to Paris because afriend of mine, Shelly Sullivan,
had just done this extraordinarybig MCO Beauty, which is a
(35:26):
beauty brand.
She'd done the this thing in thePlace Vendome, where she had all
these people marching aroundlike amazing, amazing.
You know, I got a plane fromParis to Madrid because I was
meeting a group in Madrid, andthen we were going to walk the
Camino.
I'm on the I'm on the plane, I II get off the plane, and I had
(35:47):
noticed a woman sitting next tome who looked like just a
quintessential sort of gypsy,but in a you know, like she was
sort of like a like agreat-looking gypsy, you know,
in a you know, in a Stevie Nickskind of way.
Anyway, I got off the plane andand I had my passport in my my
my passport holder.
Then I went to look for mywallet and I could not find my
(36:11):
wallet anywhere.
And I thought this is reallyweird.
Then I realized when she as wewere as the plane had landed,
she'd gone down to get her bagsat her feet, and she spent quite
a lot of time down there, whichI like, which even I thought
that was a bit weird because shewould just have to get her
couple of bags, and they werequite chock a block, and my bag
(36:35):
was at my feet, but I did say itwas open, and my wallet was at
the top because I'd actuallybought like a drink or water on
the trolley that because it wasjust on a cheap flight.
So she and I'm and I'm not evengonna say I'm not gonna say I
think she did it because I knowshe did it.
She's obviously got my wallet,stolen my wallet, and put it
(36:56):
into her bag.
And so then I arrived in Madridwith nothing apart, I mean,
apart from my password.
And I just got out money, I justgot out money because we're
gonna be walking the trail.
I'd had had had, oh my god,every credit card, everything.
And I was about to start thissort of this, you know, what you
know, this really sort ofcathartic, you know, wow, woe is
(37:18):
me, Camino Trail.
And I as on the uh I was on thephone all that night, canceling
credit cards, doing all thiscrap.
And luckily, you know, in afunny way, it was probably quite
good that I did this, you know,eight-day walk because it sort
of it made me think life isn'tthat bad.
But that's probably the mostawful experience and probably
(37:38):
the sort of the kookiest,craziest one um that I've had.
Apart from having a passport,while my passport was water
damaged and I was nearly not letinto the USA, but I somehow um I
somehow got my got my way in.
So but I did actually writeabout it.
But I wrote about that becauseit was like, you know,
passports, you you forget howyou know they are legal tender.
(38:01):
You really you have to so lookafter your passport.
So everyone, look after yourpassport.
SPEAKER_02 (38:08):
What amazing advice.
And I've absolutely lovedtalking with you.
Thank you so much for being onThe World Awakes.
SPEAKER_01 (38:15):
I love it.
Um, I'd do it again anytime wewe can we'll talk about more
things next time, Kirsty.
Thank you for having us.
We will.
SPEAKER_02 (38:21):
We absolutely will.
SPEAKER_00 (38:23):
Thank you.
I loved how she talked about theimpact Thailand has had on her
when she went to Kosamui for ajet setting experience and how
it just transformed her view ofa Thai getaway.
So for more, follow Melissa onInstagram at Melissa Hoyer.
SPEAKER_02 (38:49):
Our tip this week is about how to make your phone's
data last longer.
SPEAKER_00 (38:54):
Oh, it is the stuff of nightmares.
You're stuck on the streets ofParis with a train strike, and
you're gonna miss your time slotgoing up the Eiffel Tower, or
you've lost your way on aself-drive trip in the US.
You need an Uber, you needonline maps, and your phone is
out of data.
SPEAKER_02 (39:11):
Yes, horror show.
So between uploading self-holdsto socials, checking mets and
ordering online, we are burningthrough our data when we travel.
And ESOM provider Saley gives usthe stats on digital use, which
is super handy because you canat least have some idea of how
much data to buy when you landin a new country.
SPEAKER_00 (39:29):
So they have done a quick approximation of of what
your data is because you neverknow, do you?
You think how much is, you know,how much data am I going to to
if I upload this photo?
Um, so here's a rough guide foryou.
An hour's phone call, uh anhour's video call uses up to 300
meg.
Streaming music for one hourtakes about half that, about 150
meg.
(39:49):
And checking maps for fiveminutes burns 11 megabytes of
data, whereas uploading theperfect photo, 16 meg.
So all that adds up if youthought you needed to buy only
one gig of data.
Navigation apps and ride sharingapps left open, quietly guzzle
the data in the background.
SPEAKER_02 (40:07):
So, how can you put the brakes on?
Saylee says first up, either usetrust a trusted Wi-Fi connection
wherever you can.
So while you're still in yourhotel in the morning, which,
yeah, that's what we do, justalways make sure we click into
the to the local Wi-Fi and loadup all your socials and stuff
while you're there.
Or buy an ESIM with a solidamount of data on it.
Also, do you really need to makea video call?
(40:28):
Audio calls cost a lot less anduse a lot less data and are a
lot more reliable when you're onweak connections.
SPEAKER_00 (40:36):
And other great tips include downloading maps,
playlists, and TV shows beforeyou trip.
So do it at home.
Um, part of that essentialpre-trip preparation that I
think we'll both be doing thisweek, Kirsty.
And if you want to keep an eyeon your use, use a data
calculator to keep track so youdon't run out.
And make sure your mobile datais turned off as well so that it
(40:56):
doesn't default back to yourhome data plan and burn a giant
hole in your wallet.
SPEAKER_02 (41:03):
Yeah.
I mean, I do tend to, when Itravel, just use the local Wi-Fi
a lot whenever I can.
Um but yeah, having a SIM,having an eSIM is is is
definitely helpful.
And we've we did that too whenwe're in Europe last year.
Um so those stats are on Saley'swebsite, which is salie.com, and
we'll put a link in the shownotes.
