Up until I was 13 I didn't have a passport and then it was a South African passport which is a pain to travel on so it's only since I got my UK passport that I've done a bit of travelling at all.
So let's get on with the tag.
1// Where was your first plane to?
The first plane I can remember was our trip from Cape Town to London. It was a long haul flight, I'd never flown before (it doesn't count when you're so young you don't even get assigned your own seat) and it was a double storey plane which was pretty cool. We flew SAA and it was a really good.
It helped that we were emigrating and that I knew my dad was waiting for us on the other side of that solid 16 hour flight.
2// Where have you traveled to that you would love to visit again?
I love going to America and I'd definitely want to venture out to the West Coast.
But Italy is also somewhere I'd jump at the chance to visit again. I went to Tuscany for my bread course in 2010 and loved it but it wasn't quite long enough and I didn't travel around much. I did get to see Lucca and Pisa but I'd like to venture further South as well.
This was our second trip to Disneyworld Florida. My parents are awesome travel buddies.
3// You’re leaving tomorrow, money is no object, where are you going?
European trip.
I'd go to all the European countries I missed out on when we lived so close (the passport issue again) so I'd go to Spain and France and Greece and Turkey and back to Germany. If money was no object I'd probably spend around a year doing Europe. I feel like we lived so close and yet missed out on so much due to travel restrictions.
The Gelato in Italy was amazing. As was the vila we stayed in for our bread course (right).
4// Preferred method of travel; planes, trains or car?
Car first. It gives you a great chance to actually see the country you're in and you don't have to spend huge amounts of precious holiday time waiting for transportation. Saying that, I would never drive in Asia. Thai roads were incredibly scary.
Planes next. I love travelling by plane. I like the whole experience of the airport and I'm pretty good at it after so many trips in such a short period of time!
Trains last or never. I hate trains. I've never liked them very much and I think this comes from riding the train in Cape Town where it wasn't very safe but it was our only option for a long time.
Thailand is beautiful, like a lost world in some places.
5// Favourite travel website?
I'm not loyal to any travel websites. I prefer to go on the recommendation of friends and family. I'm lucky to have family and friends all over the world who have travelled a lot themselves and that means I'm generally able to find advice no matter where it is I'm venturing to.
Also, I don't think we've been to a country where we haven't already had family present so we've been lucky enough to meet up with them and make the most of the holiday. When we went to Thailand we met up with my dad's ex-brother-in-law who is now married to a Thai lady. She made us the best Thai BBQ I'd ever had and I still drool over that memory to this day.
Phuket is known for it's beaches but it was so hot that we mostly stayed by the pool.
Greece.
I am a lover of Greek food and I'd eat it all day long. I also feel like a Greek cooking course would go down really well so that I can take that knowledge of flavours and combinations and bring it into my own kitchen.
This was a ham and cheese calzone in Lucca with my friends Piya and Guarev. Not as good as the calzones in Ponte e Mariano but good nonetheless.
7// Is there a place you would never go again?
Yes and no.
I wouldn't go back to Pisa the same way again. I'd want to take someone with me and take longer exploring the city. I did a lot of walking while I was there and sometimes I just didn't feel safe as a single female.
I also found it to be a bit disappointing as far as food went. There was a McDonald's at the train station and at the Leaning Tower which is where most people chose to eat and the local eateries are obviously well kept secrets because the locals weren't telling. I had to follow a young family as they got out of church to find a decent sandwich place. Also, I am not a stalker but I do seriously love sandwiches and it was worth the potential risk of being called a weirdo.
The Leaning Tower is on a large piece of land with other monuments. I think this was far more beautiful than the tower itself.
8// Can you recite your passport number from memory if asked?
Yes.
This is not from travelling but because lately I have applied for my Permanent Residence Visa here in NZ and it has to be included an estimated 2 000 000 times on the form. True story.
9// Do you prefer the Window, Aisle, or Middle seat?
Aisle seat.
I am the worst when it comes to going to the bathroom on planes. I need to go often as I drink a lot while on board and I tend not to nap or sleep very often. Also, no one likes those awkward conversations with near strangers about moving because you're about to wet yourself or even worse trying to wake someone up so you can pee.
10// How do you pass the time on the air plane?
I read a lot but I also like to people watch. It's amazing what people do on planes.
If you watch carefully you'll see the oddest routines and practices going on. People seem to think they're invisible on a plane and that no one is paying attention, but we are. I've been on a plane with a woman who was so nervous about flying that she took loads of pills and legit ended up being Kristen Wigg from Bridesmaids. That was amusing. But I've also been on a plane where we've had to return to our terminal and have someone escorting off the plane for swearing at the stewards.
I think I mainly just love the experience of being on a plane with so many different personalities and people.
Flying into Italy was breath taking.
