For The Love Of Travel

Me in Piccadilly Circus, London, UK

The Arrival

“Hello Miss. Please state the nature of your visit?”

“I’m here on a working holiday, mostly holiday.”

“I see. and where will you be staying?”

“At the Eurotowers hostel in Stockwell, sir.”

“Do you have the contact details of any persons you will be residing with?”

“Well I have written my friend’s details on the form sir. But I will be at the hostel.”

“Very well, welcome to London.”

*STAMP!*

Yes! I’m in!

1 backpack, 2 doc maartens, an empty passport and many many dreams.

As I stepped through customs and immigration my heart soared! My first solo International adventure, one of infinitely many more to come.

This 19-year-old South African yearned to explore the world’s backyard. Like many like-minded South Africans’, I too, subscribed to the 2 year UK working holiday rite of passage…for the love of travel.

The Travel Bug

Me mid-cheese being a tourist in Oxford Street, London, UK

A never-ending, insatiable appetite to traipse the globe grabbed hold.

Work. Save. Travel. Repeat.

I wanted to see Europe by the age of 21….and I did!

I was a sponge! Soaking up every ounce of sights, sounds, tastes, and culture.

One month I had a mere 5 GBP to my name. Thank goodness for charitable roomies (of course I paid her back). But stay I would stay, noodles I would eat, return to SA no way! There was too much to still be explored…For the love of travel.

I quickly learnt where the cheapest foodie joints were, how to spend less on phone calls and the internet, all so that I could save every pence towards my trips.

From temp job to temp job the only thought sustaining me was that of my next big adventure.

The Wanderluster

I read an inspirational quote on Pinterest today that said:

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”.

Deeply profound words, don’t you think? They certainly ring true for me.

16 years, 20 countries and countless memories later I’m still the same wanderluster I ever was….for the love of travel.

Here are a few of my fondest memories of some the best places I’ve travelled to:

The first time I saw snow in Toronto, Canada

President George Mason and I having a chat about Obama care (just kidding) in Washington DC, USA

Sonya, Myself and Jenny in front of the Acropolis in Greece

Gondala ride with my girls in Venice, Italy (This is a photo of a photo circa 2001)

Cruising in the Carribean, St, Croix, USVI

Sunset Sailing in the Greek Isles

The White House, Washington DC, USA

Doha, Qatar

DOHA DAY “Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” @FioraLewis . Thanks to #SellhardWC S1 for an amazing journey? . . . . . . . . #TravelTuesday #TheJaxBlog #Travelblogger #blogger #sales #FaselisSA #reality #tv #finalist #Watergate #VisitDoha #ifollowthetribe

A post shared by Jacqui Cooks |TRAVEL & DIGITAL (@thejaxblog) on Dec 13, 2016 at 9:15am PST

Ngong Ping, Hong Kong

?WISDOM PATH? Wisdom Path traces a series of 38 wooden steles (upright monuments) containing verses from the centuries-old Heart Sutra — one of the world’s best-known prayers revered by Confucians, Buddhists and Taoists alike. These steles display the Chinese version of the prayer, based on the calligraphy of famous contemporary scholar Professor Jao Tsung-I, and are arranged in a ∞ pattern, which represents infinity. … Set in the hills of Ngong Ping and a short walk from the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, Wisdom Path also offers soothing eyefuls of the South China Sea. …. Thanks @discoverhongkong ……. #iphonography #iphoneonly #epictravelpics #travelsamazingx #amazingdreamypics #TravelTuesday #DiscoverHongKong #ifollowthetribe

A post shared by Jacqui Cooks |TRAVEL & DIGITAL (@thejaxblog) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:59am PST

Uluru, Ayers Rock, Australian Outback

?@UluruAyersRock , is a massive sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s arid “Red Centre”. . Uluru is believed to have been created at the beginning of time by 10 ancestors, or spirit people, of the Aboriginal people. ? ____________________________________________________ #PixelPanda #travel #traveling #vacation #visiting #instatravel #instago #instagood #Blogger #iphoneonly #iphonographer #anangupeople #history #culture #TravelDudes #ifollowthetribe #GetawayGoals

A post shared by Jacqui Cooks |TRAVEL & DIGITAL (@thejaxblog) on Oct 23, 2016 at 6:15am PDT

I have a new motto now: “Stop dreaming Start Travelling!”

Once that travel bug bites, it never really goes away. Thank goodness for these insanely good flight specials from Travelstart. Now you too can experience the world without breaking the bank…for the love of travel.

*Some of these photos pre-date the digital camera era so please forgive the grainy quality