LIVING FOR MEMORIES

Before even turning 20, Aude has already built a travel résumé most adults would dream of. And I’m not talking about all-inclusive resort holidays in Greece. Aude has trekked in Nepal and India, lived a month in Bangkok, wandered through Japan, explored São Tomé and Príncipe, crossed Uzbekistan and lived so many more adventures.
She grew up with adventure in her blood. Her parents once took her out of school for months so they could travel together as a family; a decision that shaped her entire worldview. Today, she continues that spirit on her own: fearless, curious, independent.

And to give you an idea of how bold she is: when she landed in Nepal, she literally booked a three-week trek with a guide who barely spoke English. That’s the level of adventure we’re dealing with.

She’s now studying in Switzerland, but knowing her, I’m sure her next trip is already in the making.

How I Met Aude

I met Aude at the very beginning of my Nepal journey. We happened to stay in the same hostel, and her upbeat, positive energy immediately caught my eye. She’s talkative, warm, easygoing, always smiling; the kind of person you naturally want to hang out with.

Honestly, I didn’t feel like I was spending time with someone who was “only” 19, and I hope that doesn’t sound offensive. She’s mature, grounded, confident, and full of stories.

What impressed me the most was how incredibly brave she is. Traveling the world at 19, booking treks spontaneously, throwing herself into adventures without hesitation… When I think back to myself at that age, I had barely done anything and definitely wasn’t that bold.

We met just before our own treks, each doing different routes, and reunited afterward. We partied in Kathmandu, shared meals and drinks, wandered around the city, and ended up celebrating New Year’s Eve in the craziest way. We had a blast.

A Young Traveler Exploring the World

1. Bonjour Aude! Can you introduce yourself to the readers: who you are, where you come from, and what defines you?

My name is Aude Hautier and I’m from Switzerland. I love swimming in the sea, skiing in the mountains, or camping on the beach. I love trying new food, discovering old monuments, or learning new sports. Overall I’m just a girl, a little bit lost sometimes, still figuring things out and enjoying the journey as much as I can.

2.You grew up traveling with your parents, including a 6 months trip in South Africa and Australia when you were very young. What do you remember from that experience? What was it like to spend months on the road as a kid?

Most of the memories I kept from this trip are either about camping in the wild or about watching and learning about plants and animals, which are still today my favourite things to do. I just LOVED being always on the road. We had the tent on the top of the car and we were exploring new places every day. It was a blast for a kid who didn’t really like school.

3.How did this childhood adventure shape who you are today? Do you think it influenced your personality, mindset, or way of seeing the world?

It definitely impacted my frame of mind, but I also think that the education my mom gave me while we were traveling helped a lot. With her I learned to be independent, resourceful, to always find a solution without panic and, most importantly, to not have an irrational fear of the world.

4.Is there a favorite childhood travel memory or place that stayed with you and still inspires you today?

I went on a road trip with my mother and my sister when I was 15 years old. We left San Francisco, crossed the desert, and went all the way to Yellowstone. Whether it rained or shone, we would sleep in a tent, discovering lakes, mountains, and small villages along the way. Every time we saw a second-hand clothing store, we would stop, have a look and a coffee, and then get back on the road. It was one of my favorite trips and also the cheapest. It really taught me that travel doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

5.You’ve reached more than 40 countries before turning 20; that’s impressive. How did that happen? Was it mostly thanks to traveling with your parents, or your own choices and solo adventures later on?

I had the huge luck of having travelers as parents, who took me out of Switzerland as soon as my sister and I had school vacations. On top of that, I grew up hearing my mother telling me crazy stories, like when she crossed Mexico in the 90s on her bicycle, and it always motivated me to travel on my own at some point.

6.Out of all these countries, do you have a top 3? What makes each one special for you?

I don’t have a top three in countries (I loved every single one of them), but I do have a top three in moments: seeing the sunset in the mountains of North India in a little remote village while drinking chai, diving in Indonesia between incredible coral reefs and manta rays, and riding back from the clothing factory on the back of a bike after a long day of sewing with music in my earphones at night in Bangkok.

7.You’ve done treks in Nepal, India, Uzbekistan, and more. What draws you to trekking? And what’s your most unforgettable trekking moment or story?

The trek I did in April 2025 was the first trek I ever did in my life. Before that, I never wanted to go walking, even for one day. But after five months of travelling in warm weather, I wanted to do something physical and challenging to see what I was capable of.

I decided to do a 20-day trek in a very remote and not very touristy part of Nepal. After 24 hours on the bumpy road from Kathmandu to Taplejung, I met my guide: a 40-year-old man named Tenzing, with basic English and extremely stressed by my age because I was born the same year as his daughter.

But after a couple of days we became very good friends and I ended up loving trekking.

8.What’s the craziest or most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done while traveling?

I don’t plan in advance how long I will stay somewhere, so everything is quite spontaneous.
One experience I loved the most happened when I was in Bangkok. I suddenly had the urge to make some pieces of clothing that I had been drawing in my notebook. While walking randomly through a narrow street full of family-owned sewing shops, I asked one of the shop owners (with a translator because none of them spoke English) if I could rent a sewing machine for a few days.

He simply told me to come every morning and said they didn’t want any money.
So every morning for a month I came with a bag full of fruit or food to thank them, and in exchange they taught me sewing techniques. They took care of me like I was their kid, and on top of the sewing knowledge I was gaining, I also learned a lot of life lessons.

They are some of the most hard-working people I have ever met. It’s a physical and tiring job with crazy hours and no days off, but I never saw them complaining or in a bad mood. They always laugh, always try to help or take care of each other. It made me realise that being happy can simply be about appreciating the things you have in life instead of always looking for the things you don’t have.

9. At 18, you chose adventure instead of rushing straight into studies. What made you take that path, and would you recommend a gap year before or during university?

I had wanted to take a gap year since I was 15 years old. I could never see myself going directly to university, so during my last year of high school I started working as a waitress and as a private teacher for the sole purpose of traveling.

No matter the reason for taking a gap year, whether it is to discover the world, take time for oneself, or because someone doesn’t know which studies to choose. It will inevitably be beneficial in one way or another.

10.What would you tell young people who dream of traveling but feel scared, insecure, or “not ready yet”?

You will never wake up and suddenly feel “ready”. Being scared is normal, but it should not rule the way you live. Sometimes you just need to take the step and you will see that it was not actually that scary.

11.After everything you’ve lived, what do you feel travel taught you that school never could?

Some subjects at school are mostly European-centered. Travel teaches you to look at the world from a different point of view and to learn about topics that are not addressed in class.

You also gain a lot of knowledge about how to take care of yourself and how to be resourceful.

12.What are your next projects? Studies, travels, personal dreams for the coming years?

Right now my only goal is to get a bachelor’s degree in political science. I still don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but I still have time to figure it out.

Even though I’m studying, I’m still traveling quite a lot and taking full advantage of university vacations.

Thank you, Aude, for taking the time to share your incredible journey. I’m sure your story will inspire many people, young (and not so young) travelers, to dare, to explore, and to step outside their comfort zone.

A Journey Just Getting Started

Aude’s story is a reminder that curiosity and courage don’t need to wait for adulthood. While many people spend years dreaming about travel, she simply started exploring: one country, one adventure at a time.

From trekking in remote parts of Nepal to learning sewing techniques in a Bangkok workshop, her journey shows how travel can be as much about people and unexpected moments as it is about destinations.

And at just 19 years old, it feels like her adventure is only getting started.

If you’d like to see more of Aude’s travels and adventures around the world, you can follow her on Instagram.