Welcome to round 73 of ‘Meet a Random Traveller’. The series dedicated to bring attention to fantastic people all around the world doing their thing.

Random Traveller 73

Who are you?
We’re Lavanya & Pawel, travellers from India & Poland. After years of travelling on short holidays during studies and then work, we decided that while those trips were great we definitely wanted more.
So after 2 years of dreaming, planning, saving – not to mention doing all this over Skype as before the trip Pawel and I were working in two different countries (Poland and Dubai) – in September 2011 we finally made the move and quit our 9 to 5 jobs, packed up our stuff and took off.

Exploring the island of Penang, Malaysia on a motorbike.

You’re from India and he’s from Poland? How did that happen?
We often get asked this when people see us together, especially while travelling. The story started 5 years ago in India at my business school where Pawel came for a student exchange program and well… as they say the rest is history. Since then we’ve travelled together within India, Europe, Middle East and the rest of Asia.

Whats the story with IcedChai?
We knew we wanted to share our photos and stories with our friends and as our plans expanded we realized that it could be an interesting read even for other people looking for travel inspiration.
For the name we knew we wanted something quirky that would capture both our different Indian and Polish backgrounds and perspectives and IcedChai sounded perfect! ☺

All dressed up for the local festival ‘Galungan’ in Bali, Indonesia

Did it come as a shock to those around you to learn of your plans?
Yes and no. While in Poland like the rest of Europe it isn’t uncommon for people to take gap years, in India it’s quite the opposite. The idea is almost unheard of and our decision to do this did generate a lot of surprise, interest and curiosity. Though everyone we know has been very encouraging about it, we still get asked a lot of questions about it from our readers, especially in India, about the hows and whys.

What’s the one thing that should have never made it into your backpack but you can’t throw out?
We have to admit that we tried to prepare for the trip in detail. It’s usually recommended that one should have a headlamp during your travels and in the spirit of planning I went and got myself a pretty nice (meaning expensive) one. Except that whenever I do need some light whether for reading or walking at night I always reach for the torch you have on these cheaper models of cell phones. The headlamp is yet to see any use after more than 6 months of travel! But no way I’m throwing it out just yet

Pawel try pidan in Melaka, Malaysia

What’s the weirdest food you’ve tried and would you have it again?
In Malaysia we came across strange, boiled, bluish coloured eggs which we later found out were called pidan or “thousand-year-old eggs”. They’re eggs that have been preserved for weeks, months or sometimes years! Since I have a particular dislike for any kind of boiled eggs be it regular or preserved, only Pawel tried it and surprisingly enjoyed it too! Only one of us would gladly have it again.

What’s Next?
It’s already been 6 months on the road for us and we’re planning to spend the last couple of months of our trip travelling on a motorbike from Vietnam overland to Cambodia and Laos, ending up back in northern Vietnam. We’ve never attempted this kind of travel before but are definitely looking forward to it!
After this trip is done, we plan to move to India for a while and work there. But since we don’t think we’re going to stop travelling anytime soon, the blog is definitely going to continue as India would be a perfect place for further travel adventures and stories!

A big thanks to Lavanya & Pawel for taking part, great to have you.

Be sure to check them out:
Blog:  IcedChai
Facebook: /IcedChai
Twitter: @Iced_Chai

Fancy being Random Traveller 74? Contact us.

Random Traveller #73 with Lavanya & Pawel of IcedChai -

We spend a lot of time around Khao San road as it’s so close to where we live and over the year we’ve been introduced to some great places that many people don’t get round to seeing.

It’s not all about the bucket bars and if you take a few extra seconds to look around there is far more quality to Khao San Road than first meets the eye. So over the next few months we figured we’d mention a few of our favourite places you should try and check out if you’re in the area.

We already started this with our post about Ranees, one of our favourite restaurants on Khao San and now we have another food recommendation for you.

We were first introduced to Shoshana Restaurant on a travel bloggers meet up of all things and instantly fell in love with the food (or Kirsty did anyway, I wasn’t feeling so great that night).

Originally opening as a guesthouse the owners began cooking Israeli food to accommodate the large amount of Israeli guests they had and it grew from there with the food getting such great reviews.

Falafel

Despite being tucked away the restaurant is always busy with Thais and tourists alike, which says enough in itself. However, with plenty of seating on two floors as well as an outside area you should always be able to find a seat.

Probably the most surprising thing about this place however is the cost. Usually at a restaurant specialising in a certain type of food you would expect increased prices but Shoshana Restaurant remains well within the budget travellers range.

Since our first visit we have returned most weeks and introduced many friends to Shoshana, all of who have loved it and are subsequently hooked as well.

My recommendation? Get the falafel pita (or you can order falafel with two sides and a pita for a larger portion) while Kirsty would recommend either the schnitzel or shawarma. If you fancy a night off the beer the fruit shakes are great too.

How to find Shoshana Restaurant

If you head to the end of Khao San Road on the side nearest the river, where the police station should be marked on any map and head towards Rambutri street.

Shoshana Restaurant is located down an alley way on your right hand side around halfway along, you will see an internet café/tour office on the corner.

Khao San Area Map

We hope you enjoy this place as much as we do – If you do get round to eating here be sure to pop back and let us know what you thought!

Where to eat on Khao San Road: Shoshana Restaurant -

Welcome to round 72 of ‘Meet a Random Traveller’. The series dedicated to bring attention to fantastic people all around the world doing their thing.

Random Traveller 72

Nicole and Cameron

Who are you?
We are Nicole and Cameron Wears, a married couple from Vancouver in beautiful British Columbia. Our exposure to travel began at young ages, with Cameron living in Nairobi, Kenya at age 12 and Nicole backpacking around Europe at age 19.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to have traveled to over 50 countries together in the past 7 years, fulfilling many of our life goals and dreams along the way.

Professionally, Cameron is a franchise development manager for an industry leading company and Nicole works on the marketing team for a private Canadian accounting designation.

What’s the deal?
In the summer of 2008 we made a bold move. We traded our great jobs for a backpack and a long checklist, which has proven to be one of the greatest decisions we’ve ever made. That life changing adventure was the inspiration for creating our travel blog – Traveling Canucks

Travel means different things to different people. To some, it’s a one week vacation to an all-inclusive hotel in the Caribbean. To others, it’s strapping on a backpack with no plans or itinerary. Our hope is that our readers find travel inspiration and motivation through our travel stories and photos, regardless of their travel style.

New Zealand

Now you are managing careers and a love of travel, how do you find the time to make the most of both?
After spending over a year on the road in 2009, we no longer have the desire to live out of a backpack indefinitely. We are not digital nomads on a trip that never ends. We have a home in beautiful Vancouver and go to work every day like most people – we just choose to not sacrifice travel for work, and vice versa.

We are career focused, young professionals that have a passion for travel and adventure. We are proof that it is possible to build a career and family AND travel the globe and chase your dreams. It doesn’t need to be one at the sacrifice of the other – you just need to find your balance.

In 2011, we welcomed our baby boy to the world. Now, our adventures will revolve around traveling as a young family, which is a whole new adventure! There’s much more to consider when traveling with an infant but we look forward to introducing him to our wonderful world.

Has there been somewhere you wanted so much to love but couldn’t?
We heard amazing stories about Vietnam and many travelers told us that it’s their favourite SE Asian destination. We are of the opposite opinion – it’s our least favourite destination in SE Asia.

Maybe it’s because we had such high expectations? Maybe it’s because we liked Thailand and Cambodia so much more? Maybe it’s because we didn’t have a “this is incredible” moment?

Whatever the reason, we just didn’t connect with Vietnam. We love SE Asia and will definitely return, but the likelihood of us returning to Vietnam is slim.

Palm Springs, California

Is there anything unusual you carry round with you when you travel?
The one item that we always travel with, and rarely see other travelers using, is a protective duffel bag cover for our backpacks. It’s the perfect protection for your backpack when you’re in transit.

We just drop our backpack into the protective duffle bag cover and lock it up. It’s lightweight, easy to store and there’s only one entry point, preventing thieves from rummaging through the many pockets and compartments of our backpacks. For us, it’s an essential travel item.

What’s Next?
Our next big adventure will be traveling to Europe this summer. It will be Baby B’s first long-haul flight and our first multi-week family adventure. Our current plan is to start in Switzerland, visiting some of its smaller alpine villages. Then, we plan to visit southern France where we plan to explore its countryside on a private river boat. Our trip will finish in southwest Germany, where we plan to attend a wine festival in the Mosel region.

We also plan to travel to the Hawaiian Islands, visiting Maui and either Lanai or Molokai. We might also visit Roatan in Honduras before our trip to Europe – but those plans are still loose. It’s going to be a busy summer!

We recently published a post about our travel wish list, highlighting 30 travel goals that we hope to achieve in the next 10 years. It will be interesting to look back at this list in 10 years to see what we were actually able to accomplish.

A big thanks to Nicole and Cameron for taking part, great to have you.

Be sure to check them out:
Blog: Traveling Canucks
Facebook: /travelingcanucks
Twitter: @travelingcanucks

Fancy being Random Traveller 73? Contact us.

Random Traveller 72 with Nicole and Cameron of Traveling Canucks -

Kirsty is currently coming to the end of her contract with a school in Bangkok after a year of teaching English at a Kindergarten.

Previously she shared her thoughts after a few months on being a first time English teacher in Thailand. Now with only one week to go we thought it would be a good time to share her thoughts, before she is too emotional, after a year in the job.

So Kirsty:

Firstly, what are your general feelings about the year being over? Relieved or upset?
I wouldn’t say either really, I’m definitely going to miss the kids because of how close we have become over the last year and seeing them develop over time I can’t help but have a huge soft spot for all of them.

My next step is a big one and I’m quite nervous about starting it, it’s certainly going to be a change going from Thai kindergarten to teenagers in England I’m sure by September I will be longing for well behaved kids!

My youngest class

What has been the most rewarding part of teaching?
The most rewarding part without a doubt is when a student gets something right which they were struggling with before.

Their faces light up when they finally get something and having the kids be able to tell me how they are feeling or what they want to do is brilliant. Especially when at the start of the year they would get frustrated and just give up. I love feeling like I’ve really accomplished something with them, many have gone far beyond my expectations.

I started private lessons with one of my students from school and the amount her confidence has grown since then is unbelievable, she’s like a different child. That has given me a greater confidence in my teaching ability and also allowed me to try out new teaching methods, which has helped my development as well as hers.

Would you say you have become more or less attached to your kids than you expected?
I have become far more attached to the children than I ever thought I would. I love all of them in their own little way but I definitely have my favourites.

In particular I have become close with my K1’s who are the youngest class, mainly because they are so cute and cuddly, some of them are only 2 years old and just want to use me as a climbing frame. If I could steal one it would be a little guy called Son Son, aka baby genius.

My K2 girls

How has your opinion changed of teaching in Thailand over the year?
At the beginning I found some of the cultural differences a bit hard to deal with, the children are far more disciplined and pushed than I expected especially at such a young age.

My teaching method has definitely changed over the year and is much more about going with the flow. It would be very strange watching back one of my lessons from the first few weeks now.

Is there anything you would do differently if you were starting again?
Firstly I want to thank my school for giving me a chance especially as I had no experience, my test class was a disaster and my first day wasn’t much better. However they were patient with me and allowed me to grow into a good teacher.

Although, if I was giving advice to someone looking for a teaching job in Bangkok I would suggest making sure you get somewhere with a 12 month contract (mine was only 10) and be sure to find out when they pay and how much is deducted for end of year bonuses etc as my school have been pretty stingy at times.

Was your online TEFL course sufficient or would you recommend doing the full course?
Being thrown in at the deep-end after doing an online TEFL course worked fine for me and I would say I was up to speed after two weeks of teaching. If you are looking for a job in SE Asia then I would be tempted to just do the online version providing you have a degree as that is what most schools are looking for.

Elsewhere around the world such as Europe I doubt you would get a look in without a good chunk of experience or having done the full TEFL course so it really depends on your plans.

The kids at Christmas

What’s the one key bit of advice you would give to someone thinking about teaching in Thailand?
Make sure to ask plenty of questions about your contract, don’t just skim read. If you’re unsure about what something means make sure you get a real answer before agreeing.

Also try and spend some time in the school before hand, if you can spend a lunch time in the office with all the other teachers you’ll soon get a feel for the place and find out if it’s a happy working environment or If everyone is desperate to get out the door.

