Traveller Profile - Lexi from 'Avaycay'

This month our featured traveller is Lexi Connors from the Hunter Valley in Australia.

Lexi has travelled to 36 countries to date. Her last trip abroad was an around-the-world adventure, starting in Athens, Greece and finished up prematurely in the USA in March 2020.

She's passionate about responsible travel and regularly publishes content online to help travellers be more ethical while they're abroad. You can find her words at www.avaycay.com as well as @avaycay on Facebook and Instagram.

1. Why do you travel?

Sometimes I feel as if I have an incurable case of curiosity. I'd say most Australian's would agree that we are united by our curiosity as well as our longing to explore. Perhaps it's a symptom of growing up on an island as far away from the perceived 'rest of the world' as possible. Or maybe it's because our culture is a little distorted compared to other countries worldwide.

I attribute that to our rich Aboriginal history that isn't celebrated as much as it could be. Combine that with our blended European settler stories, what you have is a laid-back, yet varied mix. I find this is so unlike anywhere else I've travelled.

Most of all, I travel to learn, to be inspired and to try new things.

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

My Favourite place: Spain. The way of life. The food. The siesta. The language. The culture. I love it all.

My favourite mode of transport is by foot.

My go-to sources for travel information is the New York Times 52 places list, Culture Trip and Condé Nast Traveller.

3. What is your favourite travel memory?

Living in New York City for three months.

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

Patience and perspective can go a long way. Also, you really don't need language to communicate. But, a little bit goes a long way.

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

Not including my boyfriend, either Michelle Obama or Jim Carey.

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

As much as we all hate the B word, budgeting really helped me save for my last year-long round the world trip. I read the 'Barefoot Investor' book by Scott Pape and it changed the way I save, spend and source money forever.

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

I blog about it! Then I'll book my next trip; it’s important for me to always having something to look forward to.

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

I have three things…Visit the local supermarket, go for a run, and eat as much local food as physically possible.

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

Flying as least as possible. I do this by practising slow travel principles; I start by selecting one place to visit and get to know it really well before moving on. I'm a big fan of long-distance walking and cycling. So, instead of flying across a country, I opt to explore with my feet. (I walked the width of Spain, in 2017 along the Camino de Santiago and this year set out to cycle across the USA.)

When I do fly, I offset my travels and always fly the most direct route possible. I'll also bring reusables with me such as a water bottle, cutlery, straw and shopping bag.

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

I've never been to any of these countries, but they are high on my bucket list. In my imagination, I have two years to get through it, so as not to rush each place.

Starting and finishing in Sydney, I'd start by flying to Kiribati in the Pacific Islands, then Buenos Aires, Argentina, then Windhoek, Namibia, then Lisbon, Portugal, then Tehran, Iran, then Yangon, Myanmar and lastly, Cebu, Philippines.

Thanks for sharing Lexi, this has got me itching to travel again. What a shame you had to cut short your around the world trip early.

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…

To read past traveller profiles; click here.