The Woman Who Inspired Travel Writer's Daughter

My mother, Susan Elliott (@susanelliotttravelwriter), has been one of my greatest inspirations for as long as I can remember. Long before I understood what travel journalism was, I admired her curiosity, courage, sense of adventure, and ability to connect with people wherever she went. She remains my hero, not just because of what she has achieved, but because of the way she moves through the world.

An award-winning travel journalist and television presenter based in Sydney, Australia, Susan has spent decades sharing stories from around the globe with humour, honesty, and care. Through her writing and television work, she captures not only extraordinary destinations but also the people, cultures, and experiences that bring them to life.

Writing for publications including MiNDFOOD, Vacations & Travel, Luxury Travel, and Signature Luxury Travel & Style, and travelling the world as a presenter and producer for Travel Oz Global on Network Ten, she has built a career around curiosity, storytelling, and meaningful exploration.

I'm her daughter (@travelwritersdaughter), bringing my own lens to the experiences we share. We're both storytellers in our own ways, united by a love of travel, adventure, curiosity, and the endless rewards of discovering new places, cultures, and ways of seeing the world.

What’s something about you that surprises people when they meet you?

I think they’re shocked to learn that my journey to be a journalist was punctuated with many odd job choices, working as a cook on a prawn trawler in the Gulf of Carpentaria and marketing Canadian mountain bikes for a corrupt German baron in Monaco.

If you weren’t a travel writer, what other “dream job” could you see yourself loving?

I love “luxury in the wilderness”, so I would be very happy curating extraordinary experiences for guests at high-end retreats around the world. I would research and develop them, and be the lead guide, of course!

Which trip changed the way you think about the world?

My first big overseas TV shoot in Zimbabwe was a shock. I was reporting on the work Qantas flight attendants were doing at an orphanage in between their flights. It broke my heart to see such enormous joy in children who had so many reasons to be sad. I had never seen such happiness. I was there for three days and saw, first hand, how poor, abandoned children were rising above their personal tragedies to be their best. Many things were put in perspective after that trip.

Which destination made you fall in love with travelling all over again?

Oh, it's Antarctica time! I'd ticked off a lot of countries before I finally got to sail to the Big White. Antarctica is the EXTRA in extraordinary, a place so beautiful, calming, and important that you never want the journey to end.

Is there a story you’ve written that’s your absolute favourite? Why?

I have written more than ten feature stories about Norfolk Island, and I love them all! Each time I seek a fresh angle, a new way to describe the incredible beauty of the island and its unique place in the world. It’s a challenge, but tiny Norfolk always delivers!

How do you find inspiration in the people and places you visit?

I seek out the unusual, the unexpected, the untold, particularly on group trips, where every writer is sharing the same itinerary and program. It's a challenge to find the hidden story, but even in the dullest of locations, there's always a story worth telling.

How do you connect with people in new places?

Usually over a meal. Wherever I am in the world, mealtime is common ground for everyone, a time out, a neutral zone, and an easy way to get talking in an informal setting.

How do you maintain a sense of curiosity and inspiration between adventures, particularly when you're back home focused on writing?

I enjoy reading the work of fellow travel writers. There are many I admire, and it's inspiring to see how they cover destinations I'm familiar with, as well as places I'm hoping to visit. It's the loveliest way to do research.

What do you think makes readers trust a travel writer?

Being a consistent contributor is reassuring for a reader. To have a regular byline is a message to readers that you're trusted by the editor. To have a speciality, whether that's wellness travel, medical travel, or another niche, gives work an expert voice that carries authority. Similarly, being a specialist on a destination creates a following of readers interested in learning more about their favourite places. Finally, writing copy that readers know hasn't been reworked from a media release earns trust.

What does a great travel story feel like to you when you’re reading it back?

I'll have a smile on my face, for starters! I want to love or hate the place or experience as much as the author did, and skilled writers can craft that reaction. My favourite travel writer, Anthony Bourdain, did this brilliantly in his stories, and like a favourite holiday, you don't want it to end.

What have been some of the biggest challenges or obstacles you've faced as a travel writer, and what are some of the realities of the profession that people rarely see behind the finished stories?

Strangely, the biggest obstacle is often the person hosting a trip who has planned an unrealistic itinerary, structured for everyone except you, the writer. The challenge is politely negotiating the program to get your story. Other challenges include bad weather, food and water that make you unwell, seasickness, cultural differences, delayed travel that means you miss an event, and the inevitable jet lag on big trips.

What’s the funniest or most unexpected thing that’s happened to you while on assignment?

I was in Monaco for the announcement of the host city for the 2000 Olympic Games, at a function where Prince Albert of Monaco was the guest of honour. When introduced, I extended my arm for a handshake, but instead received the French greeting of a kiss on each cheek! Kissed by a prince. First and last time.

What’s something you think I’ve taught you about seeing the world differently?

To be present. For my first reaction, it's Stop, Look, Listen! And not reach for my phone or camera.

Having watched me grow up around travel, what changes have you noticed in the way I experience and engage with the places we visit?

You have transitioned from a tourist to a traveller. Once someone who went to places simply to have fun, you are now an explorer and adventurer who travels to immerse, embrace, respect, and understand new places. A lot of people don't evolve from the tourist stage. I am delighted you have!

What has surprised you most about my growing interest in travel, creativity, and storytelling?

I'm so impressed by how quickly you have grasped the fundamentals of travel writing, how to hook a reader in the opening line, craft a story that has beautiful rhythm and pace, and end with purpose. I also love that your photos tell stories as well. They are not snaps to accompany your text, but images that are carefully composed and have a story of their own.

What qualities or themes do you notice most often in the images and stories I choose to share?

You have a special connection with the natural world, and you are natural within it. We often joke that you are an animal magnet, but wildlife always seems to find you, or you find it! You have an observation gift, spotting minuscule details, seeing beauty where none is immediately apparent, and using your whimsical imagination for so many creative productions. You are a nature baby, and your interpretation of it is special and unique.

What’s the wildest or most unusual thing we’ve tried together?

Cod’s tongue from a fish we caught on a fishing trip in the Norwegian Sea, above the Arctic Circle. We cooked it in butter in a foil parcel over a tiny gas stove in our campervan, and it was pretty good! We tried not to think too hard about what it was…

What’s the most memorable meal we’ve shared on a trip?

Without doubt, it was the ten-course BBQ meal at the chef's counter of Fogón Asado in Buenos Aires. Prime Argentine beef was cooked in many ways over a traditional parrilla. It was a live cooking performance and such a fun show! I still don't know where my body stored that feast.

Do we have any quirky travel rituals or habits?

Not quirky, but we both live by the saying: “If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late.” We always plan to be at airports, events, restaurants, everything, well before kick-off.

Is there a place you’ve always wanted to visit with me but haven’t yet?

I would dearly love to explore the top of the world. We've seen the bottom together, twice, but the Arctic regions, northern Finland, Iceland, northern Canada, all of those cool, chilly destinations, are on my daily dream list.