SPEAKER_00 (41:22):
Next week, my guest is Rome-based opera singer
Brianna Stillman.
The Australian Soprano is theforce behind Opera Finity, which
is a charity that uses music tocreate connection.
And her work in Kenya isabsolutely inspirational.
SPEAKER_02 (41:35):
And we'd love it if you followed us on socials.
You'll find us at the WorldAwaits podcast on Instagram,
Facebook, and LinkedIn.
And please drop us a line too ifyou want to.
We'd love to hear from you.
Hello at the worldwaits.au.
Um, or you can drop us a littlenote on our socials.
Um, and if you are enjoying anyof our episodes, please give us
a ranking and review.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (41:54):
That's a wrap for the World Awaits this week.
Click to subscribe anywhere youlisten to your favourite pods.
Thanks for listening.
See you next week.
Welcome to the World Awaits.
Travel tales to inspire yourWonderless.
Welcome back to the WorldAwaits.
How are you all?
How's your week been, Kirsty?
SPEAKER_02 (00:13):
I had a lovely weekend down at Philippine last
week with my tribe, so it fillsyour soul when you go away with
some old friends and when theyall get along, considering some
of them didn't know each other.
But uh well, they did, they knoweach other.
But you know how when you bringold friends together and they
don't, yeah, they don'tnecessarily hook up outside of
you.
So um it was really lovely.
Um and it was such a beautifulspring weekend down there.
(00:35):
The um we went on a hike and ohmy gosh, there were wallabies
everywhere.
I just never tire of seeingthem.
It was incredible.
Um, and you can take a lookactually at the little wallabies
and on my Insta, which is KirstyRights, W-R-I-T-E-S.
And I've also been busy stillwriting about Cambodia, as well
as all the latest luxury newsfor carry-on.
(00:55):
So, how about you, Belle?
How's your week been?
SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
Uh, it was uh insanely busy.
So I was the first Journo towalk through Melbourne's newest
hotel.
Well, actually, it's hotelsbecause it's two hotels built
side by side, um, right in themiddle of Burke Street Mall.
So this is the five-star, well,they don't like to say
five-star, but this is theupmarket hotel Indigo Little
Collins, and then thefour-star-ish Holiday Inn right
(01:18):
beside each other.
So they're part of the samecompany, IHG.
And together it's about 450rooms overlooking the mall, or
behind it, Little CollinsStreet, and Union Lane runs down
the side, and it's got thatblockbuster mecca right next
door.
Oh my goodness, so good, Kirsty.
I went in there and I just aboutlost my mind and my wallet.
Um, back in the hotel, though, Idid test the menu by head chef
(01:41):
Daryl Hand, who runs thekitchens for both hotels.
Um, delicious, super cute liver,uh chicken liver parfait.
And the salmon was he served upa salmon, yum, and the salmon
was cured by gin from the localdistiller Little Lon, which is
actually in Melbourne CBD aswell.
So they're telling a reallyMelbourne story throughout.
I did post a TikTok and alsoInstagram about it, and what
(02:04):
polarized everyone was the boldblue um that they've used as the
feature colour.
It's a it's a Mondrian blue.
So think of a really strong umprimary blue, which is
apparently inspired by MelbourneStreet Science.
That's the signature colour forindigo.
So you can take a peek on myInstagram at global underscore
salsa and tell me what you thinkabout that blue.
SPEAKER_02 (02:27):
Amazing.
I'm actually staying at HotelIndigo Little Collins for
carry-on next month, and I'mgonna source out that salmon
cured by gin.
Oh, maybe we were at the sametime, bell.
Um be cool.
But you've had some other stuffgoing on this week, haven't you?
SPEAKER_00 (02:42):
Uh, yeah, right.
So as we um the other thingthat's been keeping me up at
night is prep for a trip toCentral Australia.
And when we go to air, I'llactually be driving through the
Red Center.
So we're starting in AliceSprings, working our way around
to King's Canyon and Uluru andtrying to find some of those
more off-beat experiences andplaces to camp and stay.
(03:02):
So I can't wait to tell you allabout it here on the podcast.
So I'm not going to say anymore.
I'm saving my powder, but alsoyou'll see it on the socials.
SPEAKER_02 (03:11):
Yeah, we actually have some really cool trips
coming up.
So make sure you're followingus.
We'll put them on the WorldAwaits um Insta as well.
But so make sure you follow usbecause uh you can, you know,
see where we're going and thenyou'll know what we're we're
about to talk about.
So I'm also off to Tahiti nextweek to be to the first
international yoga festival thatthe um this stunning island
(03:31):
nation's ever had held.
Um and I'm going to be the onlyJoomless here from Australia, so
I'm told.
So I'll be writing a littlewellness story for Carry On as
well as um a feature for the NewZealand Herald.
So yeah, you can follow me ifyou can stand watching this
stunning shots that I'm bound toget, these um tropical paradise
images on Insta.
SPEAKER_01 (03:49):
Not to mention you doing downward dog in fun of
them.
SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
Uh, not jealous at all.
Oh my god, I'm so stiff.
I just think of nothing moreblissful than doing a week of
yoga.
Um, I have to look backwards tomake myself um remind myself,
because you know, I've beenstuck in a bit of a rut, just
writing and and not traveling.
Um so I've got to look back atpast travels on the weekend.
You might have caught my coverstory on the Sydney Morning
Herald and the Age, which isabout Tunisia.
(04:18):
So if you need a desert hit tocounteract all of those Tahitian
seas, um, and you know, it's notexactly a destination that's top
of mind.
And that steers me into, I'mimproving my segues now, Kirsty.
That steers me into this week'sconversation, which is about
travel in lesser-known places.
So this is an annual list thatspotlights lesser-known places
(04:41):
that are ready to welcome moretravelers in 2026.
