Hey there, thanks for stopping by!
We’re Dotti and Zandy. We’re best friends and partners in adventure.
We’re on a global journey together, having left our lives in Australia to wander the globe. We have no fixed itinerary, nor any specific travel plans. Instead, we just roam about (usually in nature) and see where life takes us.
We created Travel Oasis for all the other independent adventure travellers out there. Through our comprehensive guides and travel tips, we show you how to do things independently, adventurously and most often, off the beaten track.
But first, let’s tell you a little bit more about ourselves.
Our Extended Journey
Born in a small town in northern Canada, Dotti’s travel story starts at the age of 18, when a failed attempt to meet a friend in Thailand led her backpacking through the country by herself for two months. (Although she didn’t tell her parents that at the time – sorry mom and dad).
The experience of travelling on her own in a foreign country completely changed her worldview. Needless to say, after that, there was no going back.
Since then, travel has influenced all of Dotti’s major life decisions – from doing an exchange in Turkey during her undergraduate degree, to travelling through the Middle East at the plum age of 20 and spontaneously house-sitting in Rome for a summer.
Then in 2011 Dotti sold all of her possessions, gave away her cat and left Canada on a one-way ticket to Mexico. She spent a year and a half in Latin America, learnt Spanish, ran a small peanut butter business (yes, you read that correctly) and hitchhiked the whole way from Mexico to Panama. Whilst the goal was to get from Mexico to Argentina, she learned to enjoy travel at a slower pace and as a result, didn’t make it nearly as far south as she had originally thought – with zero regrets.
After a few brief months in the US and South Korea, Dotti found herself in Melbourne in 2013. And it was there that she met Zandy (frisbee in hand).
Enter Zandy…
Zandy grew up in a family of travellers where he was inspired by his parent’s epic tales of travel throughout the 60’s and 70’s. Born to an American father and a Kiwi mother, Zandy was raised in New Zealand before moving to upstate New York at age 13. A side trip to Thailand en route to the US provided Zandy with his first real taste of adventure. This left a lasting impression and contributed to his decision to study tourism at university.
After graduating his travels continued, taking him back to northern Thailand where he spent two years teaching English and exploring southern Asia. After a few more adventures, he too settled in Melbourne where he worked in the travel industry – and then he met Dotti, frisbee in hand.
At some point along the way a relationship blossomed, and well, you know how it goes from there. Adventure was always calling so in 2019 we packed up our lives in Melbourne and hit the road for remote Central Australia. Dotti worked as a community lawyer for a not-for-profit and Zandy managed youth programs in remote Aboriginal communities.
With our trusty 4WD Prince Rupert the Prado, we explored all across the Northern Territory and had some incredible adventures.
Itchy Feet Soon Arose Though…
As magical as Central Australia is, that old urge to travel was back. But this time, we wanted a project. Something to dig our teeth into and give us a sense of purpose as we travelled.
We’ve always loved sharing our adventures, and most importantly, sharing travel tips and awesome destinations to other travellers on the road. So why not put this all into a blog?
The idea for Travel Oasis was born.
So What Can You Expect From Travel Oasis?
Well, let’s tell you what we’re not going to do.
We’re not going to use the words ‘travel experts’, we’re not going to use a million superlatives and not all of our photos are going to be of us looking flawless. We’re not going to use a lot of filters and we’re definitely not going to rose colour everything – let’s face it, travel can be hard and it’s not always glamorous. We want to be real with you.
But what do we do?
We make adventure travel accessible for everyone.
We focus on providing quality, comprehensive guides for the independent, adventure traveller. We tell you how to get somewhere, do a hike, or find a remote camping spot all on your own. Our guides are designed to give you the all information you need so that you are ready and equipped to embark on an adventure of your own.
What’s Our Style Of Travel?
We follow the ‘quality over quantity’ philosophy to travel – spending more time in a select few places, rather than just rushing through and ticking boxes. We like to get to know a place, meet people, find hidden gems and uncover its hidden quirks and personality. For us, this is the key to meaning in travel.
We’ve been shoestring travellers for a big part of our lives, but we’ve changed a bit. We still travel on a budget, but also recognise that we enjoy a bit more comfort these days than we did 10 years ago. Whilst we are happy spending most of our time camping and eating on the street, we also enjoy a nice hotel bed with a hot shower from time to time.
What hasn’t changed through all the years though, is our love for authentic and genuine travel – we love getting to know the people behind a place and spending a bit more time somewhere rather than rushing through. We love adventure and the outdoors – you’ll find us frequently camping and climbing mountains and searching for remote spots. We embrace the unexpected, the chaotic and we love to meet new people and hear their stories.
Travel has transformed our lives for the better and we’re so grateful to share more of these experiences with you – and perhaps inspire you to get out there yourself!
-Dotti And Zandy Xx