Design Her Travel

How Volunteer Travel & Sailing the World Led to Love & Adventure w/ Author Niamh McAnally #125

Kim Anderson Episode 125

What if sailing the seas could lead you to both adventure and love?

In this week’s episode, host Kim Anderson sits down with bestselling author Niamh McAnally, who shares her journey of volunteer travel, living aboard a sailboat, and finding love along the way. From working with sea turtles to crossing the Caribbean, Niamh’s story is filled with heart and adventure.

In this episode, you'll hear Niamh’s story of leaving behind her career to explore island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, volunteering her time, and living among locals. She shares how these experiences opened up a deeper connection to the world and ultimately led her to meet the love of her life while sailing the Bahamas. 

Expect to be inspired by Niamh’s tales of adventure, including her work with turtle conservation, her unique view on service through travel, and how her time at sea has shaped both her life and writing. 

Whether you're curious about volunteer travel, sailing, or how life can surprise you with love when you least expect it, this episode has something for you.

Tune in and discover how travel can open your heart to the world—and maybe lead you to places (and people) you never imagined.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • What sailing can teach you about relationships
  • Paid volunteer VS. Unpaid Volunteer Opportunities
  • What it's like to restart life at 55
  • Finding either the gift or the lesson in a situation

RESOURCES:
Connect with Niamh:
WEBSITE: The Writer on the Water
Niamh's BOOKS:
1.  Following Sunshine: A Voyage Around the Mind, Around the World, Around the Heart
2.  Flares Up (shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Award)

⚡ ROUND BOOK:
SOLO: On Her Own Adventure by Susan Fox Rogers

EPISODE DETAILS:
02:00 - Life is like the ebb and flow of the tides in the ocean.

11:50 - We are all the same at the core level. We just want to love and be loved.

13:57 - Remember to stay present in each and every moment.

20:41 - - Ask yourself, why is this happening for me and not to me. 

24:24 - Be careful what you ask the universe for because you might just get it


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