Thank God It’s Friday: Thira Moelants

A coconut in your hand, your feet in the sand and the sun slowly sinking into the sea. Sounds like a vacation, right? Not if your name is Thira, because for her this could just be an ordinary Friday afternoon. While we are busy at five o'clock wondering what we are going to eat and if there is a bottle of wine chilling, she is playing a game of volleyball on the beach in Bali. To each their own Friday afternoon drink, I suppose.

Let me introduce; Thira is a full-time travel content creator and has made the world her workplace. This season she is participating in Love Island VIPS: Netherlands. In her daily life, she wakes up one time on a tropical island, the next week she sleeps on the ground in Kazakhstan, without electricity or running water. You have to be willing to sacrifice something to discover the most beautiful places in the world.

And believe me, behind those envy-inducing Instagram pictures lies more work than you think. Filming, editing, meeting deadlines and working out collaborations: it doesn't stop once the sun goes down. But if you ask me, this still sounds like a much more attractive life than a 9 to 5 job.

For this edition of Thank God It’s Friday, we speak to Thira about her life out of a suitcase, her love for local eateries and why waiting until Saturday is actually unnecessary.

Dear Thira, if you had to give your life a score at this moment, what would it be and why?

“A solid 9! I am at a very special point in my life. I get to do full-time what I love most: traveling, discovering new places and sharing my adventures with my community. So much is happening right now that I can barely keep up, but I am especially very grateful for all the opportunities that come my way and the freedom I have been able to create for myself. I still have many dreams I want to fulfill, and there are always things I can do better, so I’ll keep that one point in reserve.”

What does an average week look like for you?

“As a full-time travel content creator, I don’t have a fixed routine or a permanent home base. One week I wake up on a tropical island and the next week I sleep on the ground in Kazakhstan without electricity or water, or I am often on the road to new destinations. My days consist of filming, a lot of editing, working on collaborations and other projects, and of course just discovering the places I am in. It may all look very spontaneous on Instagram, but behind the scenes there is a lot of work involved. It’s a 24/7 job but the best job in the world. I always try to make time to catch the sunset and maintain enough social contact amidst all the chaos.”

It’s Friday afternoon 5:00 PM: where are you, with whom, what are you wearing and what’s in your glass?

“Preferably somewhere in the sun with my partner. I am someone who quickly feels at home in a place where the sun shines, but yes, every Friday I am somewhere else. So based on last week, on Friday at 5:00 PM I was in my favorite local beach hut on a beanbag on the beach in Bali with a coconut while my friends and I played spikeball and volleyball until the sun went down. As for my outfit, I go for a bikini with a cover-up, duh, golden jewelry and flip-flops. And my camera is probably somewhere nearby because I still can’t resist capturing beautiful moments!”

What does your perfect weekend look like? Friday, Saturday, and Sunday?

“I live by the motto ‘every day is Saturday’”

“I have worked very hard to create the lifestyle I have today, and I have done that mainly for the freedom. The freedom to determine how my days look, where I am, and how I organize my days. Why should I wait until the weekend to do fun things? I decide when Saturday is!”

“Life is short and you only have one. By having adventures, discovering new places and cultures, and making time for the things that make me happy. It’s that freedom that is the greatest luxury for me: not living from weekend to weekend, but creating a life where I enjoy every day.”

As a Fleming, would you consider a nice weekend in the Netherlands, and if so, where to?

“Absolutely! I really love the Netherlands. You have super friendly people and there is always such a nice, relaxed atmosphere. Moreover, you have so much water, which means there is so much to do: wakeboarding, swimming, surfing, you name it! Cute towns for city trips, Utrecht, Maastricht, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam are my favorites! And then those cozy terraces where you can enjoy a drink and of course bitterballen. Hahaha, I love it!”

What is your favorite place for a bite to eat out?

“I love discovering new restaurants, especially when I am traveling. For me, it’s not just about the food, but also about the atmosphere, the interior, and the overall experience. In every country, I want to try local food, meanwhile my stomach can handle it, hahaha, in the beginning I sometimes ran into trouble with that. This combined with good company and I am completely happy.”

Finally; how do you prepare for Monday again?

“My Monday doesn’t always look the same, but I do try to create some overview. I look at which collaborations and deadlines are coming up, plan my content, and try to list my most important tasks. Since I determine my own agenda, it’s important to give myself some structure. Although that is still a struggle after 5 years. At the same time, I try to stay flexible because sometimes the best opportunities arise just when your plans go completely differently. And honestly? I love that my work is never the same every week. For me, a Monday in a new destination sometimes just feels like a new start!”