My Travel CV: Oliver Hunter

Accessibility – and pizza – improves everything for this Aussie comedian and podcast host.

We all look for different things when we travel, for comedian and podcaster Oliver Hunter it's accessibility. This is his Travel CV:

The worst thing that’s happened to me while travelling…

A wheel on my wheelchair broke within an hour of me landing in LA on my first overseas trip. The spokes were damaged, but luckily I was staying with a friend and we found a workshop able to fix it for me.

I got my first passport when…

I took my first solo trip to the United States when I was 22. It felt cool to be getting a passport and I was excited to travel for my “unofficial gap year”. My passport photo kind of made me look like I was a mob boss – my face says “I’m going to prison”.

My first holiday memory is…

Probably going camping with my family at Easter. I’m not a big fan of camping and caravan parks to be honest. For some reason, it seemed to rain or be freezing cold when we’d go camping. However, I do have fond memories of roasting marshmallows by the fire and making jaffles, then waking up on Easter Sunday for an Easter egg hunt around the campsite with the other kids.

I’ve been to two countries…

Fiji and the United States (and Australia, of course).

My favourite place in Australia is the NSW South Coast. Picture: iStock.

My favourite place in Australia is…

NSW’s South Coast. It’s also the place I’ve visited the most. I went to university in Wollongong, and fell in love with the place over the three years I lived there. I loved the relaxed surfer vibe and the “bigger than a country town but not as big as Sydney” feeling. For me, it’s the perfect to place to go to as a first stop out of home when you’re 19.

The advice I’d give to young travellers is…

You have to be willing to adapt and problem-solve. Not everything is going to go to plan.

The place I’d love to visit in Australia is…

Broome or Margaret River in Western Australia. I travelled to Perth when I was a teenager, and Perth had some of the nicest beaches I’ve seen. Everything I hear and see about the west coast says it’s a must-visit.

The places I’d love to visit in Australia are Broome and Margaret River. Picture: iStock.

The place I’d rather be right now is…

Anywhere warm, like tropical Far North Queensland, or on a beach somewhere like the Gold Coast. I’ve always thought people who live on the beach are just doing life right. Anywhere you can spend most of your days in board shorts is where I want to be.

The place that most surprised me was…

Falmouth on Cape Cod in the US. I spent a week there with some friends over the Independence Day holiday. I had no idea what to expect, but it is an amazing place. Also, it was the first time I ate lobster.

The place that didn’t live up to expectations…

New York was tough. I found it not very accessible, which made it hard to enjoy.

New York was tough. I found it not very accessible, which made it hard to enjoy. Picture: iStock.

The sickest I’ve been on holiday…

I was a bit hungover after a big night in San Francisco and then had to fly across the country. Don’t know how I made it.

The souvenir I always buy…

I end up with caps and stubby holders. I’m up to three tubs full of each. Every new city or town I’m in I try to find a hat or stubby holder to take home.

My best things I’ve eaten while travelling are...

Pizza and bagels in New York City. I’ve always loved NY-style pizza and think it’s a uniquely New York experience. Eating a fresh bagel for breakfast is also unique to New York. I don’t know if there’s something in the dough over there, but they really know their bread-based foods.

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed in is The Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. Picture: Sofitel.

My go-to dish for room service is…

Pizza or burger. I could eat pizza every day. Even a bad pizza is a good pizza.

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed in is…

The Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. The view from the lobby alone was incredible. While there were some minor accessibility issues, the staff were so generous and friendly, and willing to help.

Travel has taught me to...

Be resilient and you can always find a way to have a good time wherever you are.

Oliver hosts the new Accessed That podcast, which explores accessible travel. Listen to it at queensland.com/accessedthatpodcast

Originally published as My Travel CV: Oliver Hunter