A little about me
Traveling to countries with different cultures teaches you a lot about the world. It makes you more open minded, gets you out of your comfort zone and creates a deeper understanding of the world we live in.
My background
I have a great love for traveling, researching my next destinations, Australian opals and non-fiction books. When I’m at my home base near Amsterdam, you’ll always find me being surrounded by candles and flowers.
I’m passionate about all things travel related. I used to work at a law firm which specializes in migration law. I absolutely loved defending people with my writing.
However, I didn’t like the work culture. That’s why I quit. I think no amount of status or money is worth sacrificing your (mental) health for.
Travel style
I’ve been to 5 continents and have traveled to more than 40 countries. When I travel, I specifically tend to look out for hidden gems. I prefer to travel to places less traveled.
At the same time, I’m always looking for authentic cultural experiences. I mostly focus on travel in Europe and Asia.
As I don’t own a car nor have a driving license, I always make use of public transport while traveling.
While I travel, I prefer to stay in boutique hotels, as these are more personal than large hotel chains, yet still offer a sense of luxury.
When I’m traveling in Asia, I also like to stay in guesthouses, as it’s a great way to support locals.
Sometimes I travel solo, while other times I travel together with my boyfriend as a couple.
Traveling together gives me the advantage of sharing experiences with each other, whereas traveling solo gives me a raw sense of independence and the freedom to wander wherever I want to.
In short, this pretty much sums up my travel style:
- Hidden gems
- Public transport
- Cultural travel in Europe & Asia
- Boutique hotels and guesthouses
Most memorable adventure
One of my most memorable adventures was living in Shanghai and studying Chinese Law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (上海交通大学).
Especially since I embarked on this journey completely alone, without knowing anyone there and without speaking a word of Mandarin.
Nevertheless, this adventure taught me many lessons, showed me sides of China I did not know existed, and sparked my interest to travel even more.
Away with Danae
Away with Danae was born from my obsession with carefully researching, organizing and planning travel itineraries. Each time around I’ve done tons of research on the different, lesser known, places I could visit. There is no such thing I like more than obsessing over my next destination (or yours!).
I’ve been brought up with the idea that experiences are way more valuable than materialistic possessions. My parents used to live in the bush in Australia, far far away from mankind.
They lived in a tent in the outback for years, accompanied by their VW van. Surrounded by snakes, spiders and in the heat, they made a living by opal mining. If you can survive in the bush, you can survive anywhere. They have been my biggest inspiration in life and have taught me a lot about how to navigate this world full of adventure.
A lot of our money goes into buying materialistic things. However, happiness from new materialistic possessions is short-lived. It’s proven that our satisfaction with materialistic things we buy decreases. Yet our satisfaction with experiences increases over time. This is why I find it important to travel as much as possible. With my writing I hope to help you plan your next trips and to inspire you on where to explore next.
In this blog I will share my travel tips, hacks and guides with you!
