Interview with Dr Jenny Gray: “I am an avid scuba diver and have found the best diving in Indonesia. We love to stay on a boat and travel through the islands seeing both large and small creatures. When I am underwater it is so peaceful and beautiful. The sense of weightlessness is amazing and almost like flying over huge coral beds. I love travelling to remote islands and seeing that there are still so many wild places to save. My favourite sea creatures are Giant Manta, they are majestic and curious and playful.
Dr Jenny Gray.
Her top tip for holidaying in Indonesia
We always leave extra days for travel disasters. By arriving a day or two before we need to catch the dive boat we are not stressed if a connection is missed or a plane runs behind schedule.
Something she always packs when she travels
My Kindle is an essential. Between dives, I love to read and the Kindle allows me to have a number of different books with me. I read a wide range of business books and science fiction.
A destination on her bucket list, for future travels
The world is full of incredible animals so my bucket-list destinations are creatures, not places: the bears fishing for salmon in Alaska; diving with humpback whales in Hawaii; or the Okavango swamp.
A travel disaster – or near-miss – which stays in your mind
I am a relatively seasoned traveller and don’t mind when things don’t run to plan. Most of my challenges are missed or delayed flights, but I spent a year working for an airline so I became used to being bumped off flights. One trip I was delayed for three days without any luggage and had to go to the shops and buy clean clothes and toiletries.
About Dr Jenny Gray
Dr Jenny Gray is the CEO of Zoos Victoria, leading a team of nearly 700 people across Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary. Jenny is passionate about the role that zoos continue to play in society and the contribution that zoos can make to conservation, education and research. Broadly regarded as a key player in the international zoo community, Jenny is also President of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and travels extensively for work and pleasure. That travel always involves wildlife.
To read about Neon Playground, a new event (on from 12-27 April from 5:30-9:30pm at Melbourne Zoo) celebrating wildlife conservation with a showcase of some of the best local light and visual artists and designers, click here.