So take a listen and see howmany you've been to, or you can
put them on your backup list.
So the list kicks off with TawaiIsland in Sierra Leone, where
they recently launched a 10-yeartourism strategy to attract
international travelers and torecast the country as a leader
in ecotourism.
And at the heart of this is thisisland which was inscribed as a
(05:04):
UNESCO World Heritage Site lastuh this year.
So it's renowned for diversepopulations of animals, and it's
also part of the Gola ForestNational Park.
SPEAKER_02 (05:13):
Yeah, love this list.
And Intrepid really walks thetalk when it comes to giving
back and sustainable travelbecause they support so many
projects, um, which you can findon their website.
There's loads, you know, far toomany little lists here, but this
isn't spawns and contains oranything, but they just they
truly do do an amazing job.
And um, this list is just anexample of the work that they
do.
So back to the list.
And second was Tian ShanMountain Range in Kyrgyzstan,
(05:37):
and the stands are so wellvisited, but um but not this
mountain range.
So Intrepid says that this islong traversed by nomads, but
little known by outsiders.
SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
Yeah, absolutely.
When you do visit, you tend tojust skim through a couple of
the cities.
So the massive country waitingto be explored.
Um the third is Sierra Norte inMexico, which is deep in the
mountains of the Oaxaca and issaid to be one of the most
compelling examples ofindigenous-led tourism in the
world.
This is a cooperative of eightself-governing villages, which
(06:11):
operates under thiscommunity-led model that shares
profits equally, and it alsolimits visitor numbers.
SPEAKER_02 (06:17):
That sounds so cool.
I want to go there.
Fourth is Ves Island in Croatia.
I feel like Croatia's reallyhaving a moment.
Um, I'm going to Croatiaactually in November.
I cannot wait.
I've never been.
And um, but yeah, it's alsoactually trying to steer
visitors away from overcrowdeddestinations um within the
country.
So this means places like VesIsland are emerging as a bit of
(06:39):
a serene sort of refuge.
And the island has small-scalelocal experiences that it says
celebrates the island's charmand um slower pace of life.
SPEAKER_00 (06:49):
Well, look, I think Horatia's been having a moment
since Tom Cruise stayed there acouple of decades ago.
And then Game of Thrones sorry,Game of Thrones was filmed
there, and it just wentabsolutely insane.
Um beautiful, but yeah, it's soheavily concentrated around
Dubrovnik.
Um, fifth on the list is acountry close to my heart, and
that is uh Turkey.
(07:10):
And the region they're trying topromote there is South,
southeastern Anatolia.
Um, so it's driven by a nationalpush to showcase the region's
cultural and culinary heritage.
And I think that's the thingwith Turkey.
We just it's, you know, we justthink it's all kebab and stuff
like that.
But this area, um, which ispoised for tourism revival,
everybody talks about the foodfrom here.
So it's no secret to the locals.
(07:32):
Um the cities of Diakabir andMardin are still well off the
beaten trap for most foreignvisitors because it borders
Syria.
And, you know, as we always say,war's not good for tourism.
But the area is absolutelyriddled with UNESCO World
Heritage sites.
And um those and its key citiesare deeply invested in
attracting more visitors.
(07:53):
And there's I mean, there'splenty more interesting places
on the top ten, um, includingArancha or Pradesh in far
northern India, probablyoverlooked in the shadow of
neighbouring Bhutan, and alsothe 2026 European City of
Culture, Ulu, in lovely, lovelyFinland.
SPEAKER_02 (08:10):
Yeah, and Romania, El Salvador, and the US also
have places on the top ten.
So we'll save those for youbecause you can then look at the
link and work out and see wherethey all are and have a good
read.
(08:31):
This week I'm challenging toMelissa Hoyer, one of
Australia's most respectedlifestyle commentators,
journalists, and editors, who'sworked in the travel and
lifestyle sector of the mediaindustry for decades, and she's
interviewed the likes of DrewBarrymore, Lady Gaga, Kate
Blanchett, and J.K.
Rowling.
SPEAKER_00 (08:49):
All right.
Well, so besides some of thebiggest names in the film and
music industry, what made youwant to chat with her?
I mean, what's the what's thetravel hook?
SPEAKER_02 (08:57):
So Melissa has traveled extensively, and she
got into the industry in the 90swhen budgets were big.
Um, I mean, I remember that backin our in my early journey days
in newsrooms, you know, budgetswere really big.
And most of her biggestinterviews with those really big
names were the result of herbeing flown somewhere to meet
them.
So I wanted to have a chat withher about what some of her
(09:18):
favorite places were that shewent and also where the
celebrities go for those of usthat want to follow on their
footsteps, which we all do.
Um and she's also just anall-round wonderfully warm and
really humble person and reallypersonable.
And I'm I'm sure that you willfeel that.
So take a listen.
Welcome to the show, Melissa.
SPEAKER_01 (09:37):
Thank you.
I'm really happy.
I'm excited about this, Kirsty.
It's a podcast that I I listento a lot.
So I'm uh excited to to delveinto it with you.
SPEAKER_02 (09:48):
Oh, it's so nice to have you on the World Awaits,
and thank you for saying that.
That's very kind.
Give us a little backgroundabout how you came to work in
the media industry.
SPEAKER_01 (09:55):
Yeah.
Okay, so I in a nutshell, when Iuh my first job, I was actually
in public relations.
So in that role, and that waswith um the then Grace Brothers,
which was which then turned intoMaya.
So that was it was a retail PRjob.
Obviously, in PR, I met a lot ofeditors, um, one of them being
(10:17):
the fashion editor of the thenTelegraph newspaper.
She was going on a sort of asix-month sabbatical, and I had
always um wanted to get intoactually into journalism, into
newspapers, and I'd studied andand all that, but I had got this
job in PR.
