WORDS FROM A COLOMBIAN TRAVELER

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COUNTRY SO FAR?
All countries are exceptional and unique, so its hard to tell which one is my favorite. But the one I will definitely could never stop learning and traveling and getting amaze by it would be COLOMBIA!

WHAT PLACE IS TOP OF YOUR BUCKET LIST?
Since I was a child, I have always wanted to experience the wild Africa (souther hemisphere of Africa).. that is definitely on my bucket list.

WHAT CAN'T YOU TRAVEL WITHOUT?
My flip flops, as a backpacker you always encounter dirty showers or places where you really don't want to touch with your feet. When I forget my flip flops I feel naked. Plus they are so CONVENIENT to travel, useful for hygiene, hot climates and easy and light to carry around.

DO YOU PREFER SOLO TRAVEL OR WITH SOMEONE ELSE? 
Depends on the situation, but in general I would definitely say that happiness is not complete if not shared! But I do think that sometimes is important to be completely outside of your comfort zone alone, it makes you grow and stable a close relationship with yourself.

HOW TO TRAVEL ON BUDGET?
If you want to travel cheap all you need is good attitude, if you can dominate this, then your all set to travel on a budget. I've always said, the most expensive thing about traveling is transportation and accommodation. If you couchsurf or stay in hostels your accommodation spends will be even less than what you could be spending in your original country for a bedroom/apartment. I traveled 3 months in south america with USD 800, I've flown with 7 euros and have crossed the atlantic ocean for USD180. All it takes is research and making wise decision time and destination wise. Today I have even found a 9 hour flight for USD100 ... if that is possible, no more excuse people... GO OUT THERE AND LIVE YOUR DREAMS!

WHO IS THE PERSON AT HOME THAT YOU MISS THE MOST?
My father, as he is the only one of the family who is not constantly coming to visit me whenever I am in the world.

WHICH COUNTRY HAS THE MOST FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE?
Its impossible to say only one, but on my top list will be Colombia, Brazil, Korea, Taiwan and Paraguay.

WHO IS THE MOST INTERESTING PERSON YOU'VE MET SO FAR?
Thats a VERY good question, I think it will be a couple that I met crossing from Japan to Korea. They have been traveling by bicycle all around the world with two infants. They are the best example to me that life is really what you make it, and you can do whatever you really love if you set your mind and you are passionate about it.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR SCARIEST MOMENT?
Scariest moment was definitely when I crossed from Macedonia to Kosovo as a solo female. I was so scared, plus I had no expectations about this place so I literally felt like my ride to die, but again, what I love the most about traveling is breaking my own stereotypes. And Kosovo was definitely one of them

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST USEFUL ITEM YOU'VE BOUGHT?
My tablet, because thanks to this, traveling on a 28 hour bus ride was not as hard as I though. I always download a ton of movies and just watch them on my bus, plane, train rides. Movies are my healthy addiction, so I have no problem just watching 3 or 4 a day and then voilah your suddenly at your destination.

WHAT'S THE BEST PIECE OF TRAVEL ADVICE YOU'VE RECEIVED?
Couchsurfing, without it I wouldn't have had the chance to get to deeply experience the culture of the places i've been to and wouldn't have saved me the amount of money it has to go somewhere else to travel. EVERYONE SHOULD USE IT! I

WHAT'S THE LONGEST YOU'VE BEEN AWAY FROM HOME?
4 Years, and still counting 

WHAT'S YOUR DREAM JOB?
My dream Job is to work at the Amazing Race, since I was a little girl I always watched the show and now with my travel knowledge I know it would be so much fun to work with the logistic team. So far it would be my ultimate dream job.

WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO LIVE IN THE WORLD?
UFFFF thats a looong list to go:
Africa, Australia, China,USA, Brazil, 
Mexico, Spain, UAE, South Korea, 
Panama. Among others hahaha

NAME THE COUNTRIES YOU HAVE VISITED.
1. Argentina, 2. Aruba, 3. Austria, 
4. Belgium, 5. Bolivia, 6. Brazil, 
7. Brunei Darussalam, 8. Canada, 
9. Chile, 10. China, 11. Colombia, 
12. Czech Republic, 13. Dominican Republic, 
14. Ecuador, 15. France, 16. Germany, 
17. Hong Kong 18. Iceland, 19. Ireland, 
20. Israel, 21. Italy, 22. Japan, 
23. Korea 24. Kosovo, 25. Latvia, 
26. Lithuania, 27. Macau 28. Macedonia, 
29. Malaysia, 30. Netherlands, 31. Norway
32. Northern Ireland 33. Palestine
34. Panama, 35. Paraguay, 36. Peru, 
37. Philippines, 38. Poland 39. Portugal, 
40. Russian Federation, 41. San Marino, 
42. Singapore, 43. Spain, 44. Switzerland, 
45. Taiwan 46. Tunisia, 47. Turkey, 
48. United Arab Emirates, 49. United Kingdom, 
50. United States, 51. Uruguay, 52. Venezuela, 
53. Viet Nam, 54. Wales

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TRAVEL MEMORY?
My favorite Childhood travel memory is going to Panama, I went there with my best friend my mom and my brother, and it was such a BLAST... never ending fun times, food was amazing and it was so cool to be surrounded by so many things to do as it was a huge resort complex with millions of activities to choose from. 

WHAT'S THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU'VE LEARNED?
To never generalize about something, happiness is within yourself and if you have found it you must always strive to keep that feeling. There are moments worth a lifetime and the best way to share your experiences is to inspire other to have their own experiences and memories.

IF YOU WROTE A NOVEL, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
My life story, my journeys around the world, my experiences as a female backpacker and about how traveling is al about having the right attitude rather than the time and money.

WHAT TRAVEL SCAMS HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT?
Heard about? a million, from being scammed by a tour agency or a place to stay online, by taxi drivers that will just charge you the double because you don't actually know the taxi fare. There is an endless list of how easy would be to scam a tourist, but as I always say, even the bad stuff you encounter along the way...Is part of the journey.

DO YOU CALL YOURSELF A TOURIST OR A TRAVELLER?
BY FAR a traveller. Tourism is not my thing!

STRICT SCHEDULE OR GO WITH THE FLOW?
Go with the flow, although I do have a little bit of research behind and well as much as I can I travel with the travelers bible ''the lonely planet''. But generally I prefer to arrive to a place and ask locals for their recommendations.

WHAT'S BEEN THE BEST STREET FOOD YOU'VE HAD?
Italian food is always exquisite although I have not encounter that many street food stands in Italy. Chinese will be my favorite in terms of quantity.

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING YOU'VE DONE?
Leave home at 18, move to another continent halfway around the world, have no idea about their language or culture, be the furthers i've been out of my comfort zone. And it has been one of the best decisions i've ever made in my life.

DO YOU THINK YOU'LL STAY FRIENDS WITH THE PEOPLE YOU'VE MET? 
FOR SURE i'm really intense when it comes keeping a friendship. I just love to meet and keep friend all around the world.

WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING ANIMAL YOU'VE SEEN?
Hmmm, I think Humans are the most interesting animal. There is something about us that you can never stop learning from.

WHO IS YOUR DREAM TRAVEL COMPANION?
My dream travel companion is my soul mate. 

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM TRAVELING EXPERIENCE. 
Dream Traveling experience is going by car from Canada down to Mexico ... its has always been on my bucket list!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS?
Open minded, positive and traveler

WHAT CAN YOU ADVICE TO PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO START TRAVELING?
The one true success is to spend your life the way you love, to make each day a master piece, to transform and become, to love and be loved. To recognize that everything you want is at the other side of your fears... DREAMS ARE OUR PREVIEW OF LIFES UPCOMING ATTRACTIONS!

And always have an OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIND!