Seb & Miriam

How did a German and a Swiss end up in Alice Springs running a hostel? 

Their love story is quite the backpacker tale! Seb bought the hostel after 4 years as a bushstore manager outside of Alice Springs. Miriam came in one day as a guest and the two began to talk. When she left, he asked for her information and their weekly messages turned into daily turned into a spur of the moment week in Brisbane. As a solo traveller, Miriam wanted to continue her planned trip to New Zealand, but the pull and connection to Seb brought her back to Alice Springs. And it seemed to pay off as 2.5 years later they’re still here together! 

Miriam is full of love for all creatures - it’s easy to see as she fawns over the hostel bearded dragon Emily or shows photos of her work at the Kangaroo Sanctuary with the baby joeys. An ocean lover, she dreams of volunteering with marine conservation off the coast of Spain and whale watching at Hervey Bay.

Seb would spend all of his time in the garage tinkering if he could. You can find him with his toys - a true backpackers dream of a bus, a Volkswagen, or the newly purchased buggy during the time I was there. He’s generous with his skills, teaching a guest how to change the oil of his car or completely saving my life with a quick tutorial on how to drive a manual car.

The atmosphere they’ve created at Alice’s Secret Travellers Inn is amazing. It’s a relaxed environment with plenty of places to relax (shout out to my favorite hammocks). Everywhere you look there’s a mural or quirky bit of art that truly makes the place feel like an oasis in the desert. Thank you for opening your home and welcoming me to the Secret Family!