There are some people who quietly, determinedly, live big lives — even when fear tries to tell them otherwise.
My guest on this episode of Travel With Us A While is one of those people.
Cherie Gardener is a woman with stories layered like coral reefs — some hidden, some dazzling, all shaped by time, courage and curiosity. And perhaps the most surprising thing about Cherie?
Despite once being terrified of the water, she went on to become a certified dive master.
Yes. You read that right.
Fear, Darwin, and Standing on the Sand
Cherie grew up with very good reasons to fear the ocean. Living in Darwin, the water came with warnings — stonefish, sea wasps, crocodiles, sharks. Later, even when she lived just metres from Freshwater Beach in New South Wales, she couldn’t bring herself to swim. Her children boogie-boarded while she waved bravely from the shore, determined not to pass her fear on to them.
And then came a dare.
A friend terrified of heights. Cherie terrified of water.
New Zealand. Bungy jumping.
Fear met fear — and one year later, Fiji was calling.
🐠 The Dive That Changed Everything
In Fiji, Cherie agreed to do a single Discover Scuba dive. One dive. One hand held tightly by an instructor. One tiny shark.
That was all it took.
Something shifted beneath the surface — not just in the water, but in her mind. The fear loosened its grip. The ocean wasn’t the enemy. And the sharks? They weren’t interested in eating her at all.
Back in Australia, Cherie enrolled in a scuba course. Then another. Then more.
Night dives. Rescue courses. Cave diving.
Eventually, she became a dive master — the one doing the hard work while instructors do the talking (as she puts it, with a grin).
💍 Fiji, Love, and a Wedding During a Coup
Fiji didn’t just change Cherie’s relationship with the ocean — it changed her life.
She met her husband Glenn on her last night there, at a fishing tournament after-party that involved real kava (not the Hilton version), laughter until dawn, and a connection that refused to fade once they boarded separate flights home.
They met again in Sydney the very next day.
He never really moved out.
She proposed on New Year’s Eve 1999.
They married in Fiji — during a coup — on a tiny sand atoll where almost no one could attend (which, as Cherie says, is rather brilliant).
🌴 Remote Islands, Reef Life & Real Connection
For years, Fiji became their second home. Not the big resorts — but small, remote places where the rainforest tumbles into the sea and the reef is alive with colour and calm.
At Matava, an eco-resort hours from the nearest airport, Cherie and Glenn lived simply — kerosene lamps, solar power, no noise but the sea. Cherie guided dives. Glenn fished. Guests stayed a week or more, becoming friends rather than tourists.
They dived the Astrolabe Reef, one of the largest reef systems in the world, with almost no boat traffic. Some days the sea was perfect. Other days they kayaked instead. There was always something to do, someone to talk to, a story unfolding.
And those friendships? Many remain today — scattered across the world, still connected.
🚗 Tasmania, Winding Roads & What Comes Next
Life shifted again, as it does.
Now based in Tasmania, Cherie and Glenn explore winding back roads in an old MX-5, discovering vineyards, craft breweries, trout-filled rivers and quiet towns — often thanks to a local car club that welcomed them in.
The water may be colder here. Diving gear waits patiently under the bed.
But the love of travel — of connection — hasn’t faded.
Europe still calls. The Northern Hemisphere waits. Fiji may yet welcome them back.
And through it all, Cherie’s story reminds us of something I say often — and will keep saying:
Travel isn’t just about the places we see.
It’s about the people we meet, and who we become along the way.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify
And if you’ve ever let fear hold you back — this one’s for you.