If you could re-live a single day of the last year, which would it be?
The whole Christmas period was great. Doing secret santa with the kids was a lot of fun with each kid getting so excited when it was their turn to open a present.

Despite having to work Christmas eve seeing my youngest class all dressed up in little santa outfits and singing on stage was amazing, I think I fell deeply in love with them all that day.

Finally, Are you going to cry on the last day?
Yes, a lot.

Have you taught abroad? How hard was it to leave at the end of your contract and how have you found the transition into other teaching roles?

Also, if you are thinking of teaching abroad feel free to ask any questions you may have.

A year of teaching English in Thailand – Kirstys thoughts -

As we tell those passing through Bangkok on their way to Chiang Mai, where you stay can greatly affect your enjoyment and perception of a place.

We didn’t write about Koh Chang after our first visit last year simply because we didn’t have enough to say, it would have gone something like this.

“We spent the last few days on Koh Chang, it should have been longer but we were bored out of our minds and the place we stayed, in White Sands, was horrible. There was a place that sold good beer though…”

Not much of a read hey? So why did we go back?

Some friends of ours spent a substantial time on the island during the Bangkok floods and had a remarkably different opinion of the place than we did. So what were they doing right that we weren’t?

Free boat...

Turns out the answer to that question is quite simple. They stayed on Lonely Beach.

Taking their advice on where to go and where to stay we headed back to the island with some friends, Dave and Lauren, to try and change our opinion of an island that so many other people seemed to love.

Compared to the single main road that runs through White Sands full of large western restaurants, tailor shops and ‘t-shirts, shorts & inflatable shark’ shops Lonely beach appeared a million miles away. Instantly the backpacker feel of the place stood out. Far more appealing than the family holiday/sex tourist crowd we found at White Sands.

Bars line the streets, scattered stands divide them selling buses in all directions and overpriced snorkelling tours. There’s the option to get tattooed 10 times on the same street & everything appears to be made from bamboo and halfway through the process of dying. Does this sound terrible? Because I felt much more at home here before I’d even checked in than I did across the island.

Lonely Beach

Although it sounds like your standard backpacker party town It really doesn’t feel that way, I’m by no means suggesting it’s a quiet getaway, it’s not Koh Mak, but being tucked away near the Cambodian border means it doesn’t get nearly as many rowdy backpackers as Phagyan/Samui/Phi Phi etc. There is of course a backpacker crowd, we are in Thailand.

I tried to think of a more descriptive way of saying this but it’s just the truth. Everything about Lonely beach was better than White sands.

The beach is nicer, cleaner, more scenic, has better-looking sunbathers (that one is especially important) and you don’t walk off the beach onto a main road that looks like it should be anywhere but on an island.

The Sunflower Resort

The accommodation was better. Our hotel on white sands was dull and full of people we had no desire to be around. This time we enjoyed the bungalows of The Sunflower Resort and their cheap food and lounge area during the heat of the day.

Do I need to continue? I think it’s quite clear where I think you should stay during you time on Koh Chang (Lonely Beach, in case you’ve skipped just for the answer)

Whereas last time we couldn’t wait to leave, this time it was completely the opposite. I could easily go back and spend a few weeks if not longer strolling to the beach each day, relaxing with a fruit shake spread out over some cushions in the shade before enjoying a few drinks at night over sunset.

Instead we’re going home, eurgh.

Koh Chang – So maybe it’s not that bad… -

Welcome to round 71 of ‘Meet a Random Traveller’. The series dedicated to bring attention to fantastic people all around the world doing their thing.

Random Traveller 71

Simon

Who are you?
My name is Simon Petersen and I’m yet another Kiwi who has gone and flown the nest in search of adventure, good times and cheap beer. I’m a sport and movie fiend, an amateur backpacker and a journalist, having cut my teeth on such glamorous titles as PC Pro, Qualityworld and, most recently, Legal Week.

I’m also a genius, having decided to move to London right smack in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Four years later and I’ve hit the road again: this time backpacking around South East Asia.

What’s the deal?
Man vs World (www.manwersusworld.com) is a mix of new and old exciting and humorous travel adventures, useful advice, handy travel tips and informative reviews. You will laugh, you will cry and you will hopefully learn something – mostly through my mistakes. It will change your life.

