At the moment, it’s the turquoise oceans and white sandy beaches of Vanuatu, but next week it will be tasting all that the south of France has to offer and for two weeks – can you believe this woman!
As a presenter for the Seven Network’s Sydney Weekender, an ambassador for Air Vanuatu, a mum of two gorgeous girls and wife to Channel Nine’s super fun weather man Steve Jacobs, Rose is a big believer in love what you do and do what you love.
It’s a message partly inspired by her mother, and one that fuels her sense of adventure and how she manages money.
“Mum taught me to cover all the bases for the basics, but at the end of the day, seizing life is far more important than counting coins.
As a single parent, Rose’s mum would get her kids through each week by working as a high school art teacher, but weekends was explorer time.
“She would show us what mattered in life, like catching a train to Sydney just to get to Taronga zoo for the day and riding the train back – a nine hour journey each way!
“For us, it was all about making money work to support the bigger picture, never losing sight of the importance of fun and adventure.”
Since moving on from being a weather presenter 10 years ago, Rose Jacobs has been fortunate to stay in some of the best hotels and resorts in the world for free – notwithstanding all the woman-hours she has put into researching, reporting, networking and effectively promoting various destinations on mainstream and social media channels.
Top of the list is a place that truly took her breath away on a private island in Vanuatu called Ratua, owned by a French billionaire.
“Steven and I knew it was going to be special when the managers contacted us in advance and asked us what our preferences were for champagnes and wines (out of the best in the world) and they had them shipped over for us before our arrival!”
Rose also highly rates The Verana in Mexico, Chateau Lake Louise in Canada, and the uber cool Soho Hotel in London.
When not travelling business class and enjoying the spoils of sheep-skin beds to sleep on, she also looks out for unique destinations that don’t break the bank.
“I adored a trip to the Mexican coastal region of Tulum where we stayed at a rustic, generator operated little resort called Azulik, right on the windswept beach with an outdoor bath built into the deck over the ocean and white mosquito nets and hammocks blowing in the breeze.
“It was also the sort of place where the cleaning staff would “accidentally” lose your favorite silk pyjamas… but if you factor that into the incredibly cheap daily rate then you still come out smiling!”
Rose thanks husband Steve and Channel Nine journalist Georgie Gardener for inspiring her to become more business savvy and finally starting to believe in her own net worth.
“It has taken me a long time to realise my own worth in a business sense.
“I’ve known my passions and my skills and my dedication to work, but I’ve never stood up for myself financially until recent years.
“Nowadays, Steve and I operate as our own production company and since this inception I am discovering new ways of making my money work for me on a daily basis.”
Outside the production company, Rose and Steve own a home they recently renovated in Sydney’s eastern beaches.
But it’s their holiday house in Vanuatu which brings calm to their often chaotic lives.
“Not a single week is the same in our household. For the past ten years, Steve has travelled on average around 300 days per year.
“At the end of the day, it all boils down to being incredibly flexible and understanding of each other’s careers and that our children will always be the number one priority.”
Many of Rose’s amazing travel snaps are taken from this heaven-sent place, which also operates as a private holiday rental property at www.theboathousevanuatu.com
“We actually found it by kayaking down a private stretch of beach and saw a little house in amongst the palm trees and said “oh my god, that’s our dream house, I wonder who owns that?”
“Before we knew it, we had made an offer and it has been our slice of paradise ever since.”
Rose Jacobs is 37 years of age, but it’s not her hour work-out a day that keeps her looking great, it’s an inner sense of adventure which she believes more people should embrace.
“This is why I work in the industry of travel!
“I have heard that roughly 80% of Australians in this lifetime won’t ever pay off their mortgage.
“My advice is to seek out the experiences you most desire in life, make sure you do them, but perhaps make them work for you also.
“Think about your skills – how can you perhaps make money out of your travels?
“Enter photo competitions with your holiday snaps, rent your house out on Air BnB when you’re gone, stay in bed and breakfasts and live like a local instead of the massive sterile hotels chains with the same buffets the whole world over.”
When she’s not being a superwoman, Rose also runs a travel blog at poopypropeller.blogspot.com.au and has a Lifestyle Channel Travel Expert page at Lifestyle.com.au/travel
