Instagram model and law graduate Tahlia Skaines is building a Balinese VILLA for tourists

A university graduate has revealed why she decided not to pursue a corporate career in law so she could get paid to go travelling full-time around the world.

Tahlia Skaines, from the Gold Coast, finished her degree in 2016 after four years of studying but quickly found herself making a lucrative career as an Instagram influencer.

In the past year alone, the 24-year-old has travelled to Morocco, Los Angeles, Cook Islands and Vietnam working alongside popular fashion brands like Boohoo, Oh Polly and Beginning Boutique.

Speaking to FEMAIL, the young globetrotter – who documents her adventures online – said she’s now building a villa in Bali for tourists to rent out and has no plans to swap her bikinis for tailored suits any time soon.

Tahlia Skaine, from the Gold Coast, has revealed why she decided not to pursue a career in law so she could get paid to go travelling full-time around the world

While Tahlia is a qualified lawyer - having graduated in 2016 - she said she doesn't have any plans to start practicing any time soon

While Tahlia is a qualified lawyer – having graduated in 2016 – she said she doesn’t have any plans to start practicing any time soon

‘I had every intention of being a lawyer and if a few years ago you told me that this would be my career, I honestly wouldn’t have believed it,’ Tahlia said.

‘I am so glad I completed my law degree, I have used elements of it when building Villa Tahmi and in my day-to-day life and I can always go back to it down the track if I need to.

‘But it isn’t something I see myself needing to do with the way my career is progressing.’

While she’s a qualified lawyer, Tahlia she said she doesn’t have any plans to start practicing any time soon.

‘I was always planning on becoming a solicitor but I kind of just fell into this industry to be honest,’ she said.

In the past year alone, she has travelled to Morocco, Los Angeles, Cook Islands and Vietnam working alongside brands like Boohoo, Oh Polly and Beginning Boutique

Tahlia said while the lifestyle her audience sees on her social media channels is the finished product, the work that goes on behind the scenes often goes unnoticed. 

‘There is definitely a stereotype attached to influencers that it’s all glitz and glamour but that is certainly not always the case,’ she said.

‘Don’t get me wrong, it is super rewarding and I often pinch myself that this is my “work”, but between all my projects I don’t have much downtime’. 

She never spends more than a few weeks at a time at home and generally has multiple projects on the go.

And in the past few months, Tahlia and her long term boyfriend, Mitch, have developed a new project to share with her 345,000 fans.

The construction of Villa Tahmi is well underway in Canggu, Bali and Tahlia and her boyfriend, Mitch, will rent it out on AirBnB

The construction of Villa Tahmi is well underway in Canggu, Bali and Tahlia and her boyfriend, Mitch, will rent it out on AirBnB

She never spends more than a few weeks at a time at home and generally has multiple projects lined up at a time to fit into her schedule

She never spends more than a few weeks at a time at home and generally has multiple projects lined up at a time to fit into her schedule

HOW TAHLIA STAYS FIT WHILE TRAVELLING 

 ‘Travelling so much makes it super hard to have consistency or a regular routine so I’m still learning how to find a balance. 

‘But I am a major foodie! I travel to beautiful locations around the world and come into contact with so many amazing cuisines.

‘I think the important thing is to try not to over indulge.

‘I also try to exercise whilst I’m travelling also. It can be hard when you have multiple photo shoots in a day and video editing to do all night.

‘Even if its just a 20 minute circuit, it all helps – and booty bands are a lifesaver!’ 

‘I am so excited about Villa Tahmi! My boyfriend and I are building this beautiful villa and it has just been my absolute dream for so long,’ she said.

‘Bali is one of my favourite places in the world, I can’t count the amount of times I’ve visited so the location for the build was a no brainer.’

Tahlia and Mitch spent a week in Bali in March shopping for a location, and said the plot of land they found was perfect. 

In a blog post detailing the build, Tahlia said she had always wanted to build her own villa on one particular road in Canggu, a beachside town just south of Seminyak.

‘Before I got here, I had in my mind exactly the street in Canggu that I wanted and I’m not even exaggerating when I say it is directly in the middle of the street’. 

Tahlia told FEMAIL Villa Tahmi will be completed within the next month and she’ll be opening the place up for bookings via AirBnB by September if all goes to plan. 

Tahlia Skaines (pictured), a 24-year-old from the Gold Coast, now gets paid to travel for a living, and documents her escapades on her Instagram page and YouTube blog

Tahlia Skaines (pictured), a 24-year-old from the Gold Coast, now gets paid to travel for a living, and documents her escapades on her Instagram page and YouTube blog 

Tahlia and her long term boyfriend, Mitch, have developed a new project to share with her 345,000 dedicated fans

Tahlia and her long term boyfriend, Mitch, have developed a new project to share with her 345,000 dedicated fans

She described the project as her ‘little baby’ but revealed she has two more projects in the works that she plans on sharing with her followers in the coming months. 

‘I took time off after I graduated to travel some more and during that time my followers began to grow.

‘The more I travelled and uploaded photos, the faster my followers grew and I’m extremely grateful to be where I am right now and to have been given these incredible opportunities to travel the world. 

‘I love what I do and wouldn’t have it any other way,’ she said. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk