Exploring the concept of transformational travel may be just what we need to add purpose to our future journeys – and Tara Harrison’s Aweventurer is the perfect place to start.
If we travel-hungry ex-adventurers are a collective of Bravehearts loudly declaring “They will never take our passports!”, then the pandemic is Gandalf going “You shall not pass!” But we are finally starting to scent freedom on the horizon, and so… Where shall we go? What shall we do? But perhaps, most importantly, why shall we bother to try, to do, to travel? Enter experienced travel writer and entrepreneur Tara Harrison, whose transformative small-group travel company Aweventurer is the hero we need (and deserve!). Anchored in the values of inspiration, rewilding, connection, giving back and ‘coming home new’, Aweventurer matches inspiring hosts to Aussie travellers, taking them on revelatory journeys. Each trip is a chance to learn a new skill, change or heal yourself, and pro-actively seek wonder and awe – and each trip is hosted by someone who can lead that learning. Think a sojourn at Lake Mungo in Canberra to capture the desert moon, hosted by Emilie Ristevski, or a marine escape in Mystery Bay facilitated by environmentalist Laura Wells. These are magical opportunities to reconnect with ourselves – but also recreate the way we approach travel in the future.
Tara, you’ve described some of the escapes and expeditions Aweventurer offers as an opportunity to ‘pin down the ethereal’ – what does that mean?
I think it’s a way of capturing in memory, photography, or words – or in any creative medium you like to express yourself – the experience that you’re having, whether that’s an emotional reaction or a physical response. It’s about the transient nature of experience: the value of it is that it’s so fleeting, so you try to keep it in your memory or through a photo or you write about it… And go back to your archives and think, ‘wasn’t that an incredible experience?’
Do you think that we are likely to change the way we approach travel to make more room for this mindful ‘pinning down the transient’, rather than overloading the car and heading to the usual spot, and coming back exhausted and still strangely dissatisfied?
I do think we’ve all become a little bit more mindful and intentional with where we put our time and energy, and I think that also translates into travel. Having a reason why and a purpose around a trip makes it a deeper experience, because not only are you thrilled with anticipation before, but you then come home with learnings and experiences that you can translate into your relationships and your life. When you connect with your passions and focus on being mindful it gives you a much more heightened experience and a kind of deeper insight… So yes, I think that creating that ‘mindful’ mindset when it comes to travel is crucial.
What inspired you to create Aweventurer?
As a travel journalist, the trips I would go on had been assembled to showcase the best of the destination: you’d interact with the locals and do the best things you could possibly do in any given place. And I thought, you know, I want other people to have these experiences as well. But I also wanted to give them a ‘why’: for example, I loved the fact that I was going on trips to write about them. That was the mission and the purpose, and it gave it a lot more value than just travelling for the sake of travelling. I thought about how I could put this together and create experiences that are magical, but also where you’re travelling with people who are really inspiring by nature, because they’re experts in their creative art so you’d be learning from them… Which adds a lot more depth to the experience. And doing these things in beautiful landscapes is always going to make it that much more extraordinary!
How did you weave the threads of your vision together?
I guess it’s really about collaborating with people that I find personally resonate, and, so far, that’s worked, and has also resonated with others. When people are really inspiring and want to share their passions, it resonates with a wide audience. I have a similar approach when choosing the locations – I want places that are rare and offer a wow moment, whether that is the full moon rising over Mungo, or putting together a trip to experience the Southern Lights in New Zealand. While we’ve only mainly focused on Australia and New Zealand, I am looking at international options this year – fingers crossed!
Who would enjoy an Aweventurer trip?
Anyone who just wants to have a reason or more purpose behind their travel, and who are mindful about it. We’ve had a broad spectrum of people: some may want to learn photography, for instance, while others are experts, but just want to mingle with likeminded individuals. There’s no barrier to people who are just starting out or wanting to learn a certain creative skill… And people can either be drawn by wanting to learn something or by the location itself.
Do you have any extra special moments from Aweventurer trips-gone-by to share?
I’d have to say the Mungo trip is probably the most special. You’re kind of in this lunar landscape already, so then watching the full moon rise is just magic. You’ve got sunset happening over here with the beautiful colours and then the moon rising over there… Goosebumps, always a good sign! Uluru is also an incredible experience, the way that the light glows on the rock as the sun is setting… It only lasts for two minutes, so that question we started with, the idea of transience, you really have to just be there for those few minutes and then it glows gold and then suddenly it’s gone. That’s also magic.
WORDS: Donnay Torr
Discover more about Aweventurer at aweventurer.com or on Instagram: @aweventurer
