Who we are
We are Victoria and Steve, a couple of digital nomads from London, living our dreams around the world.
In February 2012, we packed up our home and headed to South America. We don’t know how long we’ll be gone for or exactly what we’ll do, only that we want to explore the world and the way people live. London is an awesome city where we have wonderful family and friends, but we felt lost in our lives there. In France, they have a saying for the time when you “have your head in the handlebars” focused on your career and building a settled life – it’s a time that lacks moments to stop, look around and think about the track you’re on. We did stop and realised we weren’t satisfied. We wanted to break free from our comfortable lives and discover the world. So here we are living that dream. We don’t know where it will take us – if we’ll discover our dream home or never go back at all – but this is the life we choose right now, bringing our work on the road and exploring this incredible world.
Follow us as we travel, work, write, film, volunteer, couchsurf, retreat and ponder our way round the world.
Her wanderlust was ignited in the womb when her parents travelled to Rome. An exchange trip to Tanzania in her teens set the flame roaring and it’s stayed burning ever since. “Not another holiday” is a phrase she knows well. She’s panicked her family with stints of solo travel around the world, and for the past few years has been enjoying travelling as two with Steve. Her favourite cities are Lisbon, Barcelona, Bristol and London. Victoria is obsessional about finding good places to stay, eat and drink. Her friends have suggested she start a business called Victours. For now, this blog will do. Other options for the future include more writing, becoming a psychotherapist, teaching yoga, owning a retreat centre, making websites, something entirely different, or perhaps a little of them all. Other things you might like to know: she used to be afraid of fish, and she loves cakes, crosswords, cafes, board games and monkeys. Her hero is her mum who died of MS on Christmas Day 2009.
Victoria is a freelance writer and editor. In London, she worked full-time as a writer for the British Red Cross, writing for its magazine, website and other publications. In the past, she worked for Oxfam, Survival International and as a journalist. These days she writes for a beautiful magazine called Oh Comely, contributing interviews and first person narrative pieces. Read one of her articles on travelling and why she loves couchsurfing.
Steve is a self-confessed geek, always teaching himself new passions, from animation and coding to the finer details of Buddhist philosophy. He never has enough time for it all so thought ‘why not add travel to the mix too’. High speed wi-fi is one of the loves of his life along with sandwiches, and the words snake, biscuit and mega. His nickname is Mr.Just-so. Steve’s favourite travel moments so far are poached eggs in a rooftop jacuzzi in Marrakech, drinking wine and watching old men playing chess in the Szechenyi baths in Budapest, and hugging Suzanne the sloth in Peru.
Steve is a filmmaker and creative director at Planetary. For the past few years, he has worked as a freelance filmmaker in London, and shot independent music videos and short documentaries when time and space allowed it. Currently, he and Planetary are shooting and working on the production of a feature length documentary called Continuum which is the fruit of more than three years research and a lifetime’s dream. Planetary’s most recent short film, Overview, is due for release in Spring 2012 and gives a taste of what to expect from Continuum.
On Bridges and Balloons, Victoria writes the words and Steve takes the photos.
Who this blog is for
- Long and short-term travellers looking for tips and inspiration.
- Anyone thinking about travelling (go on, do it!)
- Vegetarian travellers.
- People who like cake
- And of course anyone interested in our journey!
What you’ll find on Bridges and Balloons
- Photo stories about the places we visit.
- Thoughts we have along the way about this, that and everything.
- Tips on digital nomad living.
- Inspirational quotes, because Victoria bloody loves them.
We have another blog called If I had a superpower which has interviews and portraits of people we meet along our way. It’s pretty so be sure to have a look?
It should also be added that we love Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes in a way that would put a teenage groupie to shame.
Good for you for going for it! I saw that you love Couchsurfing — we do too. We’ve met so many wonderful people through it and part of our mission to run a hostel in Scotland is to create a bigger place for all the Couchsurfers to stay
All the best to you on your journeys…Oh and I LOVE the balloon background of your website. Gorgeous.
Thanks Rachel. The balloons were Steve’s handiwork. I do agree that they are rather lovely.
And yes, Couchsurfing – we love it! Did you see our other site http://www.ifihadasuperpower.com , which is mostly made up of interviews with couchsurfers?
Hostel Hub sounds like a brilliant idea. I hope it goes well for you. If we’re ever in Scotland we’ll be sure to look you up.
Love love love your blog, Steve and Victoria. You are living the dream that my boyfriend and I dream of daily. I recently quit my J.O.B. (Just Over Broke) this year to start my own business as an international education agency in hopes of having the flexibility to live anywhere in the world while helping others. Thank you for continuing to inspire me to keep reaching for the TRUE dream
Thanks Lydia. It’s wonderful to hear from people following their dreams. It’s a lot of work setting up on your own but, for me, the benefits are absolutely worth it. Today, I’m writing this from La Paz. I need to work for most of the day but, afterwards, I know I can go out and explore this incredible city. Being location-independent is mine and Steve’s dream. Good luck with your agency and dreams. They sound excellent.
Hi Victoria and Steve! Just discovered your blog and I’m just loving it! I began travel blogging during a post graduation trip to Southeast Asia last year and I’m taking off again in November – to South America! I’ve got similar plans as you guys in that I’m not really planning at all. Just hoping to stay on the road for as long as possible. I know its a large continent but if we happen to end up gallivanting in the same area at some point, I’d love to meet up with some fellow bloggers! I’ll be traveling solo so I’m trying to make lots of contacts in the region (mostly so I can hand my mom a list and say- see! i’m not traveling alone!)
safe travels!
Britany recently posted..‘Round the World Wrap-up, 8/20
Hi Britany, Of course, we’d love to meet up with you if our paths cross. We’ll likely be in Ecuador/Colombia in November and then heading up through Central America. Hope to see you, Victoria
What an attractive looking website. Outside and inside. Look forward to following your stories and I hope our roads will cross one day. (We are in Brazil and will be heading for the Andes in January).
Karin-Marijke recently posted..5 Places in South America to Listen to Silence
Thanks for the kind words Karin. I’m pleased you like it! And yes, that would be lovely if our paths crossed. We’re in Mexico now, then who knows!
Hi I’ve nominated you for the Liebster award! Thanks for brightening up my days with your blogging.
http://relaxedsoulhappymind.wordpress.com/2013/03/10/liebster-award-thanks-for-the-nomination/
I just started following your blog and find it so inspiring. You are both very brave for doing what you’re doing and many of us wish we could follow suit! Makes me wish that my husband and I were still expats. Thanks for sharing your stories.
Julie recently posted..Around Here: Portland Saturday Market
Hey guys! How’s life?
I discovered your blog, and it’s fantastic! I love your idea of travelling and sharing, and completely understand your passion, I’m a travel addict too ^^
It’s just what I was looking for! I and my friend Flavia are working on a project. We would like to interview people who believe in an alternative, different world and work on that changing their way of living. And we’ll do that on the road, retracing the Hippie Trail toward East. It would be fantastic to interview you, if you’re gonna be around!!
If you like, have a look here
http://ifyougoin-en.weebly.com
Stay Bum,
Dario