HELLO & WELCOME
My name is Christiane, I am the smiling face behind TRAVEL FOR INSPIRATION. I am a wilderness enthusiast with a never-ending passion for world travel and outdoor adventure. Most importantly, I am a firm believer that travelling transforms people and leaves an impact on our heart, mind, and soul. When you embark on a journey of adventure and self-discovery, you never return home the same person.
TRAVEL FOR INSPIRATION was created to support you on your journey of transformation, to encourage you to take the first baby steps that lead into the unknown. From my own experience, I know how challenging it may feel to leave your comfort zone behind. You are not only up against your own inner struggle – the self-doubt, fear, and insecurities. You may also experience a lack of support and understanding from the people around you. However, you’ll eventually come to realise that the path that you have pursued so far didn’t get you to where you wanted to be in life. The time has come to break free, travel to find inspiration and start living life on your own terms. “But where to start?” you may be wondering at this stage. Simply keep in mind that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” as Lao Tzu put it.
Rest assured, I have got your back. My mission is to provide you with guidance, ideas, and inspiration on how to reclaim your life and turn your dreams into reality. Let me take you by the hand and show you how to get started. I will share my personal stories and experience along with hands-on travel advice and practical tips for planning your journey of a lifetime. You will find countless ideas on where to find inspiration for your life-changing journey – whether that’s on a pilgrimage through Spain, a road-trip through remote Mongolia, an extraordinary trans-pacific cruise, hiking the Annapurna trek in Nepal, signing up for a Yoga teacher training in India, or embarking on an epic horse-trek through the Sahara.
I firmly believe that travelling facilitates change. Leaving your familiar environment behind will change your perspective on life. No matter how much time you spend travelling, every journey will have an impact on your outlook on life and will leave a mark on your heart, mind, and soul. Trust me, you will find inspiration on the road on how to approach existing challenges differently. When leaving your comfort zone and stepping into the unknown, transformation occurs. This is where the magic happens.
RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME
World traveller who has been to 85 countries across 6 continents (and still counting)
Ex-Corporate Management Consultant who used to work in the Financial Sector
Sabbatical Enthusiast – who creates “time out” on her own terms and conditions
Vegetarian since the age of 13, following a plant-based vegan diet since 2017
Dual citizen, German- & Australian passport holder
Yoga teacher, trained in Rishikesh, India
Day Skipper, sailing and racing Yachts
Animal Lover who has crossed the Sahara on horseback
PADI certified Rescue Diver who has been in the waters with Great White Sharks
Passionate volunteer, contributing to making this world a better place
MY STORY
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”
George Bernard Shaw
My grandmother, a serious case of wanderlust
I was born with the travel bug which was most likely inherited from my dad’s mom. My grandmother used to spend half of the year on cruise ships around the globe. She would then bring us back some really exotic souvenirs. I recall countless hours browsing through the photographs she had taken in places like Bora Bora, Seychelles, etc. To this day names like these immediately put me in a state of daydreaming and make me want to instantly pack my bags… After she passed away, what comforted me was knowing that she had truly lived life to the fullest and left this planet with a wealth of experience and stories. Wherever you are, grandma, may you be happy and well.
Moving countries
The other important factor that left a big impression on me was moving countries when I was only 2 years old. I basically have no memories of my first two years in Germany. So really, my childhood started in the Netherlands where I joined the local kindergarten and made friends with the kids in the neighbourhood very easily. When I turned six, I transferred to an international school where my fellow students came from all different parts of the world. This opened me up to a whole new concept of diversification in terms of languages, cultures, and values. I was also exposed to ongoing change as basically every year half of my cohort would move on to new places, while new kids would join the class.
