Today’s featured “around the world in seven questions” blogger is Andrea of Andi on Adventure. You can read more about her in her answer to the first question below – but she was in the aviation field for a long time before leaving to pursue different dreams. Now, she lives in Southeast Asia teaching English. She’s also the epitome of a solo female traveller: she’s in her 50s and still going strong. I can only hope to be like her one day!
tell us about yourself! how did you get started traveling?
My travel addiction started when I did my college internship in Japan many, many years ago and was bitten by the travel bug. When my internship was over and I returned to Minnesota, I decided to get a job with an airline in order to travel more. “Just for a while, until I get a real job”…I told myself. And then I spent the next 20 years working in aviation and taking full advantage of the travel benefits! It was a great lifestyle and I feel so fortunate to have made the decision to avoid a “normal” life. I’m still far from “normal” but that’s OK! A few years ago the company I worked for in the US was on the verge of going under so I decided it was a perfect time to jump ship and start over in Asia! And now my “new normal” – living in Taiwan, teaching English and traveling. I’ve been here for about 3 years and I love it!
what is your favourite destination, and why?
It’s really hard to pick one favorite, but my top three are probably Turkey, Nepal, and Thailand. The history in Turkey is captivating and I found the people to be so warm and wonderful. I was there for 3 weeks (quite a few years ago) and spent my time carpet shopping, cruising on a yacht along the Mediterranean coast, and walking through history in Ephesus. Istanbul is full of beautiful architecture in the Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia and there’s great shopping in the local markets. I’m hoping to get back there someday soon!
what is your ultimate travel destination? have you been there, or do you have plans to go there anytime soon?
Like my “Top 3 Favorite” places, I also have a list of “Top 3 Bucket List” places, my ultimate travel destinations – Myanmar, Morocco, and Bhutan. Bhutan is a stunning and intriguing country but its very expensive so I’ve got no immediate plans to get there – after I win the lottery maybe. I’m hoping to visit either Myanmar or Morocco next January. I’ll be taking a few months off and will have the time to really explore – I just haven’t decided which one. (Any advice would be greatly appreciated!)
what is the craziest travel-related thing you have ever done?
Well, there’s “crazy-daring” and then there’s “crazy-stupid”. I’m pretty good at “crazy-stupid”, like the time I went to Cinque Terre, Italy with no plan and very little research, unaware that it was a European holiday weekend. I arrived into Milan (sadly, my bag did not), took the train south to the quaint little Italian villages of Cinque Terre…and couldn’t find a hotel anywhere. I ended up in a total emotional melt-down and spent the night on a train from Pisa north to Turin. I learned a valuable travel lesson from that “crazy-stupid” move – always book a hotel for the first night, especially during a holiday weekend!
do you prefer to travel solo, or with someone? Why?
I usually prefer to travel solo, unless it’s something like a scooter trip through Northern Thailand when it’s a good idea to have a travel partner. I’m better at solo travel because I’m very independent, a natural introvert, and I love to just wing it with no real travel plan. It’s difficult to find a travel partner who is willing to go with the flow and give me the space I need to sit at a café and just not talk! I’m very content to just hang out and watch people.
if you travel with friends, do you think your friendship is stronger for that reason? if you travel alone, do you find it difficult to meet people on your travels?
I think it was easier to meet other travelers when I was much younger and stayed at hostels full of 20-somethings. Since I’m now a 50-something, there are fewer opportunities to bond with other travelers. I kind of miss that. I’ve met some amazing people on the road, where strangers easily become friends. A few years ago I spent a 2 months wandering through Cambodia and Thailand and I met a few other solo women traveling the same route. We’d do our own thing mostly but then meet up along the way. It was nice to have someone to share a beer with and compare travel experiences and talk about life!
what’s on your travel agenda for this year?
I’m currently living in Taiwan and plan to do more exploring of this incredible island. In October I’ll be in the Philippines to check out Palawan and Boracay, and I’ll also attend the “Travel Blogger Exchange” in Manila. I’ll be in Belize in December (and maybe other areas of Central America), and then either Myanmar or Morocco in January. It’s a big world and there’s so much to explore!
You can follow Andrea on Facebook, Twitter, or on her blog, Andi on Adventure. Thanks for sharing, Andrea! Do you want to be a featured blogger? Email Sarah for details!