Charlotte & Natalie are the lesbian couple behind Our Taste For Life together for nearly six years, they’ve spent half of it traveling the world. Charlotte is from London, and Natalie is from the Isle of Man. The couple believe that travel is for everybody and through their blog and Instagram, provide LGBTQ+ travelers with a reliable information to help them plan safe and enjoyable adventures.
You’d been traveling pretty much full time since 2017, is that right?
Yes, that’s right. It was our intention to only travel for a year, but we discovered that travel is our passion. It’s when we feel at our happiest.
What has traveling as a lesbian couple been like for the two of you? Have you ever felt uncomfortable because of your sexuality?
Naturally, travelling as a lesbian couple comes with its challenges at times. Throughout a lot of Asia for example, to be queer is considered taboo. Or in extreme cases it is even illegal. We’ve had our fair share of uncomfortable situations, for example, been given a twin room despite booking a double. But we’ve never encountered anything too serious. The hardest part is having to hide who we are. A lot of the time people assume we are sisters or friends, and so we are fortunate that we can get away with that.
What is your biggest #TravelFail and how did you recover?
In all honesty, I wouldn’t consider anything we’ve done to be a #TravelFail. Even the bad experiences have helped us to grow and learn. At the start of our travels, however, it took us a while to find our purpose. We partied a lot and stuck to the typical backpacker trail, which was fun. But we didn’t start to really flourish until we began carving our own course.
What are you doing when you can’t travel?
[2020 was] a strange year. It [went] by so quickly, despite being relatively uneventful. We’ve worked a lot on our blog, and spent time with family and friends on the Isle of Man.
You’ve recently bought a Ford Transit van and are renovating it yourselves into a fully-fledged camper van. Are you sharing that adventure with your fans? Where are you planning to go with the van?
Oh absolutely. We are sharing our van build every step of the way. It’s our most exciting adventure yet, and while its progress is coming on slowly, we are confident it will be ready for the spring time. Just in time to explore the UK & perhaps some of Europe — COVID restrictions pending.
What’s your favorite resource for LGBTQ+ travelers?
We are so lucky to have so many amazing resources these days, but all of the best inspiration come from all the incredible LGBTQ+ travel influencers on Instagram. @onairplanemode @27travels @nomadicboys @onceuponajrny @theglobetrotterguys are just a few of our favorites.
What’s your top advice for LGBTQ+ travelers?
Our top piece of advice is to always research a destination before you visit so you can prepare accordingly. However, at the same time, do not focus too much on local laws and customs. So long as you are open-minded and prepared to adapt, there’s no country that should be out of bounds.
What adventure(s) are you most looking forward to doing when the world reopens to travel?
We are definitely most excited about the adventures we are going to have with Ventura — our camper van!
Tell us a little about your trek to Annapurna Base Camp.
Our trek to Annapurna Base Camp is one of the most challenging, exhilarating, and unforgettable things we have ever done. It tested us both mentally and physically and taught us so much about ourselves and what we are capable of when we put our mind to it. It’s one of the major highlights of our travels and we can’t wait to take on a bigger challenge next time.
How do you explore other cultures when you’re stuck at home?
We live vicariously through others content as well as our own memories! Haha. But we also love to read books and watch films etc. relating to travel. We always find a way!
