When scrolling through the Instagram feed of Grace of @_gracek, the #wanderlust is undeniable. Her photos are a stunning collection of exotic tropical locations, fashion, friends, food… and cocktails! We chatted to this jetsetting Cocobella Ambassador, about the stories behind our five favourite shots.
You travel to some breathtaking locations. Talk us through your favourite five…
Ooh! It’s always a tough one picking my favourite locations, I’d have to start with Hawaii, the beautiful scenery is breathtaking. I love being outdoors and going on adventures, and the Islands offer so many beautiful hikes, surrounded with picture perfect, eye candy views.
Bali will always have a special place in my heart as it helped me when I was struggling. I call Bali the love in my heart, where I did all my soul searching and truly found myself throughout the many styles of adventure it has to offer: like relaxing on a yoga retreat, partying your way through the amazing night life or sunbaking on any of the magical surrounding islands.
Now let’s talk about Greece. It’s just as breathtaking as the photos, absolutely magical, and so hard to blink because you don’t want to stop, even for a moment, to look away from the incredible views. I could honestly live on Mykonos Island.
My kind of heaven is Turkey. Hot air ballooning across incredible views, venturing down unknown roads that always lead somewhere beautiful, staying in luxurious caves, sipping tea with the friendliest locals I’ve ever met, and just wandering the streets of Instanbul. I loved all of Turkey and would go back in a heartbeat.
Let’s end the top 5 with India. Words can’t fully describe this country, it’s beautiful in so many ways. It opened my eyes in a whole new way and made me look at life with so much more gratitude. Want a challenge? Go to India.
This photo was taken at a beautiful Villa called Villa Sungai tucked away in what felt like the jungle of Canggu, Bali. I was relaxing by the pool, indulging in an amazing lunch cooked and served by the staff at the villa. This villa was very special to me as it’s located in a very special village of Canggu that provides work to the locals.
It’s clear you’re a summer lover! What do you do during the colder, gloomier months to stay happy and glowing?
Yep, I love summer. The sun makes me my happiest. During those colder, gloomier months I love to rug up with hot chocolate and binge on Netflix. I’m blessed to live in a beautiful country, and in Queensland where it doesn’t get too cold. I have spent years living in Canada where the coldest days got down to -40 degrees, yep that’s NEGATIVE 40 degrees. It was so cold I couldn’t feel my fingers, my toes and my tears of pain turned into ice. Again, hot chocolate, and binging on Netflix is the way to stay happy!
This picture was taken in Cancun, Mexico. We had this insane pontoon all to ourselves where we just sat and sunbaked all day, looking at crystal clear blue waters with a cheeky cocktail. In Cancun your hotels are all inclusive, which means all inclusive alcohol, so it’d be rude not to have one…
You seem to find the most amazing cocktails! What are your holiday party tips to ensure you stay healthy and energized and don’t waste valuable adventure time recovering?
Everyone knows I love the occasional party, and enjoy a wine or cocktail. To stay healthy and energized so I don’t waste my days, I focus on my eating. I generally eat pretty healthy, so my cheat is a cocktail. I’m pretty lucky to be blessed with an early bird body, so even if I’m out till 4am, I wake up every single morning no later than 7am. I enjoy taking in as much of the day as possible, I don’t like to sleep in. If I’m feeling hung-over, I like to start the morning with a bottle of Kombucha or coconut water. Staying hydrated is so important, I drink A LOT of water. Superfoods keep me energized and morning smoothies are my go-to, packed full of superfoods for that extra boost of natural energy.
This cocktail is called the Comuna Calada, and yes it tastes just as good as it looks. Served by my favourite Gold Coast/Brisbane based location – Comuna Cantina. It’s my absolute favourite go-to for a drink or Insta pic 😉
It’s clear from your photos that you have some amazing friends, who travel with you and share your adventures. What do you think are the five most important qualities of a best travel buddy?
The five best qualities would have to be someone that has similar interests to you when it comes to adventuring, obviously someone you enjoying spending time with (that’s a big deal), someone you can trust, and finally, someone who can be just as spontaneous as me, and doesn’t need to go by-the-book or on a planned schedule.
This is my friend Gillzy. We had just met that day at my favourite Café in Canggu, and we connected instantly. We continued the night over a drink at Pretty Poison and to this day, we’re friends for life. That’s my favourite part of traveling, the people you meet along the way!
We love this shot as it’s a definite contrast from all the incredible resorts and villas you get to stay in. What’s your favourite way to holiday: roughing it on a camping or road trip where anything could happen, or living it up in luxury?
Honestly I’m very easy going when it comes to where I stay. I definitely do enjoy luxury but I also absolutely love to rough it. My favourite would 100% be going on a road trip where anything could happen!
This is taken in Byron Bay on a little road trip down to see the band, Flight Facilities. I love a road trip and having a big enough car, so I can just chuck my doona and pillows in the back and see where the road takes me!
