Frances was born in the Wairarapa, New Zealand, in 1948-a post-war baby-boomer. She was raised in Northland, New Zealand. Her varied careers have included bun-running, journalism, radio presentation and tour leading. She is of Spanish descent and has lived in the USA, and has travelled to Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, to name a few. Frances has four children and nine grandchildren, and lives in Auckland, New Zealand.