Hiya everyone ♡
I am privileged enough to have done a lot of travel in my 29 1/2 years on this beautiful planet. My father, sister and I have lived in three different countries for the last 8 years or so, when we all get together in June (sister's birthday and father's day) or December (my birthday, Christmas, new years and dad's birthday) we like to try all meet in a different country - we love traveling!
I saw the Wanderlust Tag done on a few of my friends' blogs. I actually wrote this blog post a few months ago and lost the whole thing :(
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On a beautiful catamaran off the west coast of Mauritius |
1. Your most treasured passport stamp?
Oooh, it's hard to say. I think it would be my stamp entering Greece. It was a very special trip for my sister and I, just the two of us. We were running around London the last couple of days before the trip because we thought my sister wouldn't get her visa in time - we almost didn't get to go! Santorini is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. We had a wonderful week of relaxing, visiting different beaches, eating amazing food and seeing the most stunning sunsets.
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Santorini |
2. Can you recite your passport # from memory if asked?
Depends if I am travelling in the near future ;) I can remember it when I am filling out a million visa forms, so if I am planning on travelling or travelling itself I do remember.
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With a Beefeater at Tower of London |
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Victoria Falls |
3. Preferred method of travel: planes, trains or automobiles?
Anything as long as I get enough leg room :) I am fortunate enough to be able to sleep any time or any place - put me in a moving vehicle and I am out! Planes are great as you get to go far at a fast pace, but I am not a fan of the harsh environment drying out my skin.
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Being a complete tourist in Los Angeles for a work trip |
4. Top 3 travel items?
I have ones for the travel itself, and for while I am away...
For the travel:
• Avene Soothing Moisture Mask (available at Clicks). I smother myself in it before I go to sleep, it's a leave on mask so now mess after application
• Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream for my lips
• Hand/face wipes
For the trip:
• A great crossbody bag, ain't nobody got time for a bulky, heavy tote
• A denim shirt. Easy to carry around when it's hot, and warm enough when it's cool
• A powerbank in case your phone battery is dying
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One of my favourite pictures I have ever taken, lightening in the Indian Ocean off Ponta Malongane in Mozambique |
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Brighton Pier |
5. Hostel or hotel?
Hotel for sure! I am such a 'princess' when it comes to being comfy and gettign enough sleep.
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My first pretzel, Central Park in New York City |
6. Are you a repeat visitor or do you explore new places?
A bit of both. I have been to London about 7 times (but my sister does live there) and New York, Los Angeles and Mauritius twice. If I love a place then I would love to go there again, like Paris, Dublin or Santorini, but I do like to visit as many places as possible so not too many repeat visits ;)
PS. I have shopped on Oxford Street in London soooo many times that I wrote a post on the 7 Must-Visit Stores there.
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After having a delicious Irish stew in a pub in Temple Bar, Dublin |
7. Do you read up on your destination (culture, history, safety) or do you wing it?
I don't wing anything! TripAdvisor is my best friend (my profile with reviews can be found here) and I research the top few places I want to visit in the town or city - I still even do this when I go to London! My sister and I usually sit down and plan which days we visit which places, I am such a control freak and want to make everything out of my trip as possible.
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With a Masai tribe near the Serengeti |
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Trying to ski in Livigno, Italy |
8. Favorite travel website?
I wasn't one to really visit travel websites. I am always on TripAdvisor, as mentioned, and I just search "best things to do in..." on Google. In saying this, being asked this question inspired me to search for some cool travel websites to recommend. Here are the ones that have been recommended to me and that I deem good enough to recommend to you:
• Camps Bay Girl - by my friend Carlinn
• Minkys - by my friend Loren
• The Blonde Abroad
• The Travel Manuel
• Pass the Map
• Venturists
Finally, you have to check out Murad Osmann's Instagram feed - you may have heard about their #followme series
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Reading my fave author, Micheal Connelley, at Eden Island in the Seychelles |
9. Where would you recommend a friend to visit? Name city & why.
Depends what they are going for!
• City and shopping - New York City and London
• Beach - Mussulo Island off Angola - squeeky clean sand, calm and warm ocean
• Snorkeling - Blue Bay, Mauritius
• Bush - Shishangeni Lodge near Kruger or the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater in Tanzania
• Affordable skiing holiday - Livigno, Italy - but it's the only place I have ever skiied
• Historical - Chateau de Versailles, France
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At Maya Bay (where The Beach was filmed) in Thailand |
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The London Eye across the Thames |
10. You’re leaving tomorrow, money is no option, where are you going?
Oooh! Bali, Bora Bora, Peru for the Inca Trail, Japan, Tuscany, Venice and Athens in Italy, South of France in a chateau, Rwanda for gorilla trekking, Mexico, and Bodrum and Istanbul in Turkey.
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Santorini - one of my fave places I've ever been! |
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My first passport-necessary trip with friends, a cruise to the Portuguese Islands |
I hope you've enjoyed this travel post - it's been a hot minute! I first saw this tag on StyleScoop and Camps Bay Girl's blogs.
Find me on social media
Snapchat: CamGildenhuys
I would really appreciate a follow!
Labels: dublin, greece, holiday, italy, jane wanders, london, los angeles, mauritius, mozambique, new york, santorini, serengeti, seychelles, tag, tanzania, thailand, travel, USA, victoria falls, wanderlust