I thought, oh, well, you know,it's great.
(10:37):
You know, I'm it was it was agreat job, but always in the
back of my mind, it was actuallymedia I wanted to get into.
Um this this this lady who hasunfortunately since passed away,
she uh was going away.
I got the the sabbatical job.
And then once she came back,they had loved what I was doing
there in newspaper land.
(10:58):
So I stayed at the Sunday andthe Daily Telegraph, which were
then sort of, you know, the twobig newspapers in Sydney in the
in the News Corp group.
There was a Fairfax and NewsCorp.
So it was the Telegraph, therewas News Corp, and obviously
Sydney Morning Held in Fairfax.
So really that was my start.
And then from there, and thatwas, and I was doing fashion
(11:20):
columns, lifestyle columns,interviewing celebrities.
It just sort of, it just sort ofsteamrolled.
And I think in a weird way,those were the days when you
could kind of do that.
You know, I think now mostpeople have could have sort of
got a lane, they've got a gig ina particular area, unless you,
of course, you're you're a newsjournalist.
(11:42):
But mine was very lifestyle,travel, fashion, beauty,
celebrity driven.
And really, since then, I thenmoved and I did stuff on Foxtel.
I did a fashion show where Ico-hosted with Hugh Jackman, and
then I did a lot with Foxtel,and I did a lot of commentary
with networks like the NineNetwork and Channel 7, and I've
(12:05):
done stuff on the ABC andChannel 10, I've done radio
commentary.
So it all kind of just it sortof happened.
And I think too, it was beforeobviously digital became the
thing.
So there, you know, we werenewspapers were our source of
news.
Digital obviously happened, youknow, around the like in my
(12:28):
world 2008, 2009.
And I then actually leftnewspaper land and focused on
the digital side of wanting toget into that world.
Because I just knew that thatwas where media was going.
And a lot of people sort ofwent, oh, you're, you know, why
are you doing that?
(12:49):
You know, you've you've gotthis, you know, solid, good,
strong job in newspaper land.
But I had been doing it for, youknow, 20 years.
And I sort of thought, no, I'mjust gonna do it and go
freelance, and which I did, butthen I got offered a job as the
editor at large of the digitalpublication at News Corp, which
(13:09):
is news.com.au.
So that was very much uh a rolethat was it, it was, it was
lifestyle, it was, it was, itwas beauty, it was travel, it
was entertainment, it was a bitof everything.
So I sort of was then using whatI had sort of learnt in the
digital land, because I had acouple of years in between, and
and I really embraced digitalwhile still not forgetting sort
(13:34):
of my roots of writing, becauseI still love writing for
publications, you know.
So it is just, you know, I mean,I think it's been good with
timing because I've had thatsort of experience in heritage
media, but of late, and it'sbeen much, much, much more
obviously about the digitalspace.
SPEAKER_02 (13:54):
Yes, absolutely.
Gosh, what a vast, um,incredible background.
Let's talk about some of theplaces you've been there,
amazing places that you've beento interview celebrities.
Have you actually have youtraveled a lot to interview them
or have a lot of them come toyou?
SPEAKER_01 (14:08):
Well, actually, interestingly, that there was a
real period that was probablysort of the early 2000s, late
90s, God sent sounds on a go.
And and and the naughtys.
I mean, I went I went toFlorence to interview Drew
Barrymore for a movie she wasdoing.
You know, I I I went to toLondon to interview um JK
(14:29):
Rowling.
I went to I was trying to thinkof other, I mean, oh, I went to
Japan to interview um there wasa a I think of who the the
celebrity wise, but she was thewhat a face for SK2, which is uh
a Japanese beauty brand.
(14:49):
I went to New York to speak withKate Blanchette, who was in a
play at that stage, plus she wasthe face of again the Japanese
brand SK2.
I've been, I've I've interviewedElle McPherson in London.
Um yeah, so so I think that waswhen your budgets were a little
bit bigger.
(15:10):
And um and and that people youyou would be flowing over to do
sort of, you know, what youknow, they're really junkets, I
guess.
Um so now they're probably notas as big simply because we can
be doing we can Zoom, you know,the amount of interviews we all
see now on morning shows or oror or news programs that have
(15:35):
been done via Zoom because, youknow, as we all know, the
technology is so good and it canlook as though you are
physically, you know, talking towhoever in in wherever.
I went I was in um I'm going toI was in Vegas a couple of years
ago to see the Carly Minogueshow, but I actually went just
(15:57):
on off my own steam because I'dactually I'd actually been on a
Oceania um two-day trip on oneof their ships from Los Angeles
to Mexico, and and I got back toLos Angeles and she was doing a
couple of shows in Vegas, CarlyMinogue.
So a friend of mine and I, webought bought tickets, which
(16:18):
were like ridiculouslyexpensive, but we had like the
best night ever seeing Carly.
We were like, you know, front,like literally front row on a
little cabaret table, and thereshe was, and we you know spoke
to her afterwards, and yeah, wethat I mean, just those sort of
things that have happened thatoften are sort of unexpected,
but there've been, you know, Imean I've interviewed, God, I
(16:41):
mean, you know, everyone fromlike Hugh Jack, mean Russell
Crowe, Naomi Campbell, um like amillion.
I mean, if anyone wanted tobother me have having a look
look at my LinkedIn, there's amillion names, there's a million
names there.
So I've I've been very fortunateand interviewed some really,
really fantastic people thathave that, you know, are people
(17:04):
that have inspired me.
No, and I'm not not from a oh, Iwant to be an actor because I'm
interviewed, blah, blah, butjust the way they talk to you
and the way they treat you.
And it's so often the thereally, really big names who
actually do talk to you sobeautifully and they don't talk
down to you.
But it it's often like sort ofthe the B and the C listers who
(17:28):
think they're so clever, they'reoften the ones who are a-holes,
to be honest.
