Catching the Travel Bug and the Origins of MyGuideGuru

When the Travel Bug Strikes

The travel bug... it’s an actual thing, isn’t it? It creeps under your skin, takes root, and suddenly exploring the world is all you can think about. For us, it began long before the idea of an app, long before the “baby in a backpack,” and even before we met each other. Some of our earliest conversations were about how many countries we’d visited, the joy of learning Spanish, and how travelling had shaped us. It even led to a playful competition on the old ‘been’ app, tallying up who had covered more of the globe. For the record, I’m still sitting at 43 countries (just 22% of the world) so there’s plenty more left to discover.

First Taste of the World

So when did the infection start? For me, it was in year 12, when my parents took me overseas for the first time. We joined a Trafalgar bus tour around Europe, which they called a “taster.” And I definitely liked what I tasted. From that moment I was hooked... the layers of history, the depth of culture, and the way every cobblestoned street whispered its own story. It was a richness that felt worlds away from suburban Australia, and it lit a spark that has never gone out.

Going Solo

As soon as I could, after a string of cafe jobs, I packed my bag and set off on a six-month solo trip around the world. Even as a young backpacker, I was up at dawn, eager to explore before the crowds arrived. I still have maps where I marked out the routes I walked, tracing the attractions I discovered along the way. I joined free walking tours to gain context and connect with places more deeply. In Berlin, I even stayed in touch with a guide whose tour I loved, joining him again years later when I returned. Travel for me was never about ticking off lists, it was about immersing myself fully, feeling the heartbeat of each city.

More Than Just Sightseeing

From the very beginning, what mattered most was learning about history, tasting the food, and experiencing the culture. Looking at pretty pictures in a book is one thing, but it’s nothing compared to tasting pasteis de nata fresh from the oven, hearing the chatter in a local market, or feeling the stones of an ancient ruin under your hands. That’s what stuck with me, and that’s what kept pulling me back out into the world.

The Spark That Became MyGuideGuru

So maybe the idea for this app wasn’t something that popped up overnight. Maybe it was always there, forming in the background with every journey I took, every alleyway explored, and every story uncovered. MyGuideGuru is simply the natural result of years of chasing the travel bug, of wanting to share those moments of discovery with others in a way that is flexible, immersive, and personal.

Step Into the Story

Travel isn’t just about where you go… it’s about how you experience it. With MyGuideGuru, those early passions for history, culture, and hidden gems live on. Download the app and see for yourself how catching the travel bug can turn into a lifetime of stories waiting to be told.