What’s your site about and what are you working on this week?

Hi, I’m Anna! I’m originally from sleepy Suffolk in the UK but have been on an indefinite journey around India, Southeast Asia and Australia since December 2012. I want to dispel the myth that travel is expensive, difficult and dangerous and show others that making travel your lifestyle is totally achievable. That’s why I set up my blog Global Gallivanting to inspire and help others to travel on a budget and to live, work and volunteer abroad. 

At the moment I’m living in Goa, India, this week I’m working on some blog posts sharing all my insider tips to Goa and working on some freelance writing projects but I’m really excited about next week as I will be heading up to the relatively unexplored lands of North East India where I’ll be attending some unique tribal festivals and meeting a tribe of headhunters in Nagaland! 

For people who haven’t begun their journey, what is one thing you want them to know about the world?

I think the main thing is too stop dreaming and waiting for the right time and just do it, just travel now, life is too short to keep putting it off and there will never be the perfect time but if you want to travel then make it your priority – set a date, book a ticket and  start saving! Be as spontaneous as you can to allow for the random and unplanned things that often turn out to be the highlight of a trip. And don’t worry too much, of course, take sensible precautions but mostly be confident and trust your gut instinct and you’ll find that people all around the world are much the same: most people want to feed you, hug you, talk to you or have their photo taken with you rather than hurt you! The most important thing I’ve learned for over 3 years of full time travel is that the world is not a scary place and people are inherently kind!

What’s the country you traveled to where you felt the most connected, and why?

I’ve fallen in love with Asia, in particular India because it is so different, so exotic, I love the culture, the colour, the chaos, the exuberance, the life all around you, the people are so friendly, the food is so tasty and there is a surprise around every corner I just feel so alive in India. Plus India is so diverse, so fascinating and so cheap to travel you could spend a lifetime traveling in India and never see it all – for me India is the ultimate travel destination and I’ve fallen in love with India so much that I’m finding it difficult to leave and base myself here for much of the year now.

I also really loved much of South East Asia, especially Cambodia and Bali, Eastern Europe and the Australian outback where I worked in a county pub and then saved up and bought a campervan to explore the rest of Oz - epic road trips! By the way, I have a free e book about working holidays in Australia if anyone is interested.

What’s the travel experience that’s changed you most, and in what way?

Definitely India! Traveling in India can be such a transformational experience, it can be challenging and frustrating and a huge culture shock at first but it is equally as rewarding and can teach you a lot about yourself and the world. Traveling in India changed my life in such a huge way!

What adventure are you going to scratch off next?

I’m really in love with Asia and really want to see all the places in Asia that I haven’t visited yet, Myanmar is next on the list, China and Japan and the Philippines. I’d also love to travel the Silk Road through Central Asia and I’m intrigued by Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Morocco. I also really want to get over to South America and Africa in the not too distant future if only I can pry myself away from Asia! I want to go everywhere really!

Curious about Anna’s life in India? In addition to her website, be sure to check out Anna on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!