I’m 34 and I’ve never been on a plane, never left Qld ... until now

In a hyper-connected world where interstate and overseas travel is the norm, a 34-year-old Brisbane mum has revealed she’s not only never been on a plane, but she’s never left Queensland ... until now.

For most, interstate travel and the occasional plane ride are common experiences.
Yet for 34-year-old Queensland mum Candice Blasl, the idea of leaving her home state was unimaginable until this week.
Mrs Blasl, from the rural Moreton Bay village of Dayboro, had not only never been on a plane, she’d never left the confines of Queensland. Ever.

The devoted mother-of-four, has spent her entire life in Queensland.

Raised in Mackay and frequenting Airlie Beach for holiday getaways, her travel was largely constrained due to the responsibilities of raising four children while managing her husband’s Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) work schedule.

“I’ve never really been anywhere for a holiday. It’s always been in Queensland,” she said.

“My husband and I have four kids, and they’re still quite young, so while he’s at work, I’m at home, looking after the children,

“And because we had our kids are young, the opportunity to travel really didn’t come up.”

Dayboro mum Candice Blasl and husband Troy Henderson on the roof of Adelaide Oval. Picture: Nova

This week changed all that when she stepped outside of Queensland for the first time in her life to witness the State of Origin in Adelaide – a shocking and adventurous moment for someone who has spent her entire life in the same state.
Remarkably, it wasn’t just her first time leaving her home state – the journey to Adelaide also marked her very first aeroplane ride.
In an interview with the Courier-Mail, she described the experience as surreal.

“It was my first flight ever. Takeoff was very scary to me, ears popping,” she said.
As her husband, a seasoned traveller, slept comfortably beside her, Mrs Blasl sat, quietly absorbing the novelty of the experience.

“My husband as soon as the plane started off, he fell asleep. He’s been on so many flights, so he’s so used to it. So I was sort of just sitting there, quietly freaking out on my own, but it was lovely,” she said.

The sudden journey of firsts was the result of Mrs Blasl winning Nova 106.9’s ‘Ashventures’ competition.
Run by radio hosts Ashley Bradman, David ‘Luttsy’ Lutteral, and Susie O’Neill, the competition aims to provide the winners with a memorable ‘first’ experience.
However, none of them anticipated the concept of ‘firsts’ would take on such an extraordinary dimension in Mrs Blasl’s case.

Nova's 'Ashventures' winners Candice Blasl and husband Troy Henderson on the roof of Adelaide Oval with the Nova 106.9 team. Picture: Nova

Her adventure didn’t stop at the travel, she also had the thrilling experience of a roof climb at Adelaide Oval, where the Maroons triumphed over the Blues in the first game of the Origin series.

Despite her fear of heights, Mrs Blasl took on the challenge, calling it “scary, but amazing.”

Candice Blasl and husband Troy Henderson on the roof of Adelaide Oval. Picture: Nova

She also had the exciting opportunity to rub shoulders with past Origin legends, including her long-admired player, Brent Tate.
“It was really cool. We got to watch them run out on the field, do a few drills, and meet a few of the past players. Brett came up to us and introduced himself, which was really nice,” she said.

Now that she has officially set foot outside of the Sunshine State, Mrs Blasl is eager to explore more of Australia, with Western Australia high on her list.

“I’ve always wanted to discover other parts of Australia,” she said.
“Travelling with them [the children] is difficult, but we definitely have plans. I really want to go over to Western Australia.”