Louize Carroll: A few cowboys and I rode halfway across Costa Rica over two weeks

Me and My Travels: Bass guitarist with The Blizzards, composer and consultant psychologist, Louize Carroll lives between two creative worlds. Whether she’s penning compositions or exploring human connection, her travels have helped shape the person she is today.

Bass guitarist with The Blizzards, composer and consultant psychologist, Louize Carroll lives between two creative worlds.

Bass guitarist with The Blizzards, composer and consultant psychologist, Louize Carroll lives between two creative worlds.

Whether she’s penning compositions or exploring human connection, her travels have helped shape the person she is today.

Here, she shares some of her most memorable adventures.

Favourite childhood holiday memory

I was a child of the ’80s. No one I knew travelled outside the boundaries of our own county!

Travel wasn’t a huge part of my childhood. We did one trip to Kerry and I remember my dad saying, when we got there, that we could stay or just go home and he’d buy me a keyboard instead.

So, we went home and I got the keyboard, which helped me become a musician. So that was a good one!

Most surprising destination

Skellig Michael.

One of my excursions that surprised me most was a trip to Valentia Island and then out to the Skelligs.

I just got lucky that they took me on the boat the day I arrived.

The sun was splitting the stones — it was one of those rare and incredible Irish days.

Skellig Michael might be my favourite place in the whole world.

The silence was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, maybe because you’re surrounded by ocean, no roads, no cars, no civilisation. Just nature.

It felt almost sacred. There was even a gentle rumble under the moss from the puffins. It was magical.

Most memorable trip

Louize Carroll in Costa Rica.

Some years ago, I felt like I needed to reset. I had a gut feeling I had to do something challenging. 

So, I found a horse ranch in Costa Rica looking for a ranch manager in exchange for food and board — I’ve been riding horses since I was 15. 

I have a deep affinity with all animals, so I quit everything and went to live there. I was carrying bales of hay at 5am and taking care of 15 horses.

Toward the end of my time there, the ranch owner and a few cowboys and I rode halfway across Costa Rica over the course of two weeks.

We stayed with local families, ate incredible food, and slept on porches. I did nearly die about twice! But it was phenomenal.

Favourite city

Los Angeles.

I think I have two sides. For the extroverted side, it would be LA or New York — they appeal to the ambitious, energetic part of me. 

I got my first agent in LA and made my initial inroads as a screen composer there. I also have friends there now, so it feels a bit more manageable.

Then there’s the introspective side of me, who loves Paris and Rome. LA gets me to face the world; Paris and Rome help me face myself. 

Maybe it’s the architecture, the history, or just their reflective, romantic nature. They encourage you to slow down, to sit and think.

They’re cities that make you pause.

Most memorable food experience

Definitely the time I burned my mouth on a roadside pizza in Naples.

It was so fresh and simple: Fresh mozzarella, dough, tomato, and basil. But it was unbelievable.

That was the first time I truly understood what pizza could be. I would go back just for that.

Favourite hotel

Reflections in the lake at the Castlemartyr Resort. Picture Chani Anderson

I’ve loved a few hotels for different reasons.

The Castello di Casole in Tuscany was amazing for its historic beauty and horse riding.

Castlemartyr in Cork was special because it was the only hotel we’ve been to that let us bring Stevie, our Cane Corso dog, into the hotel room — they had dog bowls and an outdoor area just for her!

I also love The Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore. It feels like a magical escape.

Favourite thing to do while travelling

It depends on the trip. If I’m with my partner, I love to just wander, no plan, until we stumble across a hidden wine bar or cosy little place.

I remember places in Lisbon tucked away down cobbled streets with low lighting and great atmosphere. I also love active trips.

I always dream of doing something a bit out of the ordinary, like horse riding or even rollerskating in new cities. If I can find a way to skate, I’m in.

My bucket list trip

Louize Carroll: "I’ve been dreaming about doing another horse riding adventure — either in Argentina or Africa."

I’ve been dreaming about doing another horse riding adventure — either in Argentina or Africa.

There’s a safari trail in Argentina called Jakotango that’s supposed to be the best in the world.

Or in Botswana or Tanzania, where you can ride alongside giraffes. That would be the holy grail. I’m hoping to figure it out for early next year.

• Louize is the creator and facilitator of Wisely Attached — an immersive online 12 week coaching programme to help you heal anxiety, master triggers and transform your relationships.
• Applications are now open for the autumn programme. wiselyattached.com