Holly Beck: Adventure Addict
Holly Beck lives the life that most people can only dream of – and she appreciates that fact with the sunny optimism of a true “life artist.” Beck is a pro surfer, model and spokesperson for Body Glove, Rusty Surfboards, Sector 9 Skateboards, go211.com, Bravo Condoms, Dakine and Savethewaves.org. Her travels have taken her to the far reaches of the world – Gabon, Sao Tome, Seychelles, Maldives, Australia, Tonga, Ecuador and Haiti, among dozens of other wave riding hotspots.
We’re excited to feature Holly in our “How I Travel” series.
Give me two days notice and I’ll go anywhere, no questions asked.
The more far out, unexplored, unexpected the better. I am nearly incapable of saying no to an opportunity to travel.
Where? When? Cool, let’s go!
Embracing when things go wrong.
When the airline refuses to take surfboards last minute, when the boat breaks down in the middle of nowhere twenty minutes before dark, when the bugs are so bad you have to spend 24/7 in your mosquito net and everyone in the group has diarrhea – you really get to know the true nature of the people around you. I thrive on chaos and I love studying others’ reactions to bumps in the road. It’s a great time to spread the word that every problem is surmountable with the right attitude.
I thrive on chaos and I love studying others’ reactions to bumps in the road.
Why I don’t like researching trips
I’m too lazy to read guidebooks or do research before a trip.
I’m not interested in the standard tourist stops and while I’m sure there is good information about places to stay and eat, I’d rather walk around and choose the place that looks best. As long as I have one contact to get me through the first night, I like to let the plan take shape on its own.
Spending travel time alone
I don’t like groups, especially at the airport.
I love the anonymity of an airport. I like to tuck into my little corner, quietly watch the people go by, and not have to engage in small talk or pre-trip excitement. I’m happy to meet up with a few friends once I get to the destination, but I like spending the travel time solo.
If everyone traveled, the world would be a better place.
As Mark Twain said, “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.” The more you travel you realize that people are the same everywhere and can no longer phrase the discussion in terms of us vs. them.
The more you travel you realize that people are the same everywhere and can no longer phrase the discussion in terms of us vs. them.
I’ll stay anywhere.
All the nights spent on a friend’s couch, sharing a bed in a hostel, or on the floor of an airport make that nice private hotel room with my own king size bed feel even better.
Packing light
I pack the same amount of stuff whether I’m going for one week or two months.
When you live out of a suitcase, you want the items inside to make you feel at home wherever you roam. I have a kit that goes with me everywhere. Simple first aid, mini sewing kit, travel pillow, lightweight sleeping bag, flashlight, scissors.
I always use the same medium sized rolling bag, and when it’s full I’m packed.
With a pillow and sleeping bag I can sleep comfortably anywhere, I’m always tearing holes in my skin that need to be repaired, and scissors are something other people rarely think to bring but are always asking to borrow. I always use the same medium sized rolling bag, and when it’s full I’m packed.
I prefer daytime to nighttime
My friends say I am solar powered.
I’m up, excited at dawn and nodding off not long after dinner. Unless I’m totally into the people around me, I choose to pass on a lot of interesting nightlife and can be a disappointment to my hosts when I’d rather crash out than keep partying.
I don’t do gyms.
Staying fit while traveling involves the same thing as staying fit at home. Skip the taxi and walk back from town – even if it’s far. Hike that trail to see where it goes then run the whole way back. Jump from rock to rock instead of circumnavigating the headland. Take the path of most resistance.
Favorite food
If good Southern California style Mexican food was available all over the world, I might never come home.
After about ten days all I’m craving is a big carne asada burrito with chips and salsa.
Where I most want to go back to
I’d like to go back to New Zealand.
The last time I was one girl in a huge campervan with eleven boys for a surfing photo shoot for my sponsor Body Glove. In ten days we drove from Christchurch to Raglan, never pausing long enough to take a breath (not that breathing was safe with all those un-showered boys packed into the van). Next time I’d like to be one girl in a campervan by myself with at least twice the amount of time to explore and breathe.
Embrace the moment.
I have maybe too firm a grasp on the concept of being “in the moment” and easily find myself completely enthralled with whatever I happen to be doing and whoever I happen to be with to the point that whatever is right in front of me seems the only place in the universe I need to be at that exact moment.
I have maybe too firm a grasp on the concept of being ‘in the moment’ and easily find myself completely enthralled with whatever I happen to be doing.
My favorite beach
As a pro surfer I’ve sampled the best beaches in the world.
My favorite as far as raw jaw-dropping natural beauty was in the Seychelles.
It’s all about the people.
I like traveling with my boyfriend, but when I do we tend to keep to our own bubble. One of the most memorable and awesome trips of my life was the time I spent 12 days alone driving a campervan down the coast of Australia trying to not talk to anyone.
My favorite situation is starting the trip not knowing anyone, and ending it with at least one new friend for life.
But really, it’s the people you meet that tend to be the most memorable and meaningful aspects of the trip. Even the best experience can be soured by negative people, and worst case scenarios become no big deal when you’re with people you like. My favorite situation is starting the trip not knowing anyone, and ending it with at least one new friend for life.
I’m addicted to new experiences.
It’s commom to not spend more than five consecutive days at home in a four month period. While I often crave more time at home during these times, once I’m back for a couple weeks, I’m ready to be on the road again. It’s a serious addiction and I don’t see a cure.
Online Holly can be found on her website. After 10 years on the road, she has finally settled in a remote fishing village in northern Nicaragua. Holly and her partner are busy with construction projects while trying to live a sustainable and eco-friendly life. They have a website dedicated this lifestyle, HipEhabitat.com.
“How I Travel” is a BootsnAll series publishing every Friday in an effort to look at the unique and diverse travel habits of some of the world’s most well known and proficient road warriors.
photos supplied by Holly Beck and may not be used without permission