Oh boy. Just when you thought I had got back into blogging… another 18 months goes by of pure *tumbleweed*!

Where do I start??

The past year or so has been another whirlwind to say the least. Fortunately, I am happy and grateful to say that it has mostly been a good time. Full of growth, learning, hard work, and good times with friends and family.

The only thing holding me back from writing on Free Range Kiwi Chick was a lack of time + being busy with other priorities. Also, I didn’t have any major travel stories to share (sad face).

That being said, I’m back with some updates. 😊

Here’s what’s been happening, and most importantly, here’s where I’m GOING in 2024…

Featured in NZ Herald

Your homegirl got featured in / interviewed for an article (print and online) with the New Zealand Herald earlier this year, talking about the benefits of solo travel. The online article is behind a paywall, so here’s the PDF you can read!

That home-owner life

I survived my first year of being a homeowner (aka mortgage payer!).

I love my townhouse in Auckland. And while having a mortgage means I haven’t done as much travel as I would have liked post-Covid, I love having my own space to call home and run my business from.

Business & creative life

Outside of my full-time job, I still freelance as a Social Media Manager. This year has been VERY busy with new clients coming onboard and time management being even more imperative.

Since we last spoke, I’ve also branched out in the world of voice over! I’ve got a home recording booth and have voiced projects ranging from e-learning, commercials, corporate videos, to live events.

This is my second hustle, and I absolutely love it!

It was definitely a natural progression from my passion for acting and theatre. Speaking of which, I took part in another play this year, the New Zealand premiere of “The Welkin” at The Pumphouse Theatre. I played a Scottish character, so it was a fun challenge to master the accent. Fun fact: I wore the tartan scarf I bought in Loch Ness during my 2018 UK trip!

You could say I’ve been busy, to say the least!

Travel life

It’s been wonderful to get back to some trips over the past 12 months.

In September I headed to Sydney, Australia to see Tony Robbins. A legendary figure in the business and personal development world. His 4-day Unleash The Power Within seminar was something else. I was also able to enjoy it with my favourite Aussie friend, Kat!

What’s next

Speaking of Kat, next year she’s getting married, so I am off to Melbourne in May!

But before that… I have ANOTHER overseas wedding to attend!

I’ll be heading to India in April for a high school friend’s wedding. So two overseas weddings within a couple of weeks of each other. How cool is that??

Flying into Coimbatore, a group of us will be staying for about 7 days in Kerala, in the south of India. It is going to be HOT, so will be doing some strategic preparations in terms of clothing etc. Fortunately, my trip to Egypt in 2019 meant I’m somewhat familiar with intrepid travel. It will be a great adventure!

Until then, enjoy the festive season, and tune in for more updates next year!

Chelsea x