Roz Purcell: 'Every day you’d come back from exploring, and there would be a tarantula or snake in the room'
Roz Purcell in Tanzania.
Author and broadcaster for 2FM Breakfast Roz Purcell is always chasing new experiences.
From safaris in Africa, to treks through the Amazon, the Tipperary native has built a life around adventure.
Here, she looks back on the trips that shaped her and the ones she hasn’t ticked off just yet.
We didn’t travel that much as children, more as teens. We did a lot around Ireland, though.
A strong memory is going to the Cliffs of Moher, back when you could drive almost right up to them!
But I do remember going on a French exchange as a kid (my sister was, so I was packaged up with her), and my auntie brought us to the airport as a chaperone — we must have been distracted because they started calling our names out over the intercom as we were about to miss our flight.
In France, the exchange house was beautiful; they had a pool which I swam in for about eight hours a day, and we made apricot tarts every lunch. I didn’t learn a word in French, but I got very good at charades.
I went to Tanzania in 2024 for a safari, and it was incredible.
We did a nine-day safari through four national parks, and I don’t think any holiday will ever match it. I love animals and photography, so it was a dream holiday.
One of my favourite moments was seeing a leopard come down from a tree at dusk and two hippos fighting at sunrise.
We also stayed in tents in the Serengeti, where zebra would walk by.
At night, we would hear lion calls and hyenas. An amazing experience; sadly, I’m not sure anything will ever match it.
Madeira in Portugal. It’s very popular now, but when I went in 2022, it wasn’t on anyone’s radar.
I had seen a little about it through an American hiker I follow, but hardly anything else.
It’s an island that offers so much for the adventurer, from epic hikes, wild swims, with great tourist attractions like botanical gardens, culture, and food.
The island blew me away; we spent over two weeks there, so we got to do everything and more. It’s somewhere I always tell people they should visit in Europe.
I’m not massively into city holidays.
I really enjoyed Hong Kong when I went there several years ago; you could never get bored wandering the city; from the amazing shops to restaurants, it’s never-ending, plus there are some cool hikes surrounding the city.
I loved the hustle and bustle of the place; it felt like no one ever slept.
When I was 16, I went to Ecuador on a scholarship programme.
I lived with a family in Riobamba; however, for one week out of the month, I went to stay in the Ecuadorian Amazon (the Oriente), and stayed in this jungle hotel. I’ve no memory of the name, but it was incredible — a rough and ready but fantastic experience.
We each had a tiny hut in the jungle.
Every day you’d come back from exploring, and there would be a tarantula or snake in the room.
You’d have to call the staff to help you remove them! We had the most amazing fresh fruit and did three excursions a day to see wildlife.
I remember kayaking down one of the small riverways in a wooden boat and seeing snakes slither on the surface, and caimans’ eyes reflected in the torches at nighttime.
I wish I could go back.
When I was living in Puerto Rico for a while, I came across one of the most amazing dishes: Mofongo (a popular Puerto Rican dish, usually made with fried green plantains, crispy pork skin, and fresh garlic.
It was a true taste experience.
It’s no surprise that hiking and swimming are the favourites! I love finding little spots.
I use Google Maps while in my favourite places to discover new things — I could spend hours just looking through maps and zooming in to see the landscapes.
Northern Norway, Lofoten, and Tromso. I really want to do Lofoten during the midnight sun in the summer and Tromso in wintertime — hopefully next year.
- The Hike Life: My 50 Favourite Hikes in Ireland by Rozanna Purcell (Black & White Publishing) is out now
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