Returning a stranger to my own country
When my family returned to Germany nine years later, I found myself in a very different environment: I was the only “new kid” in my class. It seemed that all of the other kids had known each other since birth. So, for the first time in my life, I was the stranger, the odd one, who was struggling to connect with my fellow students. What took me by surprise was to find out that most of my new friends had never left their home country. I was fortunate to grow up in a family of adventurers. We regularly went on camping trips around Europe which meant that by the age of 12, I had been to more than 10 countries already. Deep inside the feeling arose that I needed to escape that particular environment and find my own tribe, to connect with like-minded people.
Spending a year abroad as a High School student
When the opportunity presented itself to spend a year in the US as an exchange student, I didn’t hesitate one moment. I applied for a scholarship and a few months later found myself in Wisconsin. That year was filled with adventure and excitement as I found myself in a completely different environment. Returning to Germany after 12 months was tough, as you can imagine. What kept me going was my dream to finally leave my hometown and explore unknown territories – which I managed to do soon after. While studying international business administration, I managed to spend six months in France, 6 months in South America and travelled to as many countries as my tight budget would allow.
Wanderlust and a longing for more
Yet none of these travels really quenched my thirst for exploring. There was always a longing for more. I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for – until I found it: AUSTRALIA. When I first arrived in Sydney back in February 2006 some strange feeling overcame me – the feeling of coming home. All of the sudden, I found myself in a melting pot of cultures, where multiple languages were spoken, and cultural differences fully embraced. I knew straight away that this was my place, my calling. However, it would take me another 5 years until I finally found the courage to move countries and start all over again.
A successful yet unsatisfying career
In the meantime, I started my career in the financial sector, working for the no. 1 financial institute in Germany which you may think sounded like I hit the jackpot. A great income and reputation were waiting for me. However, this dream would soon turn into a nightmare. The long working hours (from 8am to 10pm every day) along with the high level of (artificial) stress were taking their toll on my health and wellbeing. After 5 years, I finally got sick and tired of striving for something that I didn’t believe was going to make me happy.
Rich and powerful yet unhappy
While I was working as a Financial Investment Advisor, I gained interesting insights into the world of the rich and famous. Most of them were so worried about losing their money (even though they had millions sitting in their bank accounts) that they no longer trusted anyone – including their family members and friends. As a result, they had turned into bitter individuals, with no peace of mind and obviously far from happy. Similarly, when working as a Management consultant with the Top Management, I found myself in a room of highly frustrated people. This made me question why people strive for money, status, and power. Finally, the penny dropped, and I decided to escape my corporate cubicle and leave my career behind.
Escaping the corporate cubicle
Back in 2011, I took 9 months of unpaid work (my employer offered a decent sabbatical program which I took advantage of) to travel the world. I had no intention of coming back to my old job. It really came as no surprise to my manager when I presented her my letter of resignation the day I returned from my travels. I had already purchased a one-way ticket to Sydney, Australia and with my backpack full of hopes and dreams immediately jumped back on the plane to Sydney. While no one was waiting for me on the other side of the planet, I quickly connected with people who helped me settle in. While this process wasn’t easy (I had no working visa), my endurance was eventually rewarded, and I scored a job that came with the desired sponsorship. My dream came true when many years later, I was eligible to apply for Australian Citizenship. This symbolised the ticket to freedom for me as I no longer was dependent on an employer to be able to stay in Australia.
Taking a sabbatical on my terms
Once I had both my Australian and German passport, it was the perfect time to prepare the next long-term trip. In March 2018, I once again quit my job and travelled for the next 7 months around the globe. During these months, I got see Bora Bora (which to me personally was one of the most beautiful islands I had ever come across), hiked the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, completed my Yoga Teacher Training in India, rode the Trans-Siberian train through Russia, went horse-trekking both in Romania and Mongolia and became a dual-pilgrim after completing the Kumano Kudo in Japan.
Inspiring you to create a life you love
The idea of starting this website had been on my mind for a long time. I created this platform to share my experiences, insights, and thoughts with a broader range of people. I hope that my journey will inspire you to embark on your own adventure, to create a life that you love and turn your dreams into reality. You are the architect of your reality and you can make change happen today.