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4 July, 2018

Midweek Interview with Intrepid Travel’s Lucy Piper

This week, we stole Intrepid’s head of creative away to a remote sandy beach for an interview. Fine, she provided the photo herself.

The challenge for the industry is…

Educating travellers that there is a way to travel for good – that you can holiday at the same time as being sustainable and creating positive change in the world.

The things I like about my job…

Working in an environment where values are prioritised (responsibility, integrity, passion etc) and you genuinely see this come to life in every single employee.

I am also incredibly lucky to be able to do what I love as a job – creating content, video and creative work that encourages people to get out there and connect with other cultures and communities – after over seven years at the company, I still pinch myself every day.

And the frustrations are …

There’s not enough hours in the day to achieve everything that we strive to achieve – there is so much potential in the travel industry to change people’s lives and make a positive impact, so it can be hard to say no to projects when you want to say yes to every opportunity!

If I didn’t work in travel I would be…

Some kind of adventure sports photographer or filmmaker – I love the community that surrounds endurance sports and trail running, and I’d love to be able to focus time on telling some of the crazy stories!

Favourite airline?

I’m loyal to one through their FF programme, but I wouldn’t say they are my favourite… If I could choose I’d fly Emirates every time.

My proudest moment was…

Running the Inca Trail in a day with the blind ultra runner Dan Berlin to film and photograph the challenge. It was hands down the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, and I was in absolute awe of Dan the entire way. I cried more than a few times on the trail that day…

The naughtiest thing I ever did was…

I remember being a child and sliding down the bonnet of a rare vintage sports car (a Mustang Mach 1) while my dad was inside the pub having a pint with the owner of the car. When they came outside he was mortified. I haven’t lived it down and it still gets brought up to this day.

I try to relax by…

Meditating each day and going for long runs.

The last time I feared for my life was…

On a flight from Queenstown to Melbourne, where the plane experienced turbulence that I didn’t think was possible for an aircraft to withstand.

I’m a nervous flyer at the best of times, but these drops were completely gut wrenching – the type that force to say-your-prayers in the moment.

If I can, I always try to avoid…

Anchovies.

I really wish I had…

Discipline in my youth.

The best advice I’ve ever received was…

You suffer more in imagination than in reality. (Advice from Seneca, via my boss Drew Martinez).

I don’t understand why people…

Repeat the same process but expect a different outcome.

My greatest weakness is…

Underestimating how much time it takes to complete things successfully.

And my greatest strength is…

I’m genuinely passionate about helping people to fulfil their potential.

If I won a $1 million lottery (aside from travelling), I would…

Start a film production company as a side hustle

If I was prime minister I would…

Prioritise climate change and minimising our contribution in every facet of policy.

If I could be someone else for one day I would be…

An indigenous woman in contemporary Australian society. After spending time with the Yolngu community in remote east Arnhem Land last year while making a film for Intrepid, I was moved by the culture, and of the experiences of the women in particular, and how they fit in to their society, and wider contemporary society as a whole.

I feel as though I had my eyes opened to something I had never been exposed to before, and I would love to learn more about this ancient and fragile culture.

I’ve always wanted to travel to…

Kashmir.

My favourite holiday was…

Through northern India with my husband and our friend on an Intrepid trip last year.

It was my first visit to the country, and I felt as though I had a jolt from a diffibrulator – it brought me to life in a way I didn’t think possible. I have been obsessed with India ever since (and have been back another three times!)

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

intrepid group midweek interview profile