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Today's Episode:
Are you an adventure lover with dreams of traveling the world and diving into the realm of content creation? Then listen up, because you're about to meet the incredible Kirsten (also known as @staywildwithkirst)! Growing up in the heart of Central Alberta and now calling Calgary her home, Kirsten is the perfect person to follow for all your hiking, backpacking, and traveling needs. In this blog post, we'll uncover the secrets behind Kirsten's awe-inspiring journeys, her ability to capture jaw-dropping content, intense wildlife encounters in the Canadian wilderness, how to pick the perfect travel buddy, and her top travel tips and tricks. Get ready to be inspired and learn how to take the leap into your own amazing adventures!
Step one to traveling the world: quitting your job.
Everyone always worries about what they're leaving behind when thinking of traveling and Kirsten was no different. When Kirsten and her friends decided to head out on their first long-term backpacking trip, they knew they had to have some tough conversations with their employers. Kirsten's number one tip is to be prepared when walking into the conversation with your manager. Know what your priorities are and if there is a chance your work won't take you back, be willing to know what you are willing to accept. Luckily, Kirsten mentions it was seamless for her and her friends to leave their jobs. All of them were able to take time off knowing they had security to come back to. Wrapping up this topic, you never know what your options are, so it never hurts to have the conversation and see where it leads.
How did you fall in love with traveling?
Let's take it back to Kirsten's "aha" moment that sparked her love for traveling...on her first trip to Italy with her mom. Her graduation gift from her mom was a trip to Italy and Kirsten was quick to get into planning mode after being given a budget to plan and book the trip. After many hilarious stories, making friends with locals, trying new food, and making the most out of experiences that didn’t always go as planned, she quickly knew she wanted to do it again.
Picking a location, how do you pick your next destination?
Kirsten's first couple of trips were primarily focused on seeing as much of the world as she could. For all of you starting out, Kirsten mentioned that long-term traveling helped her see what she loved so that in the future she could cater her trips towards the activities and experiences that were her favourites. After backpacking through Southeast Asia, Central America, and Australia, she is now looking to do some trips centered around hobbies she loves, specifically hiking. If you already follow Kirsten, then you know she has all the best recommendations for hiking in Alberta, but now she's also looking to explore what the world has to offer. For all you outdoorsy people, Kirsten mentioned that one of the things she loved most about Central America was the abundance of jungle and volcano hikes plus all the other outdoor experiences! Looking forward, Kirsten has some bucket list places like Patagonia, Nepal, and Norway, combining her love for exploring and hiking.
What’s the scariest encounter you’ve had on a hike?
My first thought every time I am on a hike is, am I going to get eaten by a bear? Because of this, I had to ask Kirsten what her craziest wildlife encounter has been. One summer, Kirsten was deep into a hike in Calgary and was taking a rest in an open field to enjoy the mountain views. Not until she heard some heavy breathing did she look over her shoulder and see a massive grizzly bear a couple of hundred meters away from her and her friends. After the shock settled, they slowly started backtracking and walking up a hill until they were out of the bear's sight and were able to continue their hike. After having time to reflect on the interaction, she and her friends joked that the bear had started "digging their graves" because it started digging a hole while looking at them in their eyes. Let me tell you, I wouldn't have been calm but I know who I want on my hike the next time I'm in the Rockies.
What should you look for when picking the perfect travel partner?
Kirsten has had her fair share of experiences traveling with people (good and not so good), so she gave us her best tips on how to pick the perfect travel buddy. Overall, you’re spending so much time together that you want to make sure you’re picking the right person!
1. People who work well with your personality. You want to travel with someone who can pick you up when you're feeling down, who has similar interests, and who you see yourself getting along with on a day-to-day basis.
2. Travel with people who are easygoing or who help balance you out. There are lots of moments traveling where things don't go your way, and you want someone who can go with the flow and still enjoy the moment. Similarly, if you're both type-A planners, it can be tricky to agree on the everyday agenda but if you balance each other out, it can become the perfect duo.
