About Me – Julia D’Orazio
Hey all!
I’m Julia D’Orazio (yep, it’s not an easy one to say).
I’m a one out of four, food loving, metal head, dance floor diva and 80s fashionably dressed love child all rolled into one. I have been living my farfalla life (that’s Italian for butterfly – thanks Nonno) since 2009 when I got my kicks from my first big overseas adventure (bye bye Perth) to South East Asia.
You are probably thinking “Oh gosh, this story is going to sound as typical as a McDonald’s menu right?”
Stock standard? Hardly. We are all intriguing individuals with interesting tales on how we got to where we are today – multiple 3 am kerbside cheeseburger pit stops included.
Like my wannabe caricature, The Little Mermaid – always inquisitive, singing, prancing and happy to speak to creatures of all sorts – I yearned to feel a part of the world.
As a result of my first big ass South East Asia trip, I switched up my degree up to study Tourism and Public Relations – so that kind of buried the whole Julia wanting to be Dawson (That’s Dawson’s Creek folks) wanting to be the next Steven Spielberg dream – I tell ya, that was a lightbulb moment of realising that maybe my degree is not for me!
I am a sucker for role play and costume change so since I finished uni, I had stints in travel agency land, wholesale, airlines, hotels, tour guiding and media (radio and television) yadda yadda yadda. I was a part of the corporate world for some time but as a restless human being who drinks way too much coffee than she should, I still wanted to experience more (demanding aren’t I?)
So the deed was done
Since I brought my one-way ticket to Asia and beyond in 2014, I have been flying, horse riding, tobogganing, Scuba Sue-ing (scuba diving folks), canoeing, snowshoeing, falling off husky sledges, sitting in buses with chickens, crabbing on all fours (not in the most attractive position), and getting around on whatever means possible to continue to explore the world (almost 70 countries and still happily counting).
Over the course of my travels, I morphed into becoming a fine bread maker to get me through the night but most importantly, a freelance travel & lifestyle writer.
With this career metamorphosis, I have shared my tales of solo travelling life, entering social experiments, on the road dating escapades, thrilling gorilla encounters with the media and with some articles going viral – hello 15 minutes of fame!
Let’s break the ice!
OK, instead of having the stock standard Tinder Q&A with the questions almost resembling a bot chat, I’ll give you a fun insight into what I am about.
Do I have a habit of turning conversations into real life musicals? Yes.
Do I think about eating my next meal while still eating my current one? Naturally.
Became a Eurovision correspondent? Yes – proof that dreams can come true!
Made the front page of a Ugandan national newspaper? Reality TV stardom here I come!
Did role play Aladdin and Jasmine with a pilot on a chartered flight? Of course – Disney karaoke at 6,000 feet is everything!
Swam with giants of the ocean? Had a whale tale of a time doing so!
Got told off outside the Tower of London for dancing in a wedding dress (when it was never my wedding)? I needed to make a congratulatory happy engagement film clip!
Have a love for getting a Cher-like grunt on when it comes to karaoke? A high octave yes!
And to see me in action…#WhenInFrance #PleaseLaughAtMyExpense
So what’s in it for you?
This sparkling pink website aims to inspire you to live your best life (thanks Oprah) by helping you discover the quirky side to travelling and not take life so seriously – let’s be open-minded about new possibilities people! Yes, that may come across as *insert inspirational quote* but some of the best encounters I have ever had was simply because I was open to new people, new places and new situations. Basically:
I believe in being a life enthusiast; not holding back on the things you want to do; taking chances; making genuine connections with people, and experiencing the best of humanity and what Mother Nature has presented us (food included).
Besides seeing a pretty in pink flamingo plastered everywhere, on this website, you will find me sharing thoughts, feelings and emoji-motions on personal travel stories, tips of my favourite tried & tested places in the world, some hardcore inspiration from everyday entrepreneurs, the occasional song and dance routine, honest reviews of services and products I have used and clear disclaimers. That and you can have a laugh at my expense!
What you won’t find on this website is that rare Pokemon that you have been trying to capture and also top ten lists as they internet is filled with them, content for the sake of it, the promotion of real badass unethical and unsustainable tourism practices (ain’t nobody got time for that), articles that are yawn worthy and random sponsored posts that do not align with this blog’s stars.
Want to get in touch?
Feel free to hola by contacting me at Julia [at] theroamingflamingo.com or visit any of my social pages – I have those in spades!
If you would like to work with me (virtual high five to you), please visit Work with Me to discover what magic we can create together.