British, female, 48 years old, NGO project manager

1. Explain yourself in a few words.

Rum swilling, disco dancing, politically protesting, vegetable growing, harp blowing kinda gal.

2. What countries have you visited?

I have been to Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Austria, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Thailand, Bolivia, Mongolia.

3. Where do you plan to travel to next?

Kazakhstan, Georgia, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, The Baltics, Norway. Then back home and work.

4. Can you give me a list of all necessary items required for your travel?

  • Gold eyeshadow
  • Earrings
  • Sun screen lotion
  • Insect repelling
  • Ear plugs
  • Swimming suit
  • Sarong
  • Mouth organ (harmonica)
  • Notebook and pen
  • Smartphone
  • Head torch
  • Sleeping bag liner

5. May I ask your advice on guidance? What do you advice me not to do while I’m traveling?

  • Don’t buy too many souvenirs
  • Don’t take too many photos
  • Send postcards
  • Learn at least 5 basic words in each country
  • Print off tickets
  • Don’t take photographs of local people without asking them
  • Do take public transport

6. Have you got any slogans to describe yourself?

“It turns out that I like my home certainty more than I thought I did”.

7. What questions would you ask a more experienced traveler?

  • Why are you traveling?
  • What do you like most and least about traveling?
  • How does traveling change you?

8. In your experience how is traveling now in comparison to the past (let’s say 50 years ago) and do you expect things to change much in the future (let’s say in a 100 years, 1000 years)?

Past: There was no social media to inform people about what’s out there.
Now: It’s a multi million industry now. It’s become more commodified, packaged. Money attached. More than it used to.
Future: Climate change and political change will impact how traveling is viewed.

9. What brings joy to your life?

Nature. People showing humanity.

10. How to do it so you don’t think where to get money from?

Volunteering (HelpX). Online working. Get some job in the place where you stay.

11. Why do you travel? What’s your spiritual way? What do you believe in (the Energy of the Galaxy, Mother Earth, religion, destiny)?

To see the world and to feel alive. Meet people. To understand other cultures. To see amazing places.
I am an atheist. I believe in people.

12. How do you want to die?

Ideally, in a way of my choosing. Ideally, in my sleep at the same time as Demis (husband).

13. Why don’t people kill each other? Do you value life? Why do you value life?

Some people think killing isn’t right. It’s different for different people.
Yes, life is important. Everybody has a right to live (if they’re already born).

14. Why doesn’t everyone have sex with everyone?

Because in current society sex is distorted. The relevance of having sex is distorted.

15. What travel apps and websites do you use?

  • Airbnb
  • Blogger
  • Skype
  • Currency XE
  • Google Translate
  • Messengers
  • Facebook
  • Weather app
  • Booking
  • Workaway and HelpX
  • Skyscanner
  • Maps.me and Google Maps
  • Trip Advisor
  • My trip
  • VPN app