As a community, Norwich School recognises the talent and interests that is widespread throughout pupils and staff alike. To celebrate this we have introduced a new blog segment, Who Knew, in which we find out about staff members hobbies, passions and talents.
Next up on this segment we have Hollie Williams-Goff who tells us about her love of travelling.
Where have you travelled to?
"I have travelled to about 35 different countries. Mostly these have been in Europe and Asia, but also a little bit of Oceania, Africa and North America. "
Why do you enjoy travelling?
"I get a lot out of travelling but what I enjoy depends on the circumstance. I really enjoy travelling on my own because I get to explore places at my own pace and prioritise what it is that I want from my trip. I also love travelling with friends and family and I get a completely different experience from that, but I think either way you are experiencing a new culture and climate, you’re seeing art and people that are just from a completely different place."
What’s the top 3 places you’ve ever been to and why?
"Japan! Japan is definitely my top pick for a travel experience – it’s absolutely incredible, and in the month I spent there I went to 17 different places, each one completely different from the last. There’s so much variety; mountains, beaches, hi-tech bustling cities, quiet ancient villages, and my personal favourite – the art island!
Finland is probably my very favourite country – it’s somewhere I feel really at home and would move there in a heartbeat. I’ve also had some very life affirming adventures there (I was rescued from the artic, and then ended up having a Christmas-style Lapland experience) Similar to Japan there’s a lot of beauty and variety: I love the capital city, but I also love hopping around the islands and lakes and of course the artic circle… maybe next time it would be even better without the drama!
The place that is most dear to my heart, however, is actually just in the UK. In Yorkshire there’s a National Trust site called Brimham Rocks – it’s an amazing natural rock formation that I have wonderful memories of climbing with my family as a child. Now I’ve taken my own children there and been there with the sailing team and Mr Bedford-Payne we had a lovely time."
What’s the longest time you’ve been out of the country?
"3 months. I took myself off travelling around Southeast Asia. I landed in Thailand, ended up staying there much longer than I thought because I decided I’d sign into a Muay Thai boxing camp. I actually did only three of the four weeks of that, however, because I broke my wrist in the third week. At that point I carried on travelling; I went over to Cambodia and then to Vietnam; I did the length of Vietnam twice, once with people I met whilst travelling and once by myself to come back down again to cross back over the boarders to Thailand where I finished off in Bangkok."
Tell me about the first time you went away by yourself?
"The first place I ever went completely on my own was actually when I went off for the three-month stint in Asia! It was exciting but also a bit scary at time. I landed in Bangkok and the first thing I did was get onto a night train heading north Chang Mai. That first night trying to sleep on the train I had to make friends with cockroaches and all sorts! But I met people who I travelled with on and off, and I also loved my time alone. It was one of the most edifying experiences I’ve ever had."
What are some of the highlights of the trips that you have been on?
"A lot of my memorable experiences were in Japan: I climbed Mt Fuji, climbing through the day, sleeping at a camp for a few hours then climbing more through the night to get to the summit in time for sunrise. I’ll also never forget the feeling of the hot onsen at the bottom when we got down, it was so good after the climb.
Scuba diving in Japan in Okinawa was incredible, and we went from there to this tiny little island really far south called Iriomote. The island has one working port with 2 boats a day and its around 90% near-impassable mangrove swamp, so you have to go through it by combination of foot, boat and rafts! We did all of that and it was incredible getting to the heart of the island. One of the coolest things there was a beach right in front of the hostel I stayed at called the “Star Sand Beach” and you could walk on it and then look at your hands and feet and they would be covered in these tiny sand-stars. They’re actually little crustacean exoskeletons, but it was another brilliant sight.
I also went to a sacred mountain called Mount Koya-san and stayed in a monastery with Monks which was a really unique experience."
Where do you want to go next?
"I’d like to go to more of America. I have only ever spent a few days in Las Vegas, where I spent my 21st birthday, but I’d really like to go to California and see the redwoods and I’ve never been to New York City or Chicago so I’d love to go there! If Mr Passam is reading this maybe he could put me on the next New York trip…!"
Do you have any tips for those who want to travel?
"Make it happen. If you haven’t got the money then maybe don’t spend money on things like trainers that month and instead buy a ticket to Cologne or Paris or Amsterdam, and go away, even if it is just for a day! I also recommend travelling on your own, I don’t think enough people do it and it’s really liberating. You can bring a book or a podcast and just experience where you are in your own time at your own pace and prioritise what you want to get out of the trip. Last term I visited Venice and Amsterdam on my own and I loved it, definitely worth trying at least once."