SPEAKER_02 (17:34):
From some of those trips that you've done, what
what was your favorite?
And were and who who are theactors?
Uh can you name some that areactually were just really
lovely?
Um actresses.
SPEAKER_01 (17:47):
Oh, actually, yeah.
Um Drew Barrymore wasphenomenal, Angelica Houston was
phenomenal.
Um I mean, Russell Crowe'salways a great interview.
Um who else?
Oh boy, who else am I done?
I mean, Hugh Jackman, like whatyou see is what you get with
him.
Like he's just perfection.
(18:10):
I I mean, from a you know, he hegives you gives you what you
need.
And yeah, and you know, and andand and and with you know, yeah,
there's a there's a lot of sortof provisos that some people
want, you know, they won't talkabout this or they won't talk
about that.
Kate Blanchette, amazing.
Nicole Kidman, another fantasticinterview.
(18:31):
Naomi Watts, you know, all ofthat sort of, you know, they
they're probably all slightly abit older now, but I think, you
know, they have learnt as asthey've gone along as well that
you know, they want to be niceas well, you know, that that
they've they've probably gone aswell and as far in their career
(18:52):
because they are genuinely, youknow, they're creative, they
they they they want to give whatthey they know, and and they've
all been, you know, fantasticwhen when I I've spoken to them.
So it's it's been there hasn'treally been one absolute sort of
dickhead, which is sort offortunate, isn't it?
(19:14):
That's very fortunate,particularly Gang Street.
That's exactly, yeah.
So really good.
Yeah.
And also a lot of musicians too.
I mean, people like sort of likeJ Jimmy Barnes, Kate Sabrano.
Um, I did um I I had aninteresting encounter with um
Lady Gaga quite a few years ago.
(19:35):
She was in town doing like a biggig, but she did a very, very
small gig in a little uh uhlittle place off Oxford Street
in Sydney called Nevermind.
And it was there were only about120 people there, and it was
like a it was a secret squealgig that the organizer, a friend
of mine who unfortunately passedaway a few weeks ago, Stevie
(19:56):
Lowe, he organized and you know,we had to go through the back
way, and we had to be, you know,our name signed off.
And and she did this likeprivate gig for us.
And and then, you know,afterwards we were chatting to
her and talking to her, and andand and I and I did ask her, I
said, Oh, do you mind if I wasthere just as me, as opposed to
Melissa Hoy, journalist doing aninterview.
(20:17):
But I did ask her, Oh, do youmind if I just asked a few
questions?
And she was so lovely.
I asked her some lovelyquestions, and you know, I I got
a beautiful story out of it thatI I think it was I put it on
towisternews.com that I use.
So it was, yeah, yeah, thosesort of often those unexpected,
and then often I've met sort ofinteresting people at the those
those Melbourne Cup carnivals,like like Crazy Paris Hilton and
(20:39):
and people like that, thatthey've they've uh they've
they've you know often flowingin to be sort of you know the
guests.
Naomi Campbell was one of those,but she kept everyone waiting
for like three hours, so we allgot over that.
So, you know, she was a bit of adiva, let me tell you, but I
think that that's that's sort ofcommon knowledge.
So uh so I think you sort ofjust uh you know, you you often
(21:00):
learn to live with people whohave got sort of existing
reputation.
SPEAKER_02 (21:05):
Incredible.
And so did any of them thatyou've interviewed, have they
sort of talked to you abouttheir favourite places where
they've filmed or or orperformed as a musician?
Like what are some of their um Imean, there's a big thing at the
moment, just sort of a segue wecan we can either touch on now
or a bit later, but um, youknow, this set jetting um idea
of and white lotus has reallytaken off as far as people
(21:27):
wanting to follow in thefootsteps of of of where places
are filmed.
But are there any places, Iguess, more so about the people
from the people you interviewedwho they talked about sort of
places they filmed that theyjust thought were I remember I
actually once interviewed um TomCruise when he was in New
Zealand um and he just you knowadored Mount Taranaki because
(21:48):
they were they were filmingthere uh and uh and talked a lot
about this surfing and this loveof surfing in New Zealand.
So I wondered if there are anywho specifically talked about
certain places that youinterviewed.
SPEAKER_01 (21:58):
Yeah, it's interesting because a lot of
sort of uh celebs who that whocome to Australia for
interviews, often as part oftheir sort of their their their
interviewing sort of schedulehere, they'll often be then sent
set up to um either sort of umHamilton Island or Heyman Island
as a as a for a week afterthey've they've sort of they've
(22:21):
done their stuff in in Sydney,Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide,
da da da.
But I've it's funny, it's quitea few that I've spoken to of
late who have really wanted togo to New Zealand.
So it's interesting that youmentioned that because I think,
you know, I mean, from a from avisual, I mean, it still is it
is the most spectacular.
I mean, everything, I mean,there were so many places in all
(22:42):
the world, whether it's whetheryou go to Puli or whether you go
to an amazing uh what do youlike the Morocco or Marrakesh or
or the Cotswolds, everywherethere's there's beautiful
elements.
I mean, yeah, I've got gone tolovely islands in Fiji, I've
been to Vanuatu, um, I just Iwas in the the Maldives just
recently.
Like there's all of these placeswe enter, we go, oh wow, wow,
(23:04):
wow.
But there is something about NewZealand that so many people that
I have spoken to have oftengone, they've they've come and
done their Australian sort ofpromotional thing, but they'll
go over to New Zealand.
It it it's it's sort of, and andI think that's probably a lot to
do with so much filming that youknow that has been done in New
(23:25):
Zealand and and and and it andit's so spectacular.
I went I was in Queenstown aboutseven years ago for a friend's
wedding, and it was it was itwas I think it was June or July,
so it was cold.
