Ki a Ranginui e tū iho nei, tēnā koe
Ki a Papatūānuku e takoto nei, tēnā koe
Ngā mihi nui ki a koe
Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua tōku waka
Ko Wairoro me Omapere ōku wai
Ko Putahi tōku maunga
Ko Ngāpuhi tōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Rangi tōku hapū
Ko Ngawha tōku marae
Ko Aotearoa tōku kainga
Ko Karllie tōku ingoa
Kia ora!
My name is Karllie and I love to inspire others to explore Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. I am a New Zealander of Māori, Croatian, and other European descent. I was born and raised in the Bay of Plenty and fortunate enough to have rural and beach surroundings as my childhood playground. My passions include the outdoors, working with youth, and inspiring others through my writing. I am a qualified secondary school teacher but I now juggle a variety of jobs in order to maintain my adventurous lifestyle. This ranges from travel writing to working as a hiking guide while maintaining a number of positions in education. I have a grown son living in Melbourne, Australia who also loves travel and adventure.
Why YOLO SOLO?
When I decided to head off on adventures I had many family, friends and students who wanted to follow my adventures. So I created a Facebook Page which I called YOLO SOLO that now has hundreds of followers. If you are not familiar with YOLO it is the acronym for You Only Live Once. This is similar to the Latin “carpe diem” or “seize the day”. It is a call to live life to its fullest which may also involve taking risks. This is a philosophy I love to live by. As for SOLO, this is because most of my adventures I choose to enjoy on my own. This is my preference although I may find myself with company every now and then.
The lifestyle change!
At the end of 2015, I made a life-changing decision. After thirteen years of teaching, I decided that I was going to leave my job, sell my home, and get rid of just about everything I owned. This decision didn’t happen overnight but when it did happen many people thought I was either brave, crazy, or maybe both. I wanted to travel, have adventures and see the world! And for the next few years that is exactly what I did.
From the start of 2016 I have:
Hiked 500 kilometers from the top of New Zealand to Auckland following the Te Araroa Trail and explored more of Aotearoa New Zealand than ever before.
Travelled around Europe for several months visiting a number of countries including Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Solvenia, Hungary, England, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Belgium.
Lived with a family in Zagreb, Croatia for three months. While there I was lucky enough to explore and experience this amazing country getting to know the wonderful Croatian people and their culture.
Travelled the United States for a few months visiting several cities and states including Miami, New Orleans, Texas, Las Vegas, California, and Hawaii. I also made a trip to Jamaica during this time.
Spent a number of New Zealand winters living on an off the grid island (Great Barrier Island) working as a teacher on multiple 5-week outdoor education youth programs.
Explored Australia having made several trips to Queensland, Victoria, Canberra, and New South Wales as well as living in Sydney for six months.
Meet some amazing people and made some lifetime friends from all over the world.
Living life fully is something I believe many people struggle with as we get tied down with expectations and responsibilities. Life balance is important but not always given priority. I think we often find ourselves putting our energy into endeavours that do not bring us happiness. I am thankful I have found a lifestyle that works for me where I get to live each and every day with no regrets. My income has halved but I am having twice the fun! Living life fully doesn’t have to be about big adventures and trips of a lifetime. It can be as simple as exploring your own back yard, trying something new, or making more time for family and friends. The idea is that you don’t let life rule you, you rule your life!
Through this blog, I hope I can provide you with inspiration, ideas, and advice on how to get out and explore Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. Because life is short, there is so much to see and do and You Only Live Once!