Seeing as you moved to and lived in London for so long I have to ask as a Kiwi – What did you make of the place? and what have you missed? It’s fair to say that my love affair with Londontown has had more than its fair share of ups and downs. It wasn’t exactly love at first sight but, just like Hugh and Julia in Notting Hill, we got there in the end. It was a fantastic base from which to explore Europe.

It’s a cliché but it’s true: absence makes the heart grow fonder. I only left London in December and already I miss the pubs, pub grub, my South West London mates and the football. And I think London’s weather doesn’t get a fair crack, by the way. During my four years living in the English capital we must have had at least ten sunny days. At least.

Simon enjoying a fine wine on a boat trip in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Where are you today and what have you been doing?
I’m currently rounding out my tour of duty in Vietnam, having visited Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne, Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue and Hanoi, with Halong Bay set to become the cherry on top. I’ve loved the cheap eats, the beer and the warm and friendly people. I’ll be heading to Laos and Cambodia next.

Has there been anywhere on your travels you haven’t enjoyed – it’s honesty time!
Easy. Rome. Next question… Oh, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t love one of the most famous cities in the world? Well, it was too hot, too touristy and just plain disappointing. True, I was there during peak season when the lines to St Peter’s and the Coliseum were at their absolute worst, but I did love the rest of Italy.

Si at the height of fashion on the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

What’s Next?
The plan, Stan, is to travel through South East Asia over the next few months and potentially settle down somewhere in Thailand when the money runs out and teach English. Medium-term, I’ll be heading to London for the Olympics – where I will not be competing – and I really have no idea where I’ll end up after that. The world is my oyster and I’d like everyone to come along for the ride.

A big thanks to Simon for taking part, great to have you.

Be sure to check him out:
Blog:  Man vs World
Twitter: @Themanvsworld
Facebook:  /Man-vs-World

Fancy being Random Traveller #72? Contact us.

Random Traveller #71 with Simon of Man Vs World -

Transport for backpackers in Thailand is very easy, buses are cheap and can be booked from pretty much anywhere. So it’s no surprise really that it was a year between me arriving in Thailand and taking my first train journey. I’ve still only taken two…

The first was back in November with my visiting non-traveller friends to Nong Khai, the border crossing for Laos. I decided that an overnight sleeper train would be a perfect introduction to South East Asia, we arrived 4 hours behind schedule, not what they had in mind for their holiday. My second was a month later when Kirsty and I decided to head overland to Malaysia, luckily this one went smoother, even with a border crossing involved.

Waking in the morning on a Thai Train.

So what can you expect from a sleeper train in Thailand?

Firstly unlike some other trains we have been on in Asia you actually get a decent seat for the journey.  The bottom bed is usually folded up in to two very large seats like armchairs, giving you plenty of room to relax without being forced to lay down right away or squeeze in amongst a dozen other people.

When you want to go to sleep, you don’t have to break your back turning them into a bed.  Each carriage has its own attendant who will go around as people are ready setting up both the upper and lower beds.

When exactly is bedtime though?

This seems to differ depending on the country, when we were in China it seemed a reasonable time was the moment the train set off, 6pm? Time for bed! Luckily it’s not quite that early in Thailand, but you will notice the attendent hanging around about 11pm trying to hint that really you should be quiet and head to bed!

Food and Drink? 

If like me you’re not the best sleeper and these sort of occasions require a little ‘help’ do not despair. Waitresses? I guess that’s what they are, walk the carriages constantly offering water, beer, snacks and even full meals at pretty reasonable prices. I have nightmares about paying for a sandwich on a English train station but the prices aren’t too bad, inflated but not to crazy levels.

Toilets

With all that beer you’re going to need a lovely bathroom. Well, they may be a far cry from lovely but at least they exist right? Both trains I’ve been on have had two toilets at the end of each carriage, one squat and one western style, although I wouldn’t suggest spending any reading time in there.

Two of the biggest guys I know on the bottom and still plenty of room before the beds were made up.

All bedding is provided and although the beds aren’t quite as nice as those in our luxury room on our first Chinese train they are nothing to complain about. My tip would be to get the bottom bunk for a few extra pennies as the two seats that create the bed are huge and give you almost twice the space as the upper bunk.

