Meet Laura Rae, Our Globetrotting Expert
I wanted to introduce you to a kindred spirit that happened to fall into my lap {thanks to our internship} and is now the missing link to our boutique travel business – Globetrotting. Some of you may have already encountered our lovely Laura via email or phone or FB as she beavers away at all things Globetrotting. No doubt you’ll see her on a ride in the near future – she’s got the Globetrotting bug – as we all do! But before you meet her in person, I thought you would like to find out more about this horse addicted country gal by reading the following Q&A.
What is your earliest memory of horses?
I’m lucky to have been around horses all my life, and was riding before I could even walk. But as for my earliest memory, I think it would have to be of riding at one of my first Pony Club gymkhanas. I was about three or four at the time and on the lead (thanks Dad), and I happened to win my class, but burst into tears because I wanted the yellow ribbon, not the blue one! My competitive streak has since kicked in and times have definitely changed!
What was your childhood pony called?
Misty, a beautiful palomino mare.
What does riding or being with horses mean to you?
I’m an eventer so I love to feel the wind on my face as I gallop around a cross-country course, a powerful horse beneath me in tune with my every aid (most of the time anyway… there’s been a few times when we’ve parted company following minor disagreements). Riding gives me a sense of freedom – it doesn’t matter if I’m having a bad day, I know if I jump on a horse and go for a burn up a hill, I will feel a hell of a lot better and there will be a smile back on my face at the end of it.
What have horses taught you the most?
Patience, trust, compassion, loyalty, confidence…the list goes on. Horses don’t judge you, they don’t care what you look like and they don’t care how you got there – it’s refreshing!
How did you come to join the Globetrotting family?
Well this is a bit of a long story, are you ready?
I first came across Globetrotting when I travelled to Kenya for a month with my family. I was doing some research on Google one day before our trip and I came across Globetrotting’s horse riding safari through the Maasai Mara. While I couldn’t afford to do it at the time, I subscribed to Globetrotting’s database and over the next 12 months kept tabs on all the amazing rides on offer, steadily adding to my list of ‘rides I must do before I die’.
When Kate advertised for an intern at the start of 2016 I jumped at the chance. I was backpacking around North America at the time and didn’t know if that might hinder my chances, but I sent in my application and following a quick late night Skype call while I was in Vancouver, I was offered the position. I could barely contain my excitement!
So for the next six months I went sightseeing around Canada and America by day, and did some work for Globetrotting at night. Upon returning home to Australia I accepted a position at a corporate PR firm but continued working for Globetrotting part time. In the end it all got too much – the extremely long hours in the corporate world and the nights spent at my computer until the wee hours of the morning for Globetrotting began to take their toll. I didn’t even have time to ride! I was exhausted and unhappy and something had to give.
It was an easy decision in the end. I chose what made me happy – Globetrotting! And it’s been the BEST decision I have ever made. I LOVE what I do, I LOVE working with Kate and I LOVE hearing the excitement in a globetrotter’s voice as they discover the magical world of horse riding holidays.
Why choose this type of travel? As in exploring a new country from the back of a horse?
Well, as the tagline for Globetrotting goes, I LOVE to ride and I LIVE to travel, so it’s really a natural fit! I have a yearning to see as much of the world as possible before my time is up – I honestly think immersing yourself in different cultures and stepping outside your comfort zone is the best form of education, and the inspiring people you meet along the way make it all the more worthwhile. So to experience all this on the back of a horse, to go to places off the beaten track not many get to see, marvel at an uninhibited 360 degree view, and to drink it all in at a wonderful steady place, is really the icing on the cake!
A tip that every globetrotter should know before going on a ride…
Pack lightly! You won’t wear half the clothes you take and no one’s going to care if you wear the same thing two days in a row.
Finish this sentence – Don’t leave home without…
Your sense of humour, your adventurous spirit and some face wipes!
So there you have it – now when you get an email reply from Laura you can put a face to the name.