Naomi Skinner
What kind of people are behind Intrepid Challenges and the unique journeys they create?
Naomi grew up in Melbourne but is a Sinophile at heart. With dreams of becoming the female version of James Bond, Naomi studied Criminology, French and Chinese but quickly lost interest in the world of spies and found she loved learning about everything Chinese. She travelled to China for the first time on a scholarship to a university in Shanghai, returning home to finish her degree and complete an Honours in Chinese.
Naomi returned to Asia to work in the travel industry leading adventure tours in China, Tibet, Nepal and Vietnam. In 2003 Naomi teamed up with Scott Spencer to run her first cycling trip in South-Western China and a love for this style of travel was born. There are many reasons why Naomi loves to travel by bike; the physical challenge along with the ability to get to places and destinations at a pace which truly allows you to take in so much of your surroundings.Being a food lover she also feels the food in Asia is so fresh, tasty and good, that cycling provides such a great excuse to eat more!
Naomi is based in Southern China, in the beautiful limestone karst mountain region of Yangshuo. Her desire to show others what she's experienced see Naomi researching, developing and operating trips in some of the best and most exciting regions in Asia.After several years in Asia she still find it hard to pinpoint favourite places and moments but swimming in Halong Bay, watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat, cycling through Tiger Leaping Gorge and drinking ‘airag’ (fermented mare’s milk) with a group of nomads in Mongolia are all unforgettable moments. She still starts everyday with morning lessons in Qi Gong, and escapes to go mountain biking or rock climbing in the surrounding mountains.
