Hey, I’m Jess!
Firstly, thanks for stopping by! In short, I am a mountain girl that was raised in the city. I bought a van when I was 20, hit the road and never looked back. I spend winters at the Australian snow fields, and summers exploring new destinations. At any point in time, I am either camping, skiing, snowboarding, climbing or skating and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Why I started Jess Talks Travel
I’m often asked (in person or on my socials) about where I’ve been, how I do it, and how much it all costs. And as the name suggests, I tend to talk quite a lot… meaning that I could sit for hours recapping my adventures, providing as much information as possible to share tips and tricks about the best spots and best deals for their next holiday. Naturally, after telling the same stories a few times, I realised that there’s probably others out there that might also find the information useful. So, Jess Talks Travel was born as a digital collection of my travels and what I had learnt along the way, in the hopes that someone else might benefit along the way.
Work – Life Balance
I believe in prioritising interests and experiences over wealth and work. But of course, we need money to fund those experiences as well as make enough to fund a future. I started working at a young age, coaching gymnastics and climbing which allowed me to turn my passions into income. By 20, I was studying physiotherapy full time, while working every spare moment.
Eventually, working and studying 7 days a week caught up with me and I found myself constantly counting down to my next day off. I knew something needed to change. I saved enough to buy my first van, fitted it out and took some time off to travel with no real plan. The new freedom opened up a world of new experiences and I knew I could never look back.
But of course, traveling isn’t cheap, and eventually the need to find work resurfaced. Wanting to keep working within my passions, I took a job at a snow resort. Little did I know, I sparked the beginning of my future in the snow industry. Seasonal work gave me the balance I was chasing; earning money while leaving space to travel and create unforgettable memories. For 6 years, my work funded my travels while slowly saving for my future, all while working in environments that allowed me to live and play in the mountains that I loved.
Eventually, my work at the snow resort took a turn towards a career as I landed a full time contract in senior management. Determined not to lose my sense of adventure, I transitioned from a van to a 4WD with a roof top tent for easy weekend escapes, and used annual leave to continue exploring overseas.
I now work full time, in an industry and environment that I love, while still making space for travel, adventure and meaningful experiences.
