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Catching Cod in Newfoundland<\/p><\/div>\n
Tell us about yourself — how did you catch the wanderlust?<\/b><\/p>\n
I think I was born with it. My dad was in the Air Force and we lived in London when I was a small kid, which was an experience I remember vividly. But I really got turned onto travel as an adult when I flew, literally, around the world, to visit friends in London, Italy, and then my dad on a work trip in Australia, and then home. I\u2019ve been to almost 30 countries total.<\/p>\n
How do you save for\/pay for your travel?<\/b><\/p>\n
I\u2019m a freelance writer\/journalist, so one of the best perks of the job is that I get to travel fairly often, and usually on someone else\u2019s dime. But I\u2019m still a very frugal traveler. I use frequent flyer miles whenever I can, and I watch the little things, too. I hate paying for bottled water, for example, so I always carry a reusable bottle with me, and when necessary, I have no problem doing laundry in my hotel sink.<\/p>\n
What resources do you use in planning your trip?<\/b><\/p>\n
First, I go to an established travel outlet like Fodors (full disclosure: I write for them) to get an idea of the destination. Then, I\u2019ll do a general Google search to turn up more info \u2013 Google News<\/a> is especially helpful for recent updates.<\/p>\n Interior of the Barcelona Cathedral<\/p><\/div>\n What is the cheapest\/best value experience you’ve had traveling?<\/b><\/p>\n Visiting my friend Josh while he was working for the Peace Corps in Jamaica was a memorable one. He borrowed a friend\u2019s Jeep and we crashed on his friends\u2019 couches across the island. I also find that South America in general is a wonderfully affordable destination.<\/p>\n Describe your favorite foreign\u00a0food encounter.<\/b><\/p>\n I lived in Barcelona for a year and became good friends with a local and her family, the Piqu\u00e9s. I learned a lot about Spanish and Catalan food from my friend\u2019s mom, Rosa. She taught me how to make tortilla espa\u00f1ola<\/i>, a quiche-like dish that I still love. And I\u2019ll never forget the seafood paella she made us while on a weekend away in the tiny fishing village of Palam\u00f3s.<\/p>\n Share with us your most interesting\/nerve-wracking\/epic travel experience.<\/b><\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to count the highs, but a few of my favorites are marching, or \u201cplaying mas,\u201d at Trinidad & Tobago