On the first day of 2016, Sarah Davis watched the sun rise and decided to change her life.

Sarah, the 421st person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, had a nice home and a nice job, but she felt this wasn’t enough. She was looking for more out of life. 

So Sarah decided to paddle the length of the Nile River, from Rwanda to Egypt. Planning the trip took more than two years; the expedition itself took six months, during which Sarah had to overcome wild animals, officious bureaucrats and logistical problems.

For most people, this would have been a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, but Sarah knew from the start that it would just be the first of many. In 2020, she paddled the length of the Murray River, from its source in the Snowy Mountains of NSW to its mouth at Goolwa, South Australia. In 2021, she cycled from the most westerly point in Australia (Steep Point, Western Australia) to the most easterly (Byron Bay, NSW). Earlier this year, did a 1600km ‘bikepacking’ trip around Oman.

Sarah is currently preparing for her greatest adventure yet – but is keeping the details private for now.

In the meantime, to ensure she keeps living outside her comfort zone, Sarah is doing 52 new experiences in 52 weeks, which has included trying salsa dancing and doing a sunrise-to-sunset walk. 

Most people lead narrow lives – they hang out with the same people, have the same conversations and practise the same habits. Sarah, though, made the conscious decision to pursue novelty, adventure and challenge. It’s made her a much more accomplished person and given her a much more fulfilling life.

Sarah’s philosophy is to think big, act bold and do more. It’s one she shares with others, through her work as a consultant, coach and keynote speaker.