We wish you a Merry Christmas!

It's 2020 and the world looks a bit different this year but Christmas is NOT cancelled! We are here sharing our many wonderful memories of Christmas around the world.

Darius tells us all about the many Christmas traditions in Germany and the magic of the Christmas markets, which he and Emma have visited a few times together. He also shares a few of his Aussie Christmas experiences.

Emma has spent most of her Christmases in Ausralia but she's spent a fair few in England, and one in India. But it seems she likes to travel in December and has been in the following countries around Christmas time: USA, Canada, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, New Caledonia (and international waters on a Cruise Ship), South Africa, Bahrain, Finland, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and UAE!

We'd love to hear more about your Christmas traditions too and however you celebrate the festive season, we wish you and your family are safe, happy and healthy.

And Happy Birthday Jesus from Darius!

Travel in 2020 has looked pretty different and the role of the travel agent has become even more important than ever in navigating the new conditions for travel.

Rachelle Matheson, owner of Jigsaw Travel and Mogul Ski World is a skilled travel advisor with more than 25 years experience in the industry. She shares with us her experiences over the last year, and prior and how as an advisor she supports her clients.

"As an incredibly passionate traveller, I have made this my life’s work. I love discovering new and exciting destinations and am always on the lookout for new hotels and experiences that I can share with my clients. I thoroughly enjoy getting to know and building relationships with my clients, researching and planning their holidays with them so I can create tailor made experiences and long lasting memories."

Emma has been so impressed with how Rachelle and her team have navigated such a challenging year and we're grateful to hear about this side of travel from our first official travel industry guest!

Good morning Vietnam 🇻🇳! Xin chao! This week we’re our tips and favourite experience in the exotic and fascinating country of Vietnam. Darius has been once and Emma has been three times (South, Central and then North) so we’ll take you on a journey from bustling Ho Chi Minh City to the charm of Hanoi and the exotic natural setting of Ha Long Bay!

We were also joined by Diana Nguyen, Actor, Comedian and Creative Entrepreneur. Diana was born in Australia but her heritage is Vietnamese. Her parents were actually refugees and fled the country after the war in the 1970s, making Australia their permanent home. Diana shares her experiences of visiting her motherland over the years and how those journeys have changed as she’s grown up and learnt more.

She actually used her Vietnamese heritage and the story of her parents as the inspiration for Phi and Me TV, the first every Vietnamese Australian family comedy web series in the world which she co-created, more about this and Diana’s fascinating work in the show notes!

Content warning: we talk a lot about food in this episode! You may get hungry!

This week we have not one, but TWO episodes for you! Kent McKelvie joins us today to talk about his experiences travelling as a Wheelchair Tennis Player.

Kent is a friend of Emma's and he approached her to ask if Lovelly Travels would be exploring the topic of accessible travel - she said YES!! But it was important to have this discussion with someone who has a lived experience. That person today is Kent

A bit more about him:
"I started travelling internationally at 23 years old. But the desire to travel started earlier. I think it came from moving a lot as a kid.

Most of my travel these days is for tennis. Though I would love to do more just for the sake of going somewhere new.

I have a slight preference for the natural wonders and sights than the cityscapes and a bit more on the adventure side.

My ultimate trip would be kayaking the Inside Passage, Canada."

Today, 3 December 2020, is International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD). Let's keep this conversation about accessible travel going!

International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD) is 3 December 2020, and we were so grateful to have Julie Jones come onto the podcast to talk about accessible travel. She so wonderfully calls it, Travel Without Limits!

Julie worked in the travel industry for many years. When her son was born with a disability her focus shifted to accessible & inclusive tourism. She founded the website Have Wheelchair Will Travel to share reviews and later co-founded Travel Without Limits magazine, Australia's first disability-specific travel publication.

Enjoy this wonderful discussion about diversity, inclusion and making travel accessible for all to enjoy.

Ni Hau! This week we’re exploring China. Darius had his first visit in 2007 and Emma went in 2013, then again in 2018. They go into details about Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Come with us as we take a walk back through our memories.

Emma shares stories from her trek along the Great Wall of China for 5 days. An experience that she highly recommends as one can experience more of the hospitality in the more rural parts outside of the major cities.

They talk food, culture and sightseeing.

And yum cha! All the yum cha!

Share your China experiences with us, email info@lovellytravels.com and for more ways to contact - check out the show notes.

To say our wedding day was memorable, is an understatement! We took part in the most incredible underwater photo shoot, named "Trash the Dress" with the phenomenal Debora Ducci and we now have these magical moments to cherish forever.

Debora is originally from Italy but has spent the past 13 years living in Mexico and now calls it home, as well as her office. Living in the stunning area of Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo - the backdrops and settings for her photos are like those off a postcard. Think pristine beaches, ancient ruins and the mystical jungles. And of course - the cenotes, which is where we had our photos.

Here about how Deb got into underwater photography and how it all works! We'll be sharing heaps of photos from the shoot over at @lovellytravels so make sure to check it out with #tag #quicknlovellywed and #trashthedress.

If you love a good travel story, chat to Suzy!

With more than 60 countries under her belt, maybe 80, she's not quite sure - but it's a lot - this woman has an impressive selection of stories to choose from.

Emma and Suzy first met on a trip to Uganda in 2014 when Suzy was working for World Vision Australia as a photographer and Emma was a Blog Ambassador. The trip was memorable for so many reasons but also formed a strong friendship amongst all the attendees.

Since then, they've traded travel tales over social media from the far corners of the world. Having lived and worked in Jordan, along with short stints in many of the South Pacific regions, Suzy is a seasoned traveller with a wealth of info, tips and local insights.

Strap yourselves in! This is honest, raw and real.

At the time of recording, Emma was 27 weeks and 5 days pregnant. This is somewhat of an announcement but also a bit of a PSA about what the pregnancy journey is truly like for some women.

Emma has shared a blog post on Lovellytravels.com, a post on @lovellytravels insta and now this episode to shed light on the experience that is not the "glowing" one we've come to believe is the norm.

This is her own experience and she shared it openly and honestly. Each woman is entitled to her own journey and experience.

There'll definitely be more to come in future about the topic of kids and travel, as the little one arrives in January 2021, but for now it's time for Emma to share her unique journey.

VIVA MEXICO!

After living in Mexico in 2009 and falling in love with the country, Emma has been raving about this vibrant nation ever since.

In 2013, a lovely Mexican lady was visiting Australia and in need of some local friends. A mutual friend from Mexico asked Emma to help out this gorgeous woman and they've been honorary hermanas (sisters).

Faby is from Monterrey, Mexico and on this episode shares many wonderful experiences of travelling within her own country as well as some important tips for first time visitors.

"I've had the opportunity to travel and see 30 countries around the world, where I’ve seen things like the northern lights, the pyramid of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, but nothing compares to my home country of Mexico, today Im going to tell you why Mexico is a great place to visit and explore!"