Don’t worry about waking up either as your destination is jotted down during ticket inspection and you’ll be woken up when your stop is near. Best not to chance it though hey?

Have you taken any trains in Thailand and had a different experience? Did we just get lucky?

What to expect on a train in Thailand -

Welcome to round 70 of ‘Meet a Random Traveller’. The series dedicated to bring attention to fantastic people all around the world doing their thing.

Random Traveller 70

Overlooking the city of Osaka, Japan from the Umeda Sky Terrace

Who are you?
I’m John and I write over at www.travelrinserepeat.com. I’m from Denver, Colorado and I work as a consultant who travels almost full time for work.

What’s the deal?
I started Travel Rinse Repeat as a way to share some of my tips and tricks from a life spent on the road. For me, a major component of what I do is finding ways to maximize whatever travel opportunities I get. We’d all love to have all the time in the world to see and do what we want, but unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.

I try to provide useful travel tips and destination reports that show you how to best spend whatever amount of free time you do have available for travel. Often times, I only have evenings available in the destinations I travel to, and if I’m lucky, a weekend. This has helped me streamline and prioritize itineraries, and now I want to help others do the same.

On the summit of Quandary Peak, a 14,265 ft/4,348 m tall mountain in my home state of Colorado

Have you always made the effort to enjoy places you visit for work or was there a turning point?
For my first four months of traveling, I’d go back to my hotel every night, work, watch TV, and go to bed. It’s an easy trap to fall into. During this time, I was working in Atlanta every week and it wasn’t until I realized that my time in Atlanta would soon be coming to an end that I really started trying to take advantage of all the city had to offer. I’ve never looked back since, and now that I go to new destinations all the time, there is always something exciting to look forward to.

What tips would you give to someone who doesn’t think they have enough time to make business trips enjoyable?
Like with all travels, you have to make it a priority. It’s easy to get into a routine that doesn’t involve going out and exploring whatever city you’re in. To me, this is unacceptable. Business trips are FREE opportunities to travel, and most people would love to have that opportunity – so I’m not going to waste it. If that means getting up early, staying out late, or staying over for a weekend, then so be it.

Scuba diving with a green sea turtle off the shores of Wailea

What’s Next?
I’ll continue traveling around the country…my work schedule for the next year includes stops in some truly amazing cities (New Orleans, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas) and some others that I know next to nothing about (Gainesville, Tulsa, Tucson) but I’m excited to learn more. I’ll definitely be trying to work in some personal international travel as well.

A big thanks to Johnfor taking part, great to have you.

Be sure to check him out:
Blog:  Travel Rinse Repeat
Twitter: @travelrinserept
Facebook: /TravelRinseRepeat

Fancy being Random Traveller #71? Contact us.

Random Traveller #70 with John of Travel Rinse Repeat -

I like tattoos and being in Thailand and hearing all the stories about bamboo tats I promised myself that I wouldn’t be going home without them!

Last night we went out to our favourite restaurant and decided to head onto Khao San road to check out some of the tattoo shops, just for a look –  Can you guess what happened?

I didn’t just dive straight in and pick something from a book but chose something I had been thinking about for a while that I had saved on my Iphone.  The reason for going with this (other than liking it obviously) was that I wanted something small and simple, I’ve got lots of other big ideas I need to save skin space for you see.

So to get my tattoo fix for the year and experience a bamboo tattoo…

The first time my leg has ever been shaved.... sexy?

Design placement and laughing at shaving so much of my leg...

The first few 'stabs'

Carrying on with the work

Then he started show boating...

Faking pain (honest)

Nearly done.

The finished product.

The whole thing took about 40 minutes from start to finish and didn’t hurt nearly as much as I had expected.  The best thing however was how clean it was, no blood at all during of after and not nearly as sore as machine tattoo’s in the following hours/days. Very happy.

If anyone is interested in getting a Tattoo on Khao San Road I can recommend Up 2 U Tatoo on the second floor oposite Rikka Inn Hotel.  I spent a long time going through their work and the quality was very good, it was very hygienic and everyone was very helpful.

If you want to see a short clip of what it looks like being done check out our facebook page Or maybe you’ve already had one?

