Behind the Blog – Meet Louise from Captured to Share

My name is Louise Brady, a 25 year old Travel Blogger from Sydney. In 2014, I quit my job and moved over to London on a one-way ticket. After a year abroad, travelling Europe and working for a high profile family in London, I wanted to create a creative space to share my stories, photography and life updates with family and friends. Thus, Captured to Share was born.

Where are you based/located?

From Sydney to London and now the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. We are currently running the blog part time from our new home on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

What first sparked your love for travel?

I have definitely always been an admirer of natural beauty. I can almost pin point the very moment my love for travel was awoken. It came with the purchase of an Italy photography book. I am sure I wore the pages thin, flicking through them several times a day and daydreaming about the many places I wanted to visit. At 16, I travelled to Italy with my grandmother, which confirmed my love for the beautiful country. At 22 I embarked on a four-month trip around Europe, which I suppose is the moment, I fully understood the impact of travel and silently vowed to peruse a life of it.

What are some of your favourite countries to visit? 

Barcelona in Spain is somewhere I find myself returning to with each European adventure. I love the culture, architecture and summer vibes. I am a HUGE fan of Italy, as you may have read above. Croatia was another place that stole my heart in Europe Bali is my go-to mini getaway.

Are there any places you’d tell people to avoid?

This is hard because I found every place I visited to be meaningful. I suppose my least favourite city would have to be Darwin in Australia. There are amazing National Parks in the NT itself but I didn’t enjoy Darwin as much as I have other locations.

What is your favourite memory that comes to mind when you think about your travels?

The past three years have been a whirl wind of adventures, new experiences and new cities but every time I think back on the journey, I think of the tour around Europe in which I met my now boyfriend. Yes, I actually fell in love on TopDeck. 40 strangers boarded the bus in London and made our way around 6 different European countries over 17 days. I spent the 12-hour buses rides seated next to an Australian guy from Adelaide. We spoke the entire 12 hours every time we moved between countries. Our last stop was in Paris. We caught the Eiffel tower light up at midnight and as I turned around wondering where he had disappeared too, I found him standing with a rose. Nawwwwww. Three years later and we are still exploring the world together, and on occasion, he still buys me flowers.

Any advice for new and aspiring travellers?

Be present. It is so easy to miss the moment by being caught up with people, technology and thinking about tomorrow. My favourite travel memories have been experienced alone, in silence, consumed by nature. Travel has a way of demanding your full attention, especially when visiting a place for the first time. Don’t miss those magical moments.

What destinations are on your bucket list?

I think it is a shorter list to highlight where I do not want to go. Basically everywhere. To name a few – Sahara Desert – India (I really want to see the Taj Mahal) – All of South America – Alaska

Do you have any upcoming travel plans for 2017?

We have just returned from a trip to Bali, Indonesia and I am leaving for London in a weeks time (feb 5). From London I am flying to Switzerland and may make a pit stop in Paris for a day or two. Other than that, we are really focusing on exploring more of Australia. I still haven’t been to the Great Barrier Reef. Hamilton Island and Fraser Island. Those locations are top of my list for 2017.

Do you do research for your upcoming trips before visiting them?

Yes. I like to check out local tourism websites and see what they recommend doing. I also read a few articles from fellow bloggers experiences. I think its important to have a balance of planning and spontaneity. You want to make sure you research the important things like countries religion and laws, as well as a few things of interest. I always research national parks and breakfast spots.

What is your most favourite photograph that you have taken during your travels?

Posintano by Jay Foy (aka boyfriend)

Which airline do you prefer to fly with?

When we lived in London we would fly with the cheapest possible option- this was mostly Ryan Air. In Australia, we opt for Jet Star or Tiger Air (again, because they’re cheap). These days, I generally fly with Emirates for long haul flights but if we are on a budget, we will fly with anyone. Seriously… one time there was ash trays on board and no in flight entertainment

Tell me your top travel quotes to inspire yourself or other travellers

I am a big Eckhart Tolle fan. Any quote about living in the moment is right up my alley. I’ll go with this one “Realise deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”