Travel Goals With ‘The Adventures Of Us’

Sarah-Louise Marks and Christopher Phelps, the globetrotting duo behind the popular online journal ‘The Adventures of Us’, share stories of sunsets in Santorini, desert safaris and eating sushi next to Hollywood superstars.

What made you decide to create an online journal together?

We have been a couple for nine years and always shared a passion for photography, delicious food and travelling to new, exciting places. Over the years we unknowingly documented most of our treasured experiences and memories, and as a result created a website that took on the form of an online journal. At first we saw it as a memoir to look back on in years to come, but over time, it started to build momentum and people really seemed to love our images. We gave it a name, and the adventures began.

How do you decide where to visit next?

One of us will see somewhere online and then we simply become obsessed. This is usually followed by extensive research into the hotels, restaurants and areas that best suit our taste and aesthetic. However, we find it’s important to leave some things down to spontaneity.

You recently travelled to LA and Dubai. What were the highlights of these trips and what would you recommend for prospective visitors?

We absolutely love Los Angeles! It's one of our favourite cities to visit. The food is amazing, the weather is perfect, and the lifestyle is idyllic. This time around, our highlight was brunching in the sun at the Little Beach House, Malibu. We would also recommend Rose Bowl Flea Market, cycling from Santa Monica to Venice Beach, dining at Bestia in downtown LA, shopping on Melrose Avenue, brunch at Gjusta in Venice Beach, cocktails at the Chateau Marmont, and we love to try and catch some live music.

They are elegant, sophisticated, stylish and a timeless classic with modern functionality. They also turn a lot of heads – we often get complimented on our cases when travelling.

Dubai is one of the most unique and incredible cities we have ever visited. It is a city of extremes; it’s boiling hot, vast in scale and extravagant. Our highlight on our recent trip was riding in a vintage convertible Land Rover through the desert at sunset. When visiting we recommend picking a beautiful, well-located hotel and dining at Nusret or Coya.

Did anything surprise you about these cities?

Dubai is full of surprises, but for us we found it hard to comprehend how quickly this city has risen from the wide expanse of desert. It's mind-blowing.

For Los Angeles, its when you realise that every episode of the best US TV shows were made somewhere down the road, and then you look to your left and the star of one of the said shows is sat eating their sushi next to you.

What are your suitcase essentials?

Swimwear and hats, a 35mm camera, Aésop reverence hand cream, a Diptyque travel candle and a good book.

What do you love about Globe-Trotter luggage?

They are elegant, sophisticated, stylish and a timeless classic with modern functionality. They also turn a lot of heads – we often get complimented on our cases when travelling.

Do you ever feel homesick and if so how do you remedy it?

Always. We miss our cat and home a lot when we are away. But when we feel low, I think we just try to remind ourselves that travelling the world is an incredibly fortunate thing to do, so it’s important to put things into perspective and have fun.

What destinations are left on your must-see list?

Our list is endless. But a few of the destinations on our priority list are Japan, Indonesia and Iceland.

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS

Most spectacular hotel you’ve ever stayed at:

Amangiri, Utah

Best beach:

Tulum, Mexico

Best sunset:

Santorini, Greece

Most memorable meal:

Le Sirenuse, Positano Italy – the view is unbelievable.

Cities you find yourself returning to again and again:

Los Angeles and New York

Other Instagram adventurers you admire:

Lucy Laucht (@lucylaucht) and Life of Riley (@lifeof_riley)

Favourite quote about travel:

'The longer I know you, the wilder I become. The harder my hands, the softer my memories. The further my journeys, the sweeter my dreams.' – @piecesoflonging

@the_adventuresofus