Does anyone actually read ‘about’ pages anymore? Well, if you are reading this, don’t worry, I won’t bore you with 101 facts about me. I’m just here to say hello!
If this is the first time you’ve landed on my blog, or if you’ve been a reader for a while and just want to know who I am… Hey, I’m Zara. Self-confessed travel addict, lover of new experiences and a food-obsessed, outdoorsy kind of gal who loves to write about her travels in the hope someone might either enjoy reading, feel inspired or benefit in some other way.
I live on the beautiful Jurassic Coast in East Devon, in the South of England, and feel very privileged to inhabit such a stunning part of the world. I’m originally from the city of Birmingham, but moved to the south coast when I got married to my hubby, Jamie, in 2011. FYI, he’s a pretty awesome photographer, so go check out his website – #shamelessplug!
How did Passport for Living start?
In 2014, I fell head over heels in love with exploring our planet. After a trip to The Gambia in February 2014, I realised there was a hell of a lot more to life than the tiny corner of earth I called home. An insatiable addiction to travel was born and I haven’t looked back since!
Although it sounds like a clich̩, Jamie encouraged me to start this travel blog as a creative outlet and a place to share my photos and experiences with anyone who may be interested. I fully expected to only ever have 2 readers Рmy husband and my mum!
Fast forward almost 5 years and I now have thousands of people landing on this blog every month.
Is this blog your full-time job?
No. While I’d love to be able to make a full-time income from this blog, I haven’t yet taken that leap. I currently work as a project manager for a fantastic web development and digital marketing agency based in Somerset. If you want to learn more about how this blog helped me get a job I love, check out this post…
I really enjoy my job and the wonderful people I work with but, for now, this means that travel is something I have to fit around work.
I know a lot of people are in the same boat though. Not everyone can throw caution to the wind, quit their life and take off on an around the world trip. So, if you want to learn how to travel the world on a budget while holding down a day job and home life, you’re in the right place!
What can you expect to find here?
As well as in-depth destination guides and itineraries, you’ll also find travel tips, travel stories, travel inspiration and detailed hiking guides from around the world.
In recent years, I have discovered a real love for hiking, both overseas and on hiking trails close to home. I spend a lot of time exploring the nearby Dartmoor National Park and hiking the South West Coast Path when I’m not travelling outside of the UK.
I don’t travel in luxury – you’ll rarely find me in 5-star hotels, preferring instead to save money for experiences and more frequent trips. So, you can expect to find budget travel tips and advice on how to make your money go further, as well as first-hand insider info from destinations we have visited to help you travel on a shoe-string.
I enjoy traveling with my husband and friends, but also love to travel alone and love to inspire other women to do the same. If you want advice and inspiration on solo female travel, head here.
