When you have lived in a place, even a touristy place, all your life you sometimes forget that people love to visit it. When Alex and I saw Fie’s, from Departures Army, vlog on her road trip from Alex’s home off Highway 1 and my home we had to share it. It is always nice to see your home through someone else’s eyes and relive what makes your home great. We hope you enjoy this little slice of our home and check out Fie’s other videos on youtube.
My name is Fie, I’m a 22 year old traveller from Denmark. I have never been much of a writer, but I love to do creative stuff so I started my youtube channel about a year ago, documenting my travels and adventures. Hoping to inspire others to travel themselves. There is nothing more rewarding then finding yourself, which I believe I’m doing when I travel. At the moment I’m living in Southland, New Zealand and within the last 12 months I have been in Tanzania, England, Holland and on a 6 week road trip around Western USA. Don’t forget to be you, we are all creative spirits travelling through life.
{"html":"Why a Road Trip Along Highway 1 Works So Well
There is a reason the coastal road is one of the most talked-about drives in the western United States. It is not only about reaching a destination; the route itself is the attraction. The highway hugs cliffs, dips into small beach towns, climbs over headlands and then drops back down to the water, so the view changes every few miles. For someone who has grown up beside it, that constant change can fade into the background. For a traveller seeing it for the first time, every bend is a new postcard.
That is exactly what makes a vlog like Fie's so valuable. A camera forces you to slow down and notice things, and a traveller from the other side of the world notices what locals stop seeing: the way fog rolls over a ridge in the morning, the colour of the water, the friendly strangers at a roadside stop. Watching it is a reminder that a place is never ordinary to everyone.
The Appeal of Seeing Home Through a Visitor's Eyes
Locals tend to treat their surroundings as a backdrop to daily errands. We know the shortcuts, we know which stretches are slow in summer, and we know which viewpoints are crowded. A visitor does not carry that baggage. They arrive curious and a little overwhelmed, and they document the small moments that make a place feel alive.
Fie's footage works because it is honest. She is not pretending to be an expert. She is a young traveller discovering things in real time, and that sense of discovery is contagious. It is a good lesson for anyone who travels: the best stories often come from simply paying attention and being open to what the road offers.
- Fresh perspective: a first-time visitor spots details residents have stopped noticing.
- Authentic reactions: unscripted wonder tells you more than any brochure.
- Shared pride: seeing your home appreciated makes you want to explore it again.
Travelling Creatively, Whatever Your Skill Level
Fie says she has never been much of a writer, yet she found a way to share her journeys: video. That is an encouraging idea for anyone who feels they are not a natural storyteller. You do not need polished prose or professional gear to document your adventures. A phone, a little patience and a willingness to share what you see can be enough to inspire others to head out and see the world.
Creative documentation also changes how you travel. When you know you will be capturing a moment, you look more closely at it. You think about what made it special, what the light was doing, how it felt to be there. Many travellers find that keeping a record, whether a vlog, a journal or a handful of photos, deepens the memory long after the trip ends.
There is nothing more rewarding than finding yourself, which I believe I'm doing when I travel.
Lessons From a Year of Wandering
In the span of a single year, Fie has been to Tanzania, England, Holland and across Western USA on a six-week road trip, all while making her home in Southland, New Zealand. Those places could hardly be more different from one another, and yet a few themes tend to repeat for anyone who moves through the world this way.
- Go slowly when you can. Six weeks on one road trip allows for detours, spontaneous stops and bad weather days without panic.
- Stay curious. Every country and every stretch of road has its own rhythm, and it rewards people who ask questions.
- Share what you learn. Telling the story helps other people feel brave enough to plan their own journey.
- Stay yourself. Travel is not about becoming someone new; it is about meeting the person you already are in unfamiliar places.
That last point is worth holding on to. Fie's closing thought, that we are all creative spirits travelling through life, is a gentle reminder that there is no single right way to explore. Some people chase big landscapes, others chase food, music or conversation. All of it counts.
Planning Your Own Slice of the Journey
If watching a road trip makes you want to take one, a few practical habits go a long way. Look at the route before you leave, but leave room in the schedule. The most memorable moments rarely appear on an itinerary. Pack layers, because coastal weather can change within a single afternoon, and keep snacks and water in the car for the long stretches between towns.
It also helps to talk to people who live along the way. Locals know the quiet beaches, the best places for a simple meal and the viewpoints that tourists drive straight past. For more ideas, browse our Travel Advice pages, see where we have been on Where In The World Have We Been, or find inspiration in My Favorite and What We Are Craving.
Above all, remember that the place you call ordinary may be someone else's dream destination. Take a moment to look at your own surroundings the way a visitor would, and you might rediscover exactly why you love home. Our Features section has more stories like this one, shared in the spirit of adventure and curiosity that Fie reminds us to carry with us wherever we go.
Why Stories Like This Matter
Travel content has become crowded, with endless lists and polished highlight reels. What stands out is the personal, human story: a young person with a camera, a long road and an open mind. Those stories remind us that adventure is not reserved for professionals or the wealthy. It belongs to anyone willing to go, look around and share what they find.
For us, passing along Fie's video is a small way of saying thank you. She took the time to explore a place we love and showed it back to us with fresh enthusiasm. That is the quiet magic of travel: it connects people across oceans, builds understanding and leaves everyone, hosts and visitors alike, a little more appreciative of the world around them.
So whether you are planning a six-week journey or just a weekend drive, take the camera, take the curiosity and take the time. You may be surprised by what you find, both on the road and within yourself.
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