About

ABOUT MADAM ZOZO

Hi! I’m Madam ZoZo aka Zoë, an Australian expat, traveller and designer. Duende is where I share unique and inspiring travel destinations and experiences. I also provide my tried-and-tested itineraries, practical tips and reveal hard-learnt lessons from the road, so you can have a more relaxing and trouble-free travel experience.

You can take a peek at my bucket list here, and subscribe to my monthly virtual postcard for the latest posts and travel inspiration straight to your inbox

WHY DUENDE?

Duende is a Spanish word with no direct English translation. It is soul and inspiration, which has the inexplicable power to evoke an emotional response. It is the thing that makes the hairs on your arms stand up, the chills run down your spine, and could make you smile or maybe even cry. These are the kinds of travel experiences we aim to share here on Duende by Madam ZoZo.

“[Duende is] a mysterious force that everyone feels and no philosopher has explained.” – Goethe

SEEK THE UNIQUE – THE DUENDE TRAVEL PHILOSOPHY

My travel philosophy is to “seek the unique”, meaning I prefer authentic experiences that showcase the most unique aspects of a destination. Whether it’s a particular ecosystem, cuisine, architectural style, artisanship or artform. I want to see the best and most original things a destination offers.  

When we (that’s hubby and I) are designing our travel itineraries and are overwhelmed with sights to see, we always come back to the question: what is most unique about this place? The answer/s is what we prioritise seeing and experiencing in that destination.

So if you follow along one of our many itineraries here on Duende, you’ll find the big, recognisable sights. The quote-unquote “must-sees”—bonjour, Eiffel Tour! But you’ll also find some hush-hush locals’ secrets and off-the-beaten path experiences—hola, Bolivian Altiplano.

THE DUENDE TRAVEL STYLE

Independent

The Duende travel style is mostly self-planned, independent exploration, or with professional help from small, locally-based travel companies who are experts in their particular destination.

Comfort

I’m not a budget traveller nor a luxury traveller — I seek out the best value, so I can see and experience more for my money. I’m willing to sacrifice comfort for a totally unique experience. For example, hiking the Inca Trail or staying in a indigenous longhouse in Borneo. On the flip-side, I will also splurge when I think the experience is warranted or it’s a special occassion, like say… a 10th wedding anniversary in Bora Bora.

Couples

My main travel companion is my husband. As a couple, we have broad and varied interests. We are just as likely to be museum-hopping in Paris as hiking glaciers in Alaska. So you’ll find a good mix of things to do in our itineraries and city guides. Plus, we’ve got plenty of romantic getaway ideas.

Cultural

For me, travel is about seeing the world from a different perspective and discovering what is unique about a destination, whether it’s the food, music, art, history, landscapes or all of the above. That’s why Duende’s tagline is Seek the Unique! See some of my tips on diving into cultural travel while minimising culture shock here.

Efficient

I’m not a full-time travel blogger. We juggle trips between work and life commitments like most people. That means we need to be efficient at experiencing the best out of a destination in a short amount of time. If you’re a similarly time-strapped traveller, there are plenty of 1-10 day travel itineraries on Duende for you.

Sustainable

I’m passionate about sustainability and travelling with minimal impact. That means not only looking after the natural environment, but people too. We try to support local businesses, eco-tourism ventures and always follow no-trace principals. Read my guides to reducing single-use plastic on the road; packing more sustainable travel clothing; and simple travel hacks using some basic items you already own.