But she she wore thisextraordinary, like feathered,
and she's not sort of afashionista, but she wore this,
she's very tall, and she woreshe she walked down and she wore
(23:47):
this like big feathered cape,and you'd think we were on the
set of of like some amazingspectacular Peter Jackson movie.
Like it was just beautiful, butbut yeah, I'm I'm really New
Zealand is is something, and Ithink a lot of um like Fijian
islands as well, you know, a lotof people are wanting to go
(24:09):
there who have spent time doingtheir sort of uh you know
promotional stuff here, thenthey'll they'll go whether
whether it's whether it's umKokomo or Tokariki or or or uh
Royal Diva Davui.
You know, there's so manybeautiful Fijian islands.
So yeah, I think that kind of gthat's sort of they want like a
(24:32):
real holiday at the end of oftheir time in Australia, whether
they've been filming or whetherthey're here for a promotional
thing.
So it's yeah, there's certainlythe places that that I'm hearing
that people are wanting to go toif they've come to Australia and
they've got a week to sort ofhave for a bit of hour and hour
afterwards.
SPEAKER_02 (24:52):
So for a local getaway, if you want to spot the
selege, you need to go to HeymanIsland, Hamilton Island, or New
Zealand.
SPEAKER_01 (24:58):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (24:59):
Yeah, and a bit of Fiji in there as well.
And a bit of Fiji, of course.
Yeah.
And VG is obviously alwaysalways a popular one.
And and uh and also probablyincreasingly because of the
incredible results that areopening now.
SPEAKER_01 (25:10):
Yep, and so and so and and and so close.
I mean, as in as in Australia.
I mean, like, you know, when youyou you're there in four hours,
you know, like it's it's a veryyou sort of often forget how
close Fijian islands are toAustralia.
So it's um yeah, and I think alot, you know, a lot of people
are looking at that too, thatthat they they don't want to
spend a day getting to a resortholiday.
(25:33):
You know, they're happy to dofour, five, six hours, but but
any longer, it's like, well,hang on, when I get there, I
just want to relax.
I don't want to spend sort of 24hours getting to somewhere where
I'm just gonna sort of relax.
So yeah, it's genius.
SPEAKER_02 (25:48):
Of all the places that you've been interviewing
celebrities or musicians, um,which are obviously also
celebrities, um, where where issomewhere, if you had to pick
one place as a complete standoutand somewhere that people that
you would recommend to people togo, where would it be?
SPEAKER_01 (26:05):
Auri.
Well, I mean, I I was fortunatewhen um I mean just before White
Lotus Thailand came out, I wentto um the Anantara hotels that
were used in White Lotus.
I mean, that there were twoparticular hotels that were used
(26:26):
as um as well as the so there'sfour seasons, but there were
there were two of the Anantara.
So I went on a on a media trip.
And even though we, you know, wewe didn't interview the because
the filming had already beendone.
But to actually, it wasinteresting to because to
actually go there and then comeback and then and then we hadn't
seen the show.
The show then was on, I thinkabout two months after we'd been
(26:49):
on our trip, then to actuallywatch the show and and and spot
the all the areas that we hadbeen to.
I mean, that that was reallysort of quite special.
And I can see the like theabsolute sort of reason why
people are sort of they're sortof flocking back to Thailand
because you know that they wantthat their own white lotus
(27:11):
experience.
And also, I sort of hadforgotten how beautiful sort of
Thailand is.
I think we sort of think bang,crazy Bangkok, da da da da.
But then when you actually thengo, you know, go to the islands,
um, it's just spectacular.
Like really just like that, youknow, they you can either you
can either do crazy and you cando nightclubs and all that, or
(27:34):
you can just do sort of useful,beautiful, calm, which which is
really probably the one thingmost people want to do when they
when they go to Thailand now.
And probably a bit of you know,a bit of shopping and eat well.
So it's good.
SPEAKER_02 (27:46):
Yeah, lots of well-being there too.
SPEAKER_01 (27:48):
Um yeah, very much.
SPEAKER_02 (27:50):
And so what are some of your other favourite sort of
travel experiences that you'vehad?
SPEAKER_01 (27:54):
Okay.
Well, my my father was Czech, soum I've had I've still got a
small uh amount of family inPrague.
So I've been to Prague a coupleof times, which is always an
interesting experience becausehis family, most of his family,
a few of them have passed onsince, but they could only speak
Czech.
There was one who could speakCzech, German, and bad, pretty
(28:19):
bad English.
My my Czech was hopeless, myGerman was okay.
So poor, I mean, poor he wouldhave to sort of I I would he
would ask me a question kind ofin in English and broken German.
I would sort of answer it inGerman, kind of broken English,
then he would then try totranslate it to Czech in order
(28:41):
to tell the family the question.
So who knows what he actuallyended up sort of answering some
of these questions with, becauseit was this lovely sort of
fusion of uh of three of threesort of languages.
But it was a you know, it'sfunny, even even though you you
you you'd have theseconversations, then you sort of
think, I wonder if she'sactually understanding my
(29:03):
answer.
But I think just in the way youwould talk and and and you know,
and and also photos, you know,just showing photos.
I mean, that was sort of a storyin itself.
So I I think I think I think wewent we went okay considering
the the the the complete lack ofthe Czech understanding of the
language from my part.
So yeah, so Prague, I lovePrague.
(29:25):
I mean, um Pulio, I've got afriend who has a fantastic place
there, a Maseria, it's calledMaseria Trapana.
He's an Australian-born friend,uh Rob Potter Um Sanders, who's
got a fabulous place.
Another great great guy calledCraig Markham, who works
actually with, he works inLondon for the um the Ferndale
(29:46):
group of hotels, which is likethe ham yard and I mean amazing
hotels.
He's just built um a place umjust outside of Puglia.
