Hi! Thanks for stopping by. My name is Claire, and I’ve travelled to 31 countries since starting my travels in 2013.
Catching the Travel Bug
The first time I went travelling I was 24. My husband surprised me with a trip to Berlin for Christmas in 2013, and I couldn’t believe what an amazing thing I’d been missing out on.
Exploring new cities? Trying new foods? Talking to people from other cultures, and learning new languages? It was amazing. I was in love. I wanted MORE.
By the time we’d come home, I’d already booked a trip to Prague. And for the next nine years, I’ve never stopped.
Where I’ve Been
Since that first trip, I’ve travelled to thirty one different countries.
I’ve seen amazing works of art like the Mona Lisa, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Birth of Venus, The Last Supper, The Scream, and Sunflowers in person. I’ve also seen sculptures like David, the Venus de Milo, and Nefertiti’s bust.
I made pasta from scratch in Pisa, fished for my own dinner in a Tokyo restaurant, got drunk on honey beer in Riga, made my own chocolate in Hamburg, and learnt how Guinness is made in Dublin.
I got naked in front of strangers in a Japanese Ryokan, stood out in the freezing cold searching for the Northern Lights in Iceland, and drove the FairyTale Route in Germany chasing down the Grimm Brothers’ tales of Rapunzal, the Pied Piper and Little Red Riding Hood.
Basically, I’ve had a blast!
The Elephant in the Room
Yes, that’s me! 🐘
I won’t lie, I’ve struggled a lot with my identity and self-worth over the years, tying everything to my weight and the lack of confidence it gave me.
Having been plus-size my entire life, and making myself miserable by trying and failing every diet, healthy lifestyle and exercise plan that’s crossed my path, I finally had a realisation in my mid-twenties: I can either be fat and sad, or fat and happy.
So I chose to be happy.
Immediately my outlook changed. I stopped caring about what people thought about me, stopped hiding away in baggy jeans and hoodies (even in the Summer), started going after what I wanted. Suddenly, my life was looking a lot more exciting. Some highlights included:
- 2012 – Letting a friend sign me up to a dating app, going on one date, and finding my future husband.
- 2013 – Getting on a plane for the first time and kicking off my travel adventures.
- 2015 – Marriage!
- 2017 – Falling into a marketing career by chance and absolutely loving it after many directionless jobs working in offices, call centres, bars and restaurants.
- 2018 – After leaving education after Secondary School, starting to study part-time for an English and Creative Writing degree.
- 2020 – Moving to The Netherlands.
- 2021 – Having a few poems and short stories published after working on my degree for a few years. It was a huge boost, and honestly, was the kick I needed to start this blog.
- 2022 – Getting the job of my dreams after years of battling with imposter syndrome.
- 2023 – Graduating!
But none of that means that I’ll ever stop trying to lose weight! Being overweight is seriously unhealthy, with a host of scary side-effects ranging from high blood pressure to diabetes to heart failure.
It’s one thing to love yourself, it’s another to bury your head in the sand. So although I’m no longer letting my size get in the way of me enjoying life, I’m still working on getting myself to a place where I’m both happy and healthy.
The Purpose of My Big Fat Travel Diary
The main aim behind this blog is to prove that regardless of shape or size, there’s a whole world out there waiting for us, and it’s welcoming and wonderful and should be explored with wild abandon. Ignore the haters, love yourself, and get on a plane. See you out there!
