Traveller Profile - Nikola

Introducing our feature traveller for the month of August, Nikola.

Hey guys, Nikola here. By day, I’m a scientist based in Sydney. When not at work, you’ll usually find me out hiking, camping, enjoying good food and wine or deeply engrossed in the novel I’m currently reading. All up I’ve visited 23 countries since the travel bug hit me many years ago, and I look forward to adding more.

My last trip was to South East Queensland, exploring the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Hinterlands. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I realised I’d never been to the area as an adult, so I booked a ticket and off I went. Pre-COVID, my last international trip was to the USA to California, Texas, Chicago and New York before crossing seas to Serbia to visit family and road trip the country where my family is from.

Where to even begin on the next destination – that list is ever-growing and never-ending. Domestically, I’ve got a few long weekends back up to QLD (COVID-permitting), one of which will be sailing the Whitsundays for 2 nights. Internationally, I’d likely return to Serbia to visit family and holiday around the Balkans – an area where so many areas are still so untouched in regards to tourism.

If you’d like to find Nikola online, check out his incredible photos and post on Instagram at @nikmedo.

1. Why do you travel?

I travel to see the world’s incredible places. This planet is full of so many beautiful sights, cities and experiences, and I want to be able to see as many as I can.

2. Tell us your favourite: place to visit, mode of transport and source to get travel info.

I think, like many people, picking one favourite place to visit is extremely difficult. While biased, my favourite place to visit is Serbia and Montenegro. There’s something about being able to visit family on the other side of the world and seeing places that aren’t yet ruined by mass tourism. However, I do find myself always drawn to the national parks in the US and cannot wait to get back to Yosemite NP.

If it’s possible, my favourite mode of transport is walking. Not only is it an easy exercise to keep that holiday weight at bay, but you get to see so much more of a city compared to a train or bus. You never know what you may come across 😊 Not only that, but hiking trails can lead you to some incredible natural sights as well.

Being such an organiser when it comes to holidays, I definitely utilise so many different sources. I will utilise word of mouth suggestions, Instagram hashtags and profiles for that region, as well as Google searches for tourism websites, blog posts pertaining to the destination, etc and hopefully across all these methods, I can put together an itinerary that includes both major tourist destinations and local-only spots.

3. What is your favourite travel memory?

I was travelling through Northern Territory, Australia in 2019 with two very close friends. We were making our way to Rainbow Valley, south of Alice Springs. Completely remote and only accessible by 4WD, we arrived to only find another two groups of campers.

We set our rooftop tent up, got the fire going and settled in for the night. As the stars came out, we were greeted with the milky way – the clearest I’d ever seen it! Soon after, a nearby camper began playing an acoustic guitar and gently singing. Her voice carried in the silent evening and it was absolute bliss!

4. What's the most important thing you've learned while travelling?

That to travel the way we do, see the places we see, and live with a roof over our heads and food on our table is a privilege and a humbling experience. Therefore, travel is an opportunity to remind myself of all that I am grateful for and that there are many who cannot afford such luxury that we very easily take for granted.

I’ve also learnt that it’s ok to let go once in a while, that not every minute of every day can be planned perfectly and to just let things happen. As someone who is a highly organised individual, and most (all) trips have some sort of itinerary, the best nights can (and do!) happen when there is no plan.

 5. Who would you love to sit next to on your next flight?

As an avid reader, I’d probably want to be seated next to one of my many favourite authors.

6. What's your best money-saving tip to travel?

Travel needs to be a priority. If it isn’t, you’ll find excuses to spend the money elsewhere.  Dining out and unnecessary retail purchases for example can add up to quite a large sum weekly or fortnightly. Cutting these back and prioritising a future holiday will quickly add up to a large chunk of money saved.

I also strongly encourage staying in cheaper accommodation options. While I do love a nice hotel stay, if the room will only be occupied to sleep, then I’d much rather spend $50 a night, compared to $250 and put that towards amazing food and experiences. Across five nights, you’ve just saved $1000.

