About

Hey, I'm Krysti - a typical adventure-loving Kiwi with a not-so-mild case of wanderlust!

I’ve always been drawn to colourful places, vibrant cultures, and those unforgettable moments that only travel can offer. I took the leap and became a full-time travel blogger back in 2016, sharing honest guides, personal stories, travel tips, foodie finds, and reviews of places worth staying and exploring. Whether it was a solo trip, a group tour with strangers-turned-friends, or a spontaneous adventure off the beaten path - I lived for it all.

These days, travel looks a little different…

I'm now a mum to two little ones, and while our pace has slowed, the adventure hasn’t stopped. We're embracing local mini adventures around New Zealand, as well as family-friendly island escapes a bit closer to home (because toddlers + long-haul flights? Not quite yet!). But I’m so excited for the day we can show our kids more of the world - Asia, Europe, and beyond are all on the wishlist.

I still love creative photography and videography, uncovering hidden gems, and of course, finding the best food spots wherever we go. My travel style is all about smart saving where you can, and splurging on those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that stay with you forever.

You’ll find detailed guides, honest reviews, and inspiration for both solo travellers and young families alike here on the blog.

Come along for the ride - follow me on Instagram and Facebook for our latest adventures and travel stories. Whether you’re travelling solo, with friends, or with toddlers in tow, I hope this space inspires you to chase your own version of adventure.

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Live More. Fear Less. 👊 . . #StrayNZ #Queenstown

A post shared by KRYSTI JAIMS ✘ Travel (@krystijaims) on Jun 16, 2018 at 12:52pm PDT

My travel story and how I came to be a blogger:

[Note: the following hasn't been updated since 2020, I'll get around to it sometime soon!

Over the last few years, I've had the pleasure of travelling to 37 countries around the world and I can't wait to explore more in all corners of the earth.

I was always one of those people that never knew what they wanted to do with their life; all I wanted to do was travel.

I thought maybe once I had travelled I would discover what it was that I was meant to do... but all I discovered was what an amazing and diverse world we live in and ever since my first trip I have had incurable itchy feet and a constant desire to see more and learn more.

Travelling is all I have ever wanted to do and it still is.

I didn't come from a family of travellers. We couldn't afford to fly overseas but once every few years over the summer holidays we would road trip around New Zealand by car and stay in campgrounds (which is the best way to see NZ and I'm very grateful for those experiences!).

I had always wondered about the big wide world and I had an enormous curiosity to learn about different countries, ever since I was small.

I finally left New Zealand for the first time at the age of 22 to visit Australia (but let's be honest - our countries are pretty similar!). Aside from a few trips there, my first proper travels was to Thailand for three weeks in 2013 and it completely changed my world.

Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai

Being in a country so completely different from my own, experiencing a different culture, language, cuisine and lifestyle truly opened my eyes.

After that, I was for once extremely motivated to work the daily grind to save for my next big adventure; my first trip to Europe.

In 2014 I got my first taste of the magic of Europe, and travelling to London, Paris, Berlin and Edinburgh was a literal dream come true.

It was all the more exciting, as I knew I would be back in only a few more months, as I had received a scholarship the next year to study at Konstanz University, which was right on the border of Germany and Switzerland.

2015 saw me fully immersed in the German culture and lifestyle, something I thrived on.
It is also where I started my first blog 'Kiwi in Konstanz', where I thoroughly enjoyed writing all about my international adventures and shenanigans.

Munich Oktoberfest 2015 (Bucket List tick!)

For seven months I made the most of my time in Europe, travelling around Germany, across the border to Switzerland (a ten-minute walk away), to France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Ireland, Spain, Greece, Turkey as well as returning to London a couple of times.

It was the time of my life!

When I returned home (which was the Gold Coast at the time), I was a bit at a loss as to what to do next as I couldn't continue studying in Australia at that time.

I missed writing and travelling so much that I decided to create a proper blog, which led to igniting my dreams of becoming a professional travel blogger.

It was in 2016 that I started krystijaims.com. I have always enjoyed writing and being creative and it became a great outlet for me to share my passions. Throughout that year I visited Brisbane, Melbourne, Bali, Rarotonga (I got married there) and travelled around Vietnam.

After building up a work portfolio I began collaborating with travel brands, hotels and tour companies in 2017. I travelled more of Australia and spent several months in Southeast Asia, returning to Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam and for the first time visiting Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

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A post shared by KRYSTI JAIMS ✘ Travel (@krystijaims) on Aug 19, 2017 at 6:41pm PDT

At the beginning of 2018, I moved back to New Zealand after living away for three years.

In March/April I visited North America for the first time and had a blast in the United States and Canada. Throughout the year I also spent a week in Melbourne, did two trips to the South Island with Stray and Jucy World, and returned to Bali for two weeks.

In November and December, I spent six amazing weeks travelling through Europe. I explored more of Germany, returned to Paris, and visited Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Slovenia and Croatia for the first time.

My first adventure of 2019 saw me visiting Fiji in March and travelling the NZ North Island with Stray in April. In May and June, I spent time in Wellington with their tourism board and travelled the South Island's south-east coast with Jucy World.

In July and August, I returned to Europe for a month via Doha to explore more of the UK and Greece. In September I worked with the West Coast tourism board and spent time at my favourite snowy mountain, Mt Ruapehu.

From October, I began a new #dreamjob role as a Social Media consultant for three amazing resorts in the Yasawa Islands. In November, I headed back to Fiji for a month to get to know each one better.

Hmmm... where do I begin with 2020? Feel free to read my posts here and here if you really want to know. For the first part of the year I worked my butt off, stayed put in New Zealand and saved up for a dream trip to Japan in May, that obviously didn't happen. I also had plans to travel to South America for the first time in the second half of the year (Peru and Bolivia) and to visit dear friends in Latvia for Christmas (and also visit Estonia and Sweden). What can you do?

I'm patiently waiting for the day when our borders open up to the islands, I feel like I'll be on the first flight outta here! In the meantime, I am lucky to still be doing part-time work for my lovely Fiji resorts and I have dived into another passion of mine, photography, which you can read more about here. In the weekends, my partner and I enjoy doing local adventures and we hope to make it to the South Island for a winter getaway soon.

I hope to be a fantastic source of information and inspire others to follow their dreams and get out there to explore this incredible world (or in the meantime, their own country!).

If I can do it, anybody can. A life full of adventure is possible for anyone willing to chase it.

Let's go find the next one!

If you would like to get in touch, please email me at krystijaims@gmail.com.

Thanks for visiting,