Jade: 17 and Flying Solo
ZK7 spoke to the mesmerizingly inspirational adventurer Jade, 23, who is loving life exploring Australia. She shares her experiences of risks, spear fishing, Russia, kababs, crocodiles, sharks and relationships. #Travel. Eat. Dance. Repeat.
Instagram: @iamjadie
What did you study at college?
I studied computer programming and business management.
What was your last job?
I was working on a mine site in Western Australia. It was 70 hours a week, 6 days a week and before that, I worked in two Aboriginal communities.
How did you fund your travels?
I could afford to travel by always doing random jobs that came up.
What is your craziest experience?
Ohhhh, I've had a few. It’s probably between, randomly getting caught up in fuel price riots in Paris (France) and getting tear gassed or illegally climbing a Soviet Union building in Chernobyl (Ukraine).
How did the Chernobyl experience come about?
So I found a woman online that was running her own company with a friend into Chernobyl. She was telling me that her family had worked in Kiev when it happened and the story. We got on super well and she took me into all the buildings which is prohibited. We walked through the forest and she asked me how I would feel about breaking the law and if I would want to climb the apartment block. Of course, I said yes!
How has travel influenced your life?
Travel has completely changed me. Before I was a real girly girl. Now I go fishing with Aboriginals in the bush and know how to hunt with a spear!
Describe your best ocean adventure
It was diving in the Ningaloo reef in Western Australia and seeing sharks sleeping or the shark cage we did in South Australia where we saw a great white!
How do you manage to travel safely abroad?
I don't really stay safe aboard! In the past I have taken crazy risks, as I have gotten older, I have gradually just calmed it down a little!
What are your top trips for travelling?
Never say ‘no’ to an experience, as the best things that you do are always the ones that you don't expect. For example, I met an Aboriginal man at the petrol station who asked where we bought our car because he liked it. After a few minutes of talking, he invited us to stay free of charge on his land (normally not allowed by Australian law without a permit). We then spent the next couple of days spear fishing in shark and crocodile infested waters, driving bush cars and hunting for fresh oysters and fish!
What is your favourite city?
I would have to go for the classic Rome (Italy) as it was my first solo trip aged 17 and I fell madly in love with it.
What is your happiest memory?
I could not possibly narrow it down! I have so many amazing memories.
The Indigenous people are different everywhere. The ones in the dry communities are completely different to the ones in the city. They have knowledge beyond anything we can comprehend. They can sense a change in weather, an animal within miles, they know how to hunt and make use of what they have. They are the most beautiful and generous people I have met. They want to share their knowledge with you.
They know how to live completely off the land and money means nothing to them. Within their culture they have no possessions that belongs to just them. Each thing they have be it money or cars etc is shared amongst all of their community. They have a rule that if someone asks for something, they cannot refuse if they have the means to give it which is beautiful.
My experiences in Russia were incredible! It was nothing like I imagined. The people were so lovely and the food was just WOW! Incredible! It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.
What is your best party experience?
The best party/night out was in Barcelona (Spain). I partied for 3 days straight with a sprained ankle and then on my last day I went to the airport and rang my friend Laura to find out if the sun was rising or going down, as I was so disorientated! The party was INSANE!
What is your biggest travel fail?
I have never really had one. Everything ends up working out as the universe intends!
I would say though that getting food poisoning from a kabab in Jerusalem wasn't the best though as I was ill for like 1 week straight, which definitely made my trip interesting having to ensure that there was a toilet 5 mins away at every moment lol.
Did Jerusalem put you off kababs?
I will never stop eating kababs!
Are there any foods you wouldn’t eat again?
The one food I will not try again is fermented shark after I tried it in Iceland. I have never tasted anything so disgusting in my life! I was told that the shark has so much ammonia in it, that to make it safe to eat it has to go underground to ferment for 30 days.
What are relationships like whilst travelling?
Relationships are easy on the road but it is not a normal relationship. You learn everything about that person very early on as we have no toilet, no shower and sleep in the back of a car. You soon find out if you are compatible or not after 24 hours a day with each other in a car!
What is the nicest thing a stranger has done for you?
I was stuck in Adelaide in South Australia with no money, no passport and no clean clothes. I had just sold my van and the bus was cancelled because of COVID (I lived 5 hours away) so I had no one I knew...
I couldn't stay anywhere as I had no passport or money so I asked someone on Gumtree that had offered me a construction job if there knew somewhere I could stay. He came and picked me up and drove me to his parents, they cooked me dinner, gave me wine, let me shower and gave me a jumper and a bed for the night. The next day they drove me back to the city, bought me a coffee and gave me $100 to buy warm clothes!!! My confidence varies all the time... It is something that comes and goes as with everyone but travel is something I have been doing solo since I was 17, so it comes naturally!
Aged 17, what was behind the decision to go travelling in the first place?
I had recently broken up with a boyfriend and I felt that I was yet to do anything with my life, so I just did it. The night before I was so nervous but I knew I had to do it!
What was your previous life like?
I think that my old life was still good. Everything you do is for a reason and you have to go through certain things to get to where you are now.
What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?
Stop worrying what other people think about you. You can't please everyone. Just say yes to every experience, even if you are scared!
What is your dream?
My dream is to see every country in the world! I have absolutely no idea what is next. I never plan ahead, that way it stays fun!
Instagram: @iamjadie