7. How do you deal with the post-holiday blues?

I’ve always got a holiday or weekend away in the works. You’ve got to have something to look forward to! With COVID, these plans can get thrown out the window but planning is half the fun for me haha.

8. What's one thing you like to do in every place you visit?

Hunt down the coolest bars!

9. Travelling can leave a big environmental footprint, how do you minimise yours?

Where I can, I will carbon offset my flight upon booking. And once I get to my destination, I try to prioritise walking as much as possible.

At home, I do my best to reduce plastic usage in my everyday life as well as recycling properly. I minimise my purchasing of new clothes to reduce fast fashion, and any clothing I’d like to get rid of gets donated. I also try to do other little things like use reef-safe sunscreens, buy eco-friendly skin and body products and buy plastic-free fruit and veg where possible.   

10. Plan an around the world trip for us, stopping in one city only on each continent.

Australia – Sydney – Biased, but I feel there are very few cities in Australia and the world that can provide you with so much. Incredible beaches all along the coast, and plenty of mountains and national parks (Blue Mountains, Royal National Park, Kuringgai, etc) within a ninety-minute drive. Or if you don’t want to leave the city, there are an abundance of coastal walks, bars, restaurants that even a year-long holiday wouldn’t be enough. As expensive as it is, there is something that will always draw me to the beauty of Sydney and its surroundings.

Asia – Colombo, Sri Lanka – All it took was a few photos from a friend’s holiday in Sri Lanka to make me add it to my bucket list. And considering how small the island is geographically, it would not be too difficult to venture out and explore this incredible island. I’d even challenge my fear of heights to climb the famous Sigiriya – the ruins of a 5th-century city. From Colombo, you can also visit Udawalawe National Park to see elephants roaming in the wild, or Haputale Mountains where tea lovers will find plenty to enjoy.

Europe – Belgrade, Serbia – Again, biased (sorry!), but Belgrade is one of those cities that many have not heard of, and yet once they leave, is a place they wish to return to. The capital of Serbia is a city steeped in culture and history. Not only is it known for its fantastic food and drink, for those who like to party, but summer also brings out the ‘Splavovi’ – river barges that are in fact nightclubs along the Sava River. And no trip is complete without a sunset at the Kalemegdan Fortress which overlooks where the Sava and Drina River’s merge into one.

Africa – Marrakech, Morocco – Something about the richness of the culture, the food, and the colours of this city make me want to visit. It is also a city steeped in history, the Jemaa el-Fna market a place to experience and an abundance of museums to visit. From there, I would also love to visit Tangier, Fez and the famous blue city, Chefchaouen.

USA – Austin, Texas – Austin proved to be a highlight of my most recent visit there. Just outside the city, you can find Longhorn Cavern State Park. Here you can find an underground cavern that is available as a guided tour. Nearby, Hamilton Pool Reserve is a popular swimming hole complete with its own waterfall. The city itself comes alive at night. Hidden bars and a great food scene combined with the famous Rainey and 6th St make for a fantastic time in Austin. Not to mention some incredible Texas BBQ.

South America – Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile – More commonly known as Easter Island, this landmass politically belongs to Chile although it does fall within the Oceanian landmass. Since a child, I’ve always wanted to see the famous Moai statues, of which there are nearly 1,000 on the island. The island also has some incredible beaches, and what’s a holiday without some relaxation by the ocean.

Antarctica – McMurdo Station – While there aren’t technically any cities on Antarctica, I just really want to visit it! Those towering ice cliffs, the wildlife! Something primal draws me to it, or maybe it is just the photographer in me who wants to witness such a place with my own eyes.

Thanks Nikola for sharing. I love the cities you would visit when travelling around the world. Easter Island is definitely on my bucket list.

To read past traveller profiles; click here.

Each month an enthusiastic traveller will share with us their personal stories from their adventures around the world. If you would like to be featured in the upcoming months then please drop us a note below…