3. Pick people who have similar values when traveling. Whether you value meeting new people, partying, spending time outside, or chilling make sure you chat about what you value most before heading out on your trip.
4. Budget. Budget is one of the most important things to consider because if you both have completely different budgets, then you won't be on the same page for where to stay, where to eat, or what to do. Make sure to chat and understand what your budget is before booking that trip!
What is the hardest thing about long-term travel?
“When looking at long-term travel, it’s definitely missing things at home.” When going on long-term trips, unfortunately, there are always things you're going to miss. Kirsten mentioned one of the hardest things she had to miss was her friend's wedding and other important family milestones. Kirsten continued to emphasize that when you get home, you quickly realize everything has stayed the same, so don't let this be a reason to hold you back from traveling.
How do you deal with the travel blues?
Kirsten mentioned her boyfriend knows she’s always going to have the travel blues when arriving home from a long-term trip. She touched on how the first few weeks at home are great because everyone wants to hear about your trip and you get to catch up with everyone you haven't seen in a long time. Despite this, the weeks after can also be tough when you’re trying to integrate back into the reality of being home. Even though it takes time, she emphasizes that every day gets easier, and you always have memories and stories to look back on. You end up gaining so many experiences from traveling that you can apply to your day-to-day life that you wouldn't have thought of before leaving. Her final piece of advice was to continue to do things that make you happy at home, “Some people travel to run away from their life, but I’ve never been that way. I love my life at home; I just need to remind myself why I love it.”
Kirsten's go-to travel necessities:
Kirsten mentioned she is the worst sleeper, so an eye mask and earplugs are non-negotiable when traveling. Additionally, drowsy Gravol is high on her priority list to avoid any car or sea sickness on long travel days. One thing Kirsten brings from home that I had never thought of before is the Peppermint Halo roll-on stick from Sage Elements. Kirsten said she can't travel without it, and she uses it for headaches, when she's feeling sick, or she applies it under her nose when things are smelling bad (like during a car sick van ride). So, on your next adventure, make sure you pack these items to ensure success!
How do you keep track of your memories?
When traveling, Kirsten documented her entire Southeast Asia trip on Polar Steps and said it was the best way to keep track of her itinerary and everything she did along the way. Kirsten talked about how important it is to have ways to track what you’re doing because it’s so much fun to look back on memories and remember things you would usually forget.
How did you start on TikTok?
Kirsten mentioned she first started posting on TikTok after her Southeast Asia trip when she was back home during Covid. She had a couple of videos that started to gain traction and realized she loved curating videos. After a little while, she actually ended up deleting TikTok while stuck at home and bored like everyone else during the lockdown. Once she started to be able to plan trips again, she went to Central America, where she gathered content knowing that she would want to post again. When her community continued to grow, she was excited to see where the opportunities took her. Now Kirsten is excited to continue to share hiking and outdoor content in Calgary while also helping people pick their next travel destinations around the world.
@staywildwithkirst 4 months backpacking Central America - a dream come true 💫🤍 #centralamerica #backpackingtrip #centralamericaitinerary #centralamericatravel #centralamericabackpacking #femaletraveler ♬ original sound - Kirsten (Curse-tin)
Tips for anyone nervous to start creating content:
“Choose something you love and present it in a way that’s fun for you. Otherwise, it will get old very quickly. You want to enjoy what you’re doing and connect with people who love and value the information you bring to the table.”
We chatted about the quick burnout that can happen when your content doesn’t feel authentic or isn’t fun to create. Through collecting photos and videos while traveling and curating them afterward, Kirsten feels that she can always live in the moment throughout her travels without giving up creating content she loves.
What’s next?
Kirsten is starting to plan her next trip to New Zealand with her friends and can't wait to continue to share all of her adventures in Canada and abroad on TikTok and Instagram. If you are looking for a Canadian content creator, Kirsten is your girl!