My name is Colette Karakashian and I am a Londoner working in catastrophe risk management within the Insurance industry. I have always loved travelling, probably a consequence of growing up in Singapore which has so many incredible destinations to visit on its doorstep. I love visiting new places, seeing incredible architecture, and learning about local cultures, history and food. I am also interested in the geography of places and their exposure to natural (and man-made) disasters. This is my academic background, with a BSc in Geography and MSc in Geophysical Hazards.
I love being surprised by places and try not to have expectations before I go somewhere. I always aim to get a local guide on my first day in a new place, to have a walking tour and get the lay of the land. And as a mostly-solo female traveler I more often than not join a small group tour for longer trips through companies like Intrepid, GAdventures and Wild Frontiers.
After year away from travel (and life in general) after battling Ovarian cancer (all in the clear now) I decided I wanted to take a year to travel the world. I have a running mental list of places I am interested in visiting and decided I would crack through that list. I started my travels in January 2025 and inevitably the list of places I want to visit in the future is now longer than when I started this year’s adventures. I have taken inspiration from the many people I have travelled with along the way, listening to stories of their favorite trips and then adding them to my own.
The first couple of trips this year were tough. I knew I was still suffering the after effects of immense fatigue and had lost a lot of muscle strength in my legs. But I persevered and slowly my energy has returned. I can confirm I am having the very best time on my grand detour!
I put off starting this blog for a long time, but now I have started I am really enjoying the process of keeping a record of my adventures and plan to continue as I explore more of the world. I have been to 89 countries in my lifetime and hope to hit 100 before I turn 40.
I look forward to returning to the real-world and looking for a new role in catastrophe risk management in December 2025.
Colette's Grand Detour 