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24 February, 2021

Life in the time of COVID-19 with Global Work & Travel’s Adelle Clements

This week, our editor enjoyed a beachside chat with Global Work & Travel’s brand and marketing manager on the Gold Coast … until he accidentally stepped on a blue bottle.

What are you reading?

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. A book that wonderfully intertwines science with beautiful stories of Indigenous people and wisdom around how we relate to nature and the land around us. I am absolutely loving it, and have to constantly go back and re-read and reflect – true signs of a great book!

What are you watching?

Nothing at the moment. I try to avoid screens once I get home from the office, but if I am feeling a little dusty after too many wines on a Saturday evening, Broad City is always my go-to for a guaranteed laugh.

What are you listening to?

I am currently bingeing The I Can’t Stand Podcast by Peta Hooke. It’s real stories and reflections about being a young woman living in Australia with a disability. It’s very eye-opening and also extremely entertaining – check it out!

What are you cooking?

Does Uber Eats count? Just joking Mum! (I have definitely cut down my Uber Eats consumption since relocating from Melbourne to the Gold Coast.)

I love cooking with lots of organic veggies that I pick up from the local farmers’ market on the weekend. Plant-based salads, pastas and bowls of goodness thrown together with zero thought or preparation are usually my go-tos.

How are you staying fit both physically and mentally?

I am lucky enough to live in beautiful Burleigh Heads, so I walk the headland every morning and stand-up paddleboard as often as I can. Spending my mornings in nature and in the ocean sets me up both physically and mentally for a great day. As a bonus, I often have some of my best ideas and inspiration whilst walking in the national park!

What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since the coronavirus hit?

Like so many, coronavirus made me take a long hard look at my life, my happiness and who and where I wanted to be. I had always dreamed of living on the Gold Coast or in the Northern Rivers and, after six months in the Melbourne lockdown, I decided to take the risk and leave a job and a state that I loved for a new city and new job opportunity. It was extremely challenging for someone who loves stability, but five months later, I couldn’t be happier or more proud of myself for chasing my happiness and taking the risk.

What have you learned about yourself amid the crisis?

That flexibility with work and working environments makes me a happier and more productive person.

What’s your advice for others in the industry on coping with the crisis?

My heart really does go out to others in the industry. This has been an incredibly tough time and a lot of people have suffered so much. I just hope that people who have worked in travel know that their skill sets can be utilised in so many other industries.

Take every day as it comes and be kind and gentle on yourselves. There are a few things we can control at the moment, but our mental and physical health is one of those.

Where is your favourite domestic travel destination?

The Mornington Peninsula is home for me, so it is always my favourite place to spend time. It is particularly beautiful in autumn – I highly recommend a cheese platter and bottle of pinot at Panton’s Winery (a locals’ favourite), followed by a stroll on the Red Hill equestrian trail.

What is the one international travel memory keeping you going through this time?

Definitely cruising through the Lemaire Channel on the G Expedition through Antarctica with a glass of malbec in hand. Life doesn’t get any better than that moment.

Where do you want to travel to once international travel restrictions ease up?

The list is endless! I would love to start in New York though – my favourite city in the world.

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

Adelle Clements Global Work & Travel Life in the time of COVID-19 midweek interview