Traveling couple Hannah Spelt and Nick Noordijk are on a mission to redefine the concept of a career. Since 2016, the duo has dedicated their time to helping people realize “there is more than their 9-5 job” by documenting their amazing adventures on their website, Salt in our Hair.
Featuring jaw-dropping photos, eye-opening posts, and everything in between, Salt in our Hair has grown from a popular Instagram page to a solid brand in just three years. Though Spelt and Noordijk initially split their time between their conventional day jobs and their creative project, they found that sponsorships, collaborations, and increased media attention enabled them to turn their wanderlust into a “full-time, hard-working, dream job.”
We recently had the opportunity to speak with both Hannah and Nick about Salt in our Hair. Read on to find out about their favorite memories, biggest challenges, and what's next on their awe-inspiring itinerary.
What made you realize you wanted something different than an ordinary 9-to-5 job?
After our first 4-month backpacking trip, we had about 5,000 people following our journey and asking us questions. We decided to travel more, next to our jobs to grow Salt in our Hair as a brand. One year later, we received our first payment out of Salt in our Hair. This made us believe we could grow it into something bigger and escape the 9-5. Don't get us wrong, we loved! our jobs but getting being able to work whenever you want was something we had to try.
What is your favorite memory from your travels together?
Renting a motorbike and just driving around by ourselves. It’s very simple but it brings back the best memories. You get to see so much more than when you are in a van with other tourists and you can’t stop wherever you want.
Which destination has surprised you the most, and why?
Cappadocia in Turkey. That trip was only two weeks, so it felt more like a vacation. Cappadocia was a magical place with all the hot air balloons taking off in the morning. We rented a motorbike there as well, and every morning before sunrise we’d drive to a place where all the balloons took off. It was unlike anything we’d seen before.
Has your lifestyle presented any challenges?
Of course, it is full of challenges. We want to base ourselves near family but don't want to buy a house yet. So getting our own place is our biggest right now.
Also, as a couple working together, you have to divide work from your relationship. This was a big challenge in the first few months but is all going well now. The problem is that work never stops if you don't close your laptop.
Where would you like to visit that you haven't been before?
That's difficult because there's so much, but Japan is definitely on top of the list.
What's next in your plans?
We just returned home (The Netherlands) from an intense week of creating content in Oman. You'll be positively surprised by this country by the way! We will be working on our content and new ideas for the next 3 weeks followed up by 12 days in Iceland! Same after that, return home, work on our content, travel again. As from Dutch autumn, we'll probably head to South East Asia.
See more striking photos from the traveling couple below.