Collect Dinnigan is a friend ofmine, she's got a place there.
So I do love that.
Sort of I I love I love the bootof it of Italy, or the heel of
Italy, because that's obviouslywhere uh Puglia is.
(30:08):
Um oh yeah, I've I've I've hadlike um it's funny, I've I've
I've I've got these sort ofbucket list that I've had have
written down, and it'sinteresting.
I've just said yes to uh uh atrip that I'm gonna go on next
May, but it's with a group offriends, so we're we know we're
all paying for it, and it's toMarrakech and to Morocco because
I've not never I've never beenand I've always wanted to go.
(30:30):
And this trip has sort of comeup, and there's going to be 12
of us, and it's um yeah, so thatI'm so looking forward to that
because it's a a place I'vewanted to go to, but no, I'm I'm
a single person, and and it'ssort of hard sometimes to find
like like-minded people who youwant to travel to with who also
(30:51):
want to go at the same time,want to do it the same kind of
way.
You know, some people might havelots of money, some people may
not may want to do it sort of abit more budget-minded, but
yeah, the the way we're doing itis very sort of sort of middle
of the road.
That's it's it's a really it's agood price, and we're we're
we're paying and and it's afantastic itinerary.
So I'm that's next May.
(31:11):
So I'm that I'm really lookingforward to that.
And and I already know like fourpeople who are going on it, so
that's that'll be fun.
Uh yeah, and and and I'd loveto, um I'd love to go, I'd love
to do an amazing pon trip toAntarctica.
You know, I'd love to do allthat, but you know, it's it's
all relative and it's all youknow, it's about the the bank
balance and if someone cancommission me.
(31:33):
So it's all about that, as youknow.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:36):
So what would be uh give me a couple of top tips for
people who want to be doing whatyou're doing one day.
So who want to be traveling andalso uh interviewing um
celebrities.
Uh what what are a couple of toptips for people to get to get
into that?
SPEAKER_01 (31:52):
Okay.
Well, well, I think I mean andit's uh it's probably a lot
different now because because II started like you know, when I
did, you know, and you and youyou've been you know working in
the media for so long as well,not as long as me, because
you're you're much younger thanme.
SPEAKER_02 (32:07):
I don't think I don't think so.
SPEAKER_01 (32:09):
Yeah, actually, yeah, let's let's let it.
Let's have a bit about it.
Well, let's say we're abouteven.
Um, but um, you know, you sortof you you you you have to say,
I think it was social media.
I think the important thing andway to use social media,
particularly if you're juststarting off, is to really
engage with people.
You know, like a lot of peoplewill like stuff, like stuff,
(32:31):
like stuff, like stuff.
You know, that's all good andwell.
But if you are wanting to getinto that world of interviewing
celebrities, or I mean, and andand and if you're not some
nutcase, I mean, DM the person,you know, DM them.
I mean, like, you know, and andand and do your research, work
out who the management is or thePR who is looking after that
(32:55):
particular person or thatparticular resort or that
particular beauty brand or orthat particular fashion brand.
And and and and and and directmessage them because you know,
we we all do look at our DMs.
I mean, you know, obviously,you're not gonna DM, you know,
Kylie or Gaga or someone and go,oh hi, can I be work experience?
(33:16):
I mean, because I went whenthey've got you know 30 million
followers, it's a little bitdifferent.
But you know, but you know, withwith with marketing people and
their PR people, you know,direct message.
I mean, you might only have 500followers, but but you you have
to create start creating yourown brand.
And in and and by creating yourown brand, at least you're
(33:40):
getting your name out there.
You know, you your name is thengoing to be, you know, it might
only be a little tiny trickle inthat public relation person's um
life, but you are you're makingthe inroads into getting
potentially known.
You know, comment on onaccounts, don't just like
things, actually comment andsay, wow, well, you know,
(34:03):
Kirsty.
You know, that that I love thatstory, or I love that podcast
that you did about blah, blah,blah.
I was particularly interestedwhen you spoke to so and so
about that amazing resort inVietnam.
Yeah, so so so you look asthough, or you know, that you
are genuinely interested andpotentially interesting, because
(34:24):
you know, you are sounding asthough you are interested in the
subject matter because you'vetaken the time to actually, you
know, research and and listen towhether it's your podcast or or
a story someone's written or oror you know, read it or gone
through an entire magazine thatsomeone's just put out.
So, no, I think it's reallyinteresting.
(34:44):
It's really, I think socialmedia you it can be used so much
for good and for garneringreally good contacts.
SPEAKER_02 (34:52):
Yeah, that's really good advice.
We are sadly running out oftime.
So I'm gonna ask you the lastquestion we ask all of our
interviewees.
What was what's the most bizarrething that's ever happened to
you on your chores?
SPEAKER_01 (35:03):
Oh gosh.
Okay, yeah, okay, okay, this isbizarre.
I was I was flying from Londondown to Madrid because I was
actually about to walk um partof the Camino Trail.
And I'd been in um actually no,I'd been in London.
I then went to Paris because afriend of mine, Shelly Sullivan,
had just done this extraordinarybig MCO Beauty, which is a
(35:26):
beauty brand.
She'd done the this thing in thePlace Vendome, where she had all
these people marching aroundlike amazing, amazing.
You know, I got a plane fromParis to Madrid because I was
meeting a group in Madrid, andthen we were going to walk the
Camino.
I'm on the I'm on the plane, I II get off the plane, and I had
(35:47):
noticed a woman sitting next tome who looked like just a
quintessential sort of gypsy,but in a you know, like she was
sort of like a like agreat-looking gypsy, you know,
in a you know, in a Stevie Nickskind of way.
Anyway, I got off the plane andand I had my passport in my my
my passport holder.
Then I went to look for mywallet and I could not find my
(36:11):
wallet anywhere.
