A couple who have spent four years travelling the world for free by posting pictures on their blog and Instagram pages have told This Morning that they find it hard to get away for a ‘real’ holiday.
Speaking to Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield via video call live from their hostel in Colombia, Dutch natives Nick Noorcijk and Hannah Spelt revealed how they have spent the last four years on the road for free.
With more than 265,000 followers on Instagram, the pair share incredible photos of their travels across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, central and south America.
But Hannah insisted that their life isnt’ one long holiday and that they’re working a 9 to 5 job every day, albeit in glamorous locations.
Dutch natives Nick Noorcijk and Hannah Spelt have spent the last four years travelling ‘for free’ through making a travel blog, Salt in our Hair, by advertisements and commissions (pictured in Costa Rica)
Hannah explained how they got started, saying: ‘So we started travelling south east Asia and we won a GoPro on an auction.
‘We were very lucky with that because we didn’t have enough money with us to buy another camera. And we started sharing all those photos on Instagram.
‘After four months, they got picked up by GoPro itself.’
When Philip asked at what point it was that the pair realised that they could make a living out of this lifestyle, Hannah explained that they were constantly receiving questions from followers on Instagram about their travels.
With over 265,000 followers on Instagram, the pair share incredible photos of their travels, which has been across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, central and south America (pictured in Cappadocia, Turkey)
Nick has seven years of website development experience, and Hannah with about three years in the graphic design industry, so decided to use their skills to leave their corporate jobs to pursue travelling as a career (pictured in Costa Rica)
‘Instead of answering all the questions, we decided to start a travel blog to write down all about our travel experiences,’ Nick said.
‘We shared the experiences on Instagram, Pinterest, then they got picked up by Google, and from then it’s slowly, slowly grown until the point where we now travel the world and sustain the two of us.’
Hannah continued: ‘[The money] mainly comes through our blog. There are advertisements in-between our articles, so if people would read that, and if it’s a lot of people, then we would get a bit of commission from that.
‘Also, we get bookings via our website, so if people book hotels via our website we get a bit of commission on that.’
In the interview with This Morning, Nick added that they run a digital web show where they sell digital products, as well as doing a lot of collaborations with tourism boards (pictured in Cote d’Azur, France)
Nick added that they run a digital web show where they sell digital products, as well as doing a lot of collaborations with tourism boards.
‘So for example if you look at last year, we stayed around Europe a lot due to Covid, but we still managed to work with the tourism boards of France, Malta, and a few others, so those will generate income for us.’
But do the couple that never stop being on holiday, ever get to go on a break away from their permanent holiday?
Nick and Hannah explained that it can be ‘quite hard’ to take a holiday and relax – much to This Morning fan’s dismay.
When Philip asked at what point it was that the pair realised that they could make a living out of this lifestyle, Hannah explained that they were constantly receiving questions from followers on Instagram about their travels featured on the photos they posted (pictured left in Pisa, and right, in the Greek Islands)
Nick and Hannah explained that it can be ‘quite hard’ to take a holiday and relax – much to This Morning fan’s dismay on Twitter (pictured in Salento, Colombia)
Hannah said: ‘It’s quite hard to take a holiday and really relax. But actually Covid helped a bit with that because that made the decision to just have a holiday with our friends in Italy and just do nothing.
‘But on the other hand, with all the other “holidays” we get, we are mainly just working the whole day.
‘We stop at six in the evening so we have a bit of time together. We just try to have the nine to five while being here.’
The couple sell travel e-books and photo filters on their website to help their followers get the perfect Instagram pictures just like them.
Their interview started off slightly awkwardly when the couple were faced with the pool cleaner, who couldn’t be seen on camera, with Nick pictured gesturing ‘two minutes’
Nick said: ‘We both went backpacking 5 years ago, and we had a GoPro camera where we… sorry, uh you go ahead… Sorry we got distracted here’ before Hannah continues
Bewildered Philip asks, ‘What’s happening?’ with a confused stare at the screen, but Hannah quickly picked up from where partner Nick left off to explain that they started travelling south east Asia and won a GoPro on an auction
Nick has seven years of website development experience, and Hannah with about three years in the graphic design industry, so decided to use their skills to leave their corporate jobs to pursue travelling as a career.
Holly asked the couple if they feel any pressure to stay with one another because of the business that they have created, to which Nick said: ‘It started as a hobby so it wasn’t intentional to start a company together.
‘Once it started getting serious we decided to sit down and really manage to figure out ways how we can both run parts in the company so we won’t be clinching too much.
On Twitter, This Morning fans pointed out that many people with jobs in social media, or arguably influencers, travel for their jobs, through free PR trips or hotel endorsements.
Over on their Instagram stories after the interview, they explained to fans that the pool man at their hostel distracted them at the beginning which threw Nick off
A few Twitter users picked up on Nick’s awkward interaction with Philip at the beginning of the interview, but Nick explained that after waiting for 30 minutes, they went live, and straight away, the pool man came to do his cleaning
Many were also not happy to hear how much fun the couple had, with David Mackay who said: ‘Thanks #thismorning for rubbing it in our faces as always with this couple travelling the world x’
Leanne Thomas said: ‘How does that generate money? “Sponsorships, Patreon, YouTube views, merchandise and advertising” – it’s probably not as much as people think.’
In another Tweet, Leanne made the point that their career is not easy for the average Joe to replicate: ‘”The couple whose job is going on holiday!”, it’s a saturated market. You’re competing with Instagram couples and YouTube couples.
On Twitter, This Morning fans pointed out that many people with jobs in social media, or arguably influencers, travel for their jobs, through free PR trips or hotel endorsements
‘And it’s not really “paid to go on holiday”.’
George Riddell hilariously wrote: ‘Anyone wanna pay for my trip to Wolverhampton tomorrow? I’ll get some sexy pics!’
User @Bob71136804 said: ‘This is riveting isn’t it… a bit like watching someone’s holiday slides.’
Another user, called Chelsea, commented: ‘Every man and his dog are doing travel vlogs as a living… it’s not a new thing.’
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