The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen

Traveller & photographer. Helping you believe you can travel more. Wildlife, adventure and wandering near & far, with Darren. Brisbane-based, 35+ countries.

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 “𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲” 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞

🏞️ Just because it says “sanctuary” doesn’t mean it is.

If visitors are allowed to touch, bath, or ride wild animals, it’s a red flag - not a refuge.

⚠️ Learn the signs of a real sanctuary.

#TrueSanctuary #AnimalRescue #TravelConsciously

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

Kyoto has 1,600+ temples and yes you can get "templed out". 🏯

I updated my guide to the 10 must-visit temples in Kyoto (we’ve been to every one) with crowd + timing tips.

👉 https://t.co/P7j5rLv0PM

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

🪽 How to Be in Travel Photos (When You Hate the Camera): Have a Little Fun

I am not a “strike a pose” kind of person. But when I see a set of painted wings on a wall (or even a neon light set)? I can’t resist standing in front, arms out like I’m flying.
Sometimes the most memorable photos are the playful ones where you let your guard down.

📸 What’s your version of a playful travel photo?

#travelphotography

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥

🎁 Ivory. Turtle shell. Shark teeth.

They might look “authentic,” but they come at a massive cost to wildlife.

🚫 Don’t bring cruelty home in your suitcase.

#TravelTips #EcoTourism #WildlifeTrafficking

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐔𝐩 & 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞

🗣️ Seen an ethical animal experience? Tell people about it!

Your voice helps promote the good and warn others about the bad.

Leave reviews. Share links. Help ethical businesses thrive.

#TravelAdvocacy #SupportEthicalTourism #AnimalProtection

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

👣 How to Be in Travel Photos (When You Hate the Camera): Show Your Shoes (or Hands)

Your feet on patterned tiles in Italy. Your boots in autumn leaves. Your hand holding a local snack. These little glimpses are a subtle way to say “I was here” - no face required.

One of my favourites? My crampons and ice pick on a glacier hike in Iceland. Simple but powerful.

📸 Do you ever take “feet photos” or "hand photos" when you travel?

#travelphotos

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

Kyoto has 1,600+ temples and yes you can get "templed out". 🏯

I updated my guide to the 10 must-visit temples in Kyoto (we’ve been to every one) with crowd + timing tips.

👉 https://t.co/G4tfhVpyCq

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

📍 Planning a trip to Luxor?

Don’t miss these 11 must-see sights - from temples to tombs to Nile sunsets 🏛️🌄

🧳 Perfect for first-time visitors to Egypt

➡️ https://t.co/olizqCImoV

#Luxor #EgyptTravel #ThingsToSeeInLuxor

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬

🛖 A good tour operator protects animals, not just profits.

When we travelled with Kulu Safaris in Sri Lanka, our guide called out drivers who were feeding wild elephants from their cars.

📌 That’s the kind of ethical tourism we need more of.

#TravelWithPurpose #EthicalTours #WildlifeSafety

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐨, 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚 - 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐥

Want to dive into Sri Lanka’s journey to independence?

The Independence Memorial Hall and its adjoining museum offer a meaningful pause in Colombo.

🏛️ The open-air structure is peaceful and beautifully built, inspired by ancient royal architecture.

📚 Below, the museum tells the story of the country’s freedom movement through historic photographs, personal artefacts, and tributes to national heroes.

It’s a space that invites quiet reflection - and a deeper understanding of the island’s history.

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

😂 How to Be in Travel Photos (When You Hate the Camera): Go Literal With It

Sometimes the best photos are the cheeky ones that tell a story. When I reached the top of Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail, I lay down and played the part - a “dead woman” at Dead Woman’s Pass. (But do be mindful of any cultural sensitivities when thinking of taking photos like this)

Not glamorous, but it captured the moment perfectly.

📸 Do you ever go for funny, literal travel shots?

#deadwomanspass #travelphotos

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦: 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬

🐴 Donkeys, horses, camels - they’re often part of the tourism experience, but their welfare is frequently overlooked.

Many are overworked, underfed, and forced to carry loads in extreme heat. Thankfully, places like Santorini have now banned tourist rides, setting an example for others.

💡 Always assess the animal’s condition and don’t support rides or working animals that look exhausted or mistreated.

#DomesticAnimalWelfare #TravelKind #AnimalEthics

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

A coffee. A cuddle. A quick Instagram shot. That’s the pitch.
But do animal cafés prioritise the animals or the profits?

I break down the real welfare issues (stress, sourcing, end-of-life care) + how to spot red flags. 🐾

Read: https://t.co/ctbrNwIBAJ

#ethicaltravel #animaltourism

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

Kyoto has 1,600+ temples and yes you can get "templed out". 🏯

I updated my guide to the 10 must-visit temples in Kyoto (we’ve been to every one) with crowd + timing tips.

👉 https://t.co/v5zcmcKcPB

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

📍 Planning a trip to Luxor?

Don’t miss these 11 must-see sights - from temples to tombs to Nile sunsets 🏛️🌄

🧳 Perfect for first-time visitors to Egypt

➡️ https://t.co/8Yea8C00d5

#Luxor #EgyptTravel #ThingsToSeeInLuxor

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

A coffee. A cuddle. A quick Instagram shot. That’s the pitch.
But do animal cafés prioritise the animals or the profits?

I break down the real welfare issues (stress, sourcing, end-of-life care) + how to spot red flags. 🐾

Read: https://t.co/CoDbGDcPfG

#ethicaltravel #animaltourism

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐨, 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚 - 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭

Exploring colonial Colombo?

Head to the Fort district, where Colombo’s colonial roots are still visible. The standout? The stunning red-brick Cargills & Co. building, once a department store during British rule.

📷 Though no longer in use, it's one of the city’s most iconic facades - perfect for photography lovers.

Reflect on how colonial history shaped modern Colombo as you walk through this atmospheric area.

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺: 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀

🎪 Elephants painting pictures? Monkeys riding bikes?

It’s not talent - it’s trauma.

Animals aren’t here for our entertainment.

❌ Say no to animal shows.

#CrueltyFreeTravel #WildlifeAbuse #EthicalAnimalTourism

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

🤳 How to Be in Travel Photos (When You Hate the Camera): Snap the Selfie

Selfies get a bad rap, but they’re quick, personal, and sometimes the only way to capture the moment.

At the top of Cradle Mountain, sweaty and windswept, we took one of my favourite travel selfies. Not perfect - but real.

In the other photo it had just started to snow at the Artic Church in Tromso, Norway and we wanted to capture the moment. 

📸 Are you pro-selfie or anti-selfie?

#travelselfie #travelphotos

[The Wandering Life - Lisa Bundesen @WanderingLifeAU]

A coffee. A cuddle. A quick Instagram shot. That’s the pitch.
But do animal cafés prioritise the animals or the profits?

I break down the real welfare issues (stress, sourcing, end-of-life care) + how to spot red flags. 🐾

Read: https://t.co/oTVyrOxFnu

#ethicaltravel #animaltourism