Our Writers

Sabrina Wu

pretty girl bundled up in the snow with her dog

Hi, my name's Sabrina.

I have always seen the world in words. Where people see waterfalls, I see words tumbling down an oasis of an open water stream. Where people feel anger, words splatter in my brain, and where people feel joy, I write.

I graduated from the Environmental Landscape Management program at Seneca College, and am currently in the midst of completing my Kinesiology degree. I am passionate about health – the health of myself, of others, and of the planet. Actually, in fact, it’s all the same thing.

Through my travels and adventures, I have dabbled in a few experiences. I have seen myself through the lens of Ayahuasca, I have clambered my way up to the tops of remote mountains, camped among the howl of wolves, felt the wind in my hair, laughed until I cried, and cried until I laughed.

I love yoga, playing with my dogs, hiking in mountains, and camping in the wilderness. I love experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, dancing in the rain, and walking barefoot in the mud. I am still trying to figure who I am and who I want to be.

I am so happy to be part of something that speaks to me, and I hope I can be part of something that speaks to you too.

Harley Burland

girl ion pink toque smiling near a big white bridge

My name is Harley and I’m a freelance writer from Alberta. I recently graduated from MacEwan’s Communications Degree with a major in Journalism. I have a passion for storytelling and I'm constantly inspired by the incredible people around me. My favourite topics include human resilience, sustainability, and pop culture. I think we are in the perfect timeline for creating content that can build on our collective empathy.

Writing is my favorite medium, but I love visual communications. There’s something about creating that makes my heart sing. Journalism has opened some incredible doors for me, including an internship with a newsroom and plenty of travel! Most recently, I spent a month in Siberia shooting a documentary on archeology.

When I’m not creating content, I enjoy exploring new breweries, dancing with my friends, and playing outdoors. I love traveling to new places and taking in the culture and lifestyles of our friends around the world. I speak Spanish, so my favourite destinations have tacos, surfing, and all the pura vida vibes. I believe compassion is the most important virtue and try weave that into my writing. Cheers!

Michelle Thomas

pretty girl in long striped dress smiling near the ocean and cliffs

I’m Michelle. But you can call me Mosh.

I've been a writer for as long as I can remember. I've kept a daily journal since I was 5 years old, back then I would take joy in inventing whimsical stories about a giant flying chicken while all the other kids were riding bikes or playing sports.

Now, I write professionally. Some of my time I spend creating compelling content for readers just like you to become inspired and learn about things like travel, food, and adventure. Most of my other time is spent talking about groovy new inventions and tech advances in robotics, and digitalization. Some find it a bit nerdy, I find it fascinating, but I guess that’s how we are all so brilliantly unique.

The only thing I love just as much as writing is travel. Despite originating in one of the most beautiful places in the world (us Australians can be a little biased), I have spent much of my time meandering throughout some of the globe’s greatest wonders.

Throughout my backpacking years I have done many things. I jumped off waterfalls in Luang Prabang; I almost cried over the deliciousness of a pizza in Milan (of all places!); I stared up in awe over Aroura Borealis as my organs were warmed to the point of boiling in the Icelandic hot springs; and I met the love of my life dancing on the big dusty Playa at Burning Man.

It was during my travels that I came across a beautiful little town nestled in the Kootenays, British Columbia. This was where I met a girl named Jenny, we met at a party and spent most of our time talking about mindfulness, meditation and nomadic living. We instantly connected, ever since that point I have been more than excited to help support her passion project through the art of writing.

Wakeful Travel is a community of like-minded vagabonds who search far and wide for adventure, knowledge and connection. It’s a community I am so grateful to be a part of, and I hope that you will be too.

Mosh xx

Kelly Nickels

kelly, a writer for Wakeful Travel

Hi, my name is Kelly Nickels and maybe I'm a writer.

I never considered myself a writer until I was. Like many things, it has been something that's been there all along flirting with my subconscious.

A big turning point was when my work was critiqued for the first time by a professional, even though I was doing it purely as a hobby (at the time), she simply uttered "maybe you're a writer." All life takes is someone, whether it's you or a stranger on the street, to plant the seed that you may be "maybe-something" to make it a reality.

When I'm not being philosophical, my main purpose in life is as a singer-songwriter and musician. It took me 27 years, a film degree, and a video editing career to realize this, but here I am. My current projects consist of a folk-rock band named Peaks & Valleys and an original musical based on my life from a married military wife to an independent street busker called Evolution of a Girl.

I'm a Mexican food aficionado and purveyor of bad puns. Alpacas are my favourite animal. They're pretty much tall, awkward dogs. I'm a hopeful romantic.

I believe in love more than anything else in this world. One of my favorite quotes comes from a song called 'Nine' by Sleeping At Last: "To know and love ourselves and others well is the most difficult and meaningful work we will ever do." I hope to shine a light on this world through music and writing.

Hannah Poaros

Hi, my name is Hannah. I’m a writer and artist.

Born in the UK, I now live in Vancouver. With the mountains, the coast, and the city, it has everything I need to thrive. I love hiking, snowboarding, camping, and yoga.

I’ve always enjoyed playing with words. From an early age, I was obsessed with reading—devouring books like there was no tomorrow. When I travel, I’m always writing notes, taking photos and making scrapbooks of my adventures. It’s a fantastic way to make the memories last forever.

I left the UK seven years ago, after completing my English Literature and Creative Writing degree, and have stayed away ever since! I lived and travelled all through New Zealand and Australia before settling in Canada. Leaving the UK was the best decision I ever made. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, forced me into uncomfortable situations, and encouraged me to step away from everything I knew. There are so many places I’d love to explore one day—my travel bucket list is never-ending. Favourite places I’ve ticked off my list include Vanuatu, Hawaii, and Bali. So anywhere giving off tropical island vibes, I guess.

Travel has unlocked a plethora of eye-opening revelations for me. It’s made me realise that our planet is beautiful and vulnerable. That we need to work together to fight climate change. That we must appreciate cultures that are different from our own. And that we must forge authentic connections with one another.

So I’m excited to be part of this community and use my way with words to inspire, and connect with, other like-minded souls.

Edan Armas

A man with a man-bun and beard dressed in white

Edan Armas is a VortexHealing® energy healer and holds a Human Biology degree from Stanford University, where he studied the multifaceted nature of health through a concentration in the Neurophenomenology of Emotion.

His mission is to catalyze collective awakening through psychedelics and radical love, and when not writing, you can find him reading metaphysical tomes or reveling in some fresh papaya.

Want to write for us? Please visit the contact page to get in touch.