Getting a Bamboo Tattoo in Thailand -

Welcome to round 69 of ‘Meet a Random Traveller’. The series dedicated to bring attention to fantastic people all around the world doing their thing.

Random Traveller 69

Ali & Andy

Who are you?
I’m Ali, and I’m addicted to travel. I’ve been to all 7 continents before my 30th birthday. I love photography, the Spanish language, chips and salsa, and I’m always planning my next trip. I’m from the US, originally from New Jersey, but I spent the second half of my life living in Atlanta. For 9 years I worked in the oh-so-exciting world of aviation insurance before finally deciding I needed to travel more and find a career path I enjoy. I’m now an expat living in Freiburg, Germany, and I’m in the middle of a 5 month round the world trip.

What’s the deal?
I started blogging as a way to talk about travel and interact with other travelers when I couldn’t actually take a trip. I love to travel and it’s a great way to fuel the addiction. Now it’s a great way to let my friends and family know what I’m up to while I’m home in Germany or traveling somewhere else. I also hope to inspire others to travel. I know so many people who want to travel but are nervous about it, especially about solo travel, and I want to show them that it’s easier than they think. Learning about other cultures through travel is amazing, and the confidence gained by traveling on your own is one of my favorite things about solo travel.

We couldn’t possibly interview you without mentioning the twitter love story – Could you give us a quick run through for those who have yet to read your post?
I highly recommend the longer version of my most popular post to anyone who hasn’t already read it, check it out here. But here’s the short version: I bought a domain name in July 2010 and tweeted that I didn’t know how to import my old blog onto the new site. Andy of www.GroundedTraveler.com saw my tweet and offered to help. A week or two later I emailed him some questions about his move from the US to Germany. We decided to Skype again, and we just totally clicked. We spent about four months getting to know each other through Skype and emails, and we fell in love from 4600 miles apart. I had already planned a trip to Prague for the end of November, so he took the train and met me there, our first in-person meeting. It was wonderful! After visiting him at New Year’s, we knew we wanted to spend our lives together, and planned our wedding for June 5, 2011. A month after the wedding I moved to Germany and started my life as an expat.

Ali's favorite picture from her trip to Antarctica

You’re currently out on the road at the moment, so where are you and what have you been up to there?
I spent about two months in Southeast Asia traveling through Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. A couple of my favorite places were the Gili Islands in Indonesia, Siem Reap, Cambodia, and Hanoi, Vietnam. I’m just finishing up 10 days in Melbourne, Australia, which included an amazing two day trip to the Great Ocean Road. I took 850 pictures in two days, if that tells you anything about how gorgeous the Great Ocean Road is. Next up is three weeks in New Zealand, where Andy will meet me for Christmas and New Year’s, and then two weeks between Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Easter Island. Then I will spend four weeks in Seattle, Las Vegas, and Atlanta visiting friends and family before flying to Italy to go to Carnivale in Venice with Andy. I’ll be back in Freiburg at the end of February.

Following on from above, what’s in going to be like returning to you relatively new home in Germany instead of where your used to?
I had much more culture shock than I expected when I first got to Germany, but traveling these past few months has changed my perspective a bit. I think I’m more ready to be in Freiburg now and make it my home. I know I still have a lot to adjust to, and I still need to learn German, but I’m looking forward to being back there with Andy. I miss my friends and family in the States, but hopefully some of them will come visit us in Germany soon.

Gili Islands, one of Ali's favorite, most relaxing, stops.

And what’s next?
I know I will be enrolling in German classes when I get home. I’m also hoping to do some soul searching about what exactly I want to do as a career. In an ideal world, Andy and I would like to have jobs that allow us to work from anywhere in the world, but figuring out how to do it is a little tricky. Neither of us wants to be a permanent traveler, but we like the idea of going somewhere for a month or two, renting an apartment, and seeing the sights while still being able to work from our laptops. We have some ideas, but I think it’ll be a bit of trial and error until we each find something that works. And of course, I plan on continuing to blog about travel and life as an expat.

A big thanks to Ali for taking part, great to have you.

Be sure to check her out:
Blog: Ali’s Adventures
Twitter:  @AliAdventures7
Facebook:  /AliAdventures

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Random Traveller 69 with Ali from Ali’s Adventures -