And I thought this is reallyweird.
Then I realized when she as wewere as the plane had landed,
she'd gone down to get her bagsat her feet, and she spent quite
a lot of time down there, whichI like, which even I thought
that was a bit weird because shewould just have to get her
couple of bags, and they werequite chock a block, and my bag
(36:35):
was at my feet, but I did say itwas open, and my wallet was at
the top because I'd actuallybought like a drink or water on
the trolley that because it wasjust on a cheap flight.
So she and I'm and I'm not evengonna say I'm not gonna say I
think she did it because I knowshe did it.
She's obviously got my wallet,stolen my wallet, and put it
(36:56):
into her bag.
And so then I arrived in Madridwith nothing apart, I mean,
apart from my password.
And I just got out money, I justgot out money because we're
gonna be walking the trail.
I'd had had had, oh my god,every credit card, everything.
And I was about to start thissort of this, you know, what you
know, this really sort ofcathartic, you know, wow, woe is
(37:18):
me, Camino Trail.
And I as on the uh I was on thephone all that night, canceling
credit cards, doing all thiscrap.
And luckily, you know, in afunny way, it was probably quite
good that I did this, you know,eight-day walk because it sort
of it made me think life isn'tthat bad.
But that's probably the mostawful experience and probably
(37:38):
the sort of the kookiest,craziest one um that I've had.
Apart from having a passport,while my passport was water
damaged and I was nearly not letinto the USA, but I somehow um I
somehow got my got my way in.
So but I did actually writeabout it.
But I wrote about that becauseit was like, you know,
passports, you you forget howyou know they are legal tender.
(38:01):
You really you have to so lookafter your passport.
So everyone, look after yourpassport.
SPEAKER_02 (38:08):
What amazing advice.
And I've absolutely lovedtalking with you.
Thank you so much for being onThe World Awakes.
SPEAKER_01 (38:15):
I love it.
Um, I'd do it again anytime wewe can we'll talk about more
things next time, Kirsty.
Thank you for having us.
We will.
SPEAKER_02 (38:21):
We absolutely will.
SPEAKER_00 (38:23):
Thank you.
I loved how she talked about theimpact Thailand has had on her
when she went to Kosamui for ajet setting experience and how
it just transformed her view ofa Thai getaway.
So for more, follow Melissa onInstagram at Melissa Hoyer.
SPEAKER_02 (38:49):
Our tip this week is about how to make your phone's
data last longer.
SPEAKER_00 (38:54):
Oh, it is the stuff of nightmares.
You're stuck on the streets ofParis with a train strike, and
you're gonna miss your time slotgoing up the Eiffel Tower, or
you've lost your way on aself-drive trip in the US.
You need an Uber, you needonline maps, and your phone is
out of data.
SPEAKER_02 (39:11):
Yes, horror show.
So between uploading self-holdsto socials, checking mets and
ordering online, we are burningthrough our data when we travel.
And ESOM provider Saley gives usthe stats on digital use, which
is super handy because you canat least have some idea of how
much data to buy when you landin a new country.
SPEAKER_00 (39:29):
So they have done a quick approximation of of what
your data is because you neverknow, do you?
You think how much is, you know,how much data am I going to to
if I upload this photo?
Um, so here's a rough guide foryou.
An hour's phone call, uh anhour's video call uses up to 300
meg.
Streaming music for one hourtakes about half that, about 150
meg.
(39:49):
And checking maps for fiveminutes burns 11 megabytes of
data, whereas uploading theperfect photo, 16 meg.
So all that adds up if youthought you needed to buy only
one gig of data.
Navigation apps and ride sharingapps left open, quietly guzzle
the data in the background.
SPEAKER_02 (40:07):
So, how can you put the brakes on?
Saylee says first up, either usetrust a trusted Wi-Fi connection
wherever you can.
So while you're still in yourhotel in the morning, which,
yeah, that's what we do, justalways make sure we click into
the to the local Wi-Fi and loadup all your socials and stuff
while you're there.
Or buy an ESIM with a solidamount of data on it.
Also, do you really need to makea video call?
(40:28):
Audio calls cost a lot less anduse a lot less data and are a
lot more reliable when you're onweak connections.
SPEAKER_00 (40:36):
And other great tips include downloading maps,
playlists, and TV shows beforeyou trip.
So do it at home.
Um, part of that essentialpre-trip preparation that I
think we'll both be doing thisweek, Kirsty.
And if you want to keep an eyeon your use, use a data
calculator to keep track so youdon't run out.
And make sure your mobile datais turned off as well so that it
(40:56):
doesn't default back to yourhome data plan and burn a giant
hole in your wallet.
SPEAKER_02 (41:03):
Yeah.
I mean, I do tend to, when Itravel, just use the local Wi-Fi
a lot whenever I can.
Um but yeah, having a SIM,having an eSIM is is is
definitely helpful.
And we've we did that too whenwe're in Europe last year.
Um so those stats are on Saley'swebsite, which is salie.com, and
we'll put a link in the shownotes.
SPEAKER_00 (41:22):
Next week, my guest is Rome-based opera singer
Brianna Stillman.
The Australian Soprano is theforce behind Opera Finity, which
is a charity that uses music tocreate connection.
And her work in Kenya isabsolutely inspirational.
SPEAKER_02 (41:35):
And we'd love it if you followed us on socials.
You'll find us at the WorldAwaits podcast on Instagram,
Facebook, and LinkedIn.
And please drop us a line too ifyou want to.
We'd love to hear from you.
Hello at the worldwaits.au.
Um, or you can drop us a littlenote on our socials.
Um, and if you are enjoying anyof our episodes, please give us
a ranking and review.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (41:54):
That's a wrap for the World Awaits this week.
Click to subscribe anywhere youlisten to your favourite pods.
Thanks for listening.
See you next week.
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