In this episode, Ashley shares an honest, in-the-moment reflection from a day when everything feels uncertain. After deciding to move out of work-for-accommodation and into her own room, the excitement of having privacy and stability quickly turned into anxiety around money, commitment, work shifts, homesickness, and the fear of getting stuck in the cycle of work, save, travel, go broke.

This is a raw episode about the less romantic side of long-term travel: wanting freedom but craving stability, loving where you are but missing home, and learning to trust yourself when nothing has actually fallen apart yet — it just feels like it might.

When I first got to Australia, I had no idea how finding a job actually worked — and honestly, no one really explains it.

In this episode, I’m sharing how I got 3 jobs in 3 different places across Australia (Port Douglas, Sydney, and now an island), what worked, what didn’t, and what I wish I knew before I started.

From walking into dozens of places and getting rejected, to trial shifts, certifications, and finally landing something — this is the real, unfiltered process of figuring it out as a traveler.

If you’re on a working holiday visa, thinking about coming to Australia, or just navigating uncertainty in your own life — this episode is for you.

You’re not behind. You’re just in the middle of it.

A few days ago, my workplace literally caught on fire... and within a week, my entire life changed.

In this episode, I'm sharing the full story - from the moment the power went out, and we heard the explosion, to standing on the street and watching the building fill with smoke... to realizing I suddenly had no job, no income, and no real plan.

What followed was a fast, unexpected pivot: Leaving Sydney

Taking a leap on a last-minute opportunity

Landing on Magnetic Island

Starting over (again)

But this episode isn't just about the fire - it's about what happens when stability disappears overnight, how anxiety can build around work and identity, and what it feels like to be pushed into a new chapter before you feel ready.

If you've ever felt like your life can change in an instant, or life you're being forced to trust something bigger than your plan... this one's for you.

It's been a few weeks... and honestly, I just needed to disappear for a minute.

In this episode, I’m sitting on my dorm room floor in Sydney, getting my life back together and talking through everything that’s been happening lately — the burnout, the chaos, the growth, and the moments that somehow made it all worth it.

I share what it actually looked like trying to balance two jobs, living in a hostel, and pushing myself to a point where my nervous system just couldn’t keep up anymore. Why I stopped posting. Why I almost went home. And how I’m finally starting to feel like myself again.

We also get into:

• What it really feels like to live in a hostel long-term

• The reality of working while traveling (and why it’s not always fun)

• Friendships that feel like everything… and then end

• Why dating while traveling just doesn’t work for me

• Learning to slow down instead of making panic decisions

This is a messy, honest life update — but also a reminder that you don’t have to have everything figured out to keep going.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, burnt out, or like you’re just trying to keep your head above water… this one’s for you.

This episode of Wandering Wild is one of the most personal conversations I’ve shared on the podcast.

Today I’m sitting down with my mom to talk about my sister Gracie, who passed away from a congenital heart defect (CHD). We share memories of her life, what it was like navigating the hospital as a family, and the experience of saying goodbye after five weeks that changed our lives forever.

This episode is part of Podcasthon, a global initiative where podcasters dedicate an episode to highlighting a nonprofit doing meaningful work. The organization I chose to spotlight is Intermountain Healing Hearts, which supports families affected by congenital heart defects through community, resources, and financial assistance.

Gracie’s life was short, but her impact has been lasting — shaping the way our family sees relationships, grief, and the importance of truly living while we’re here.

If this episode resonates with you, you can learn more about Intermountain Healing Hearts or support their mission through the link in the show notes.

Find more about Inermountain Healing Hearts: https://ihhearts.org/about

What happens when a three-week vacation turns into 411 days of full-time travel across 28 countries and 4continents — and then suddenly… it ends?

Find Adrian on Instagram: @Adrian.SJL

In this episode of Wandering Wild, Ashley sits down with her friend Adrian to reflect on a year spent constantly in motion — and the unexpected challenge of coming home. Together, they talk about burnout, identity shifts, learning to let go of possessions, saying yes to fear, and finding meaning when the movement stops.

Adrian shares how travel reshaped the way he sees success, creativity, friendships, and himself — and why slowing down after such an expansive season can feel harder than the journey itself.

This conversation is for anyone who has:
• Felt restless after a big life change
• Struggled with stillness after constant movement
• Wondered “what if?” — and chose to go anyway
• Outgrown old versions of themselves and their lives

Sometimes the wildest journey isn’t leaving — it’s learning how to stay.

Adrian on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/adrian.sjl?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==⁠

What does it actually mean to get to know yourself — without trends, social media, or outside noise?

In this episode, I reflect on self-trust, intuition, patience on hard days, and the deep connection between humans and nature. After revisiting my earliest podcast episodes during a stressful week, I found clarity, grounding, and a reminder that some wisdom is only learned through experience — not research.

We explore self-discovery, belonging, and why time alone in nature can help us feel calmer, clearer, and more at home in ourselves.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or searching for answers outside of yourself, this episode is an invitation to slow down and listen inward.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and mentor Lelah — an artist, traveler, business owner, mother, and one of the most grounded, expansive humans I know.

We talk about living outside the blueprint, choosing adventure over convention, and what decades of travel, creativity, and courage can teach you about trusting yourself. Lelah shares stories from living in a van in her twenties, traveling without phones or plans, building a life centered on joy rather than money, and why “everything is better when it goes by slow.”

We explore comfort zones, boundaries, creativity, community, and what she understands now in her fifties that she couldn’t have known in her twenties — especially the power of having a strong relationship with yourself.
I hope it leaves you feeling more capable, more curious, and more willing to choose the story.