Hazel Porteous

The Naked Backpacker Hazel Porteous

This story follows my journey over five decades, across five continents, in a quest to find a warm special place I can call home. Brought up in a safe middle class area, my principals are challenged when I learn about different cultures, the plights of endangered animals and extreme poverty around the world. At times along the way, I find myself in amusing, scary and fascinating situations as I battle with motion sickness, acrophobia, giardia and migraines. Pitting myself against the elements, I climb mountains, sail on the Pacific Ocean and trek through jungles as my endurance is tested endeavouring to fulfil my dream. I start trusting my intuition as both good and bad experiences shape me into a different person. Amongst many adventures, I survive jumping from a plane, getting robbed in Tanzania, being propositioned in Croatia, having nowhere to sleep and running out of currency. Crashing my motorbike, almost drowning in the Zambezi and being charged by a hippo, lion and elephant teach me to appreciate life. An excellent rapport with my pet Indian python, stroking cheetahs in Africa, hanging with mountain gorillas in Zaire and holding pandas in China, clinch my love of animals. This leads me to befriend lemurs in Madagascar, meet orangutans in Borneo, walk with tigers in Thailand, snorkel with sea turtles in Hawaii and swim with dolphins in New Zealand. I'm privileged to have experienced so much and grateful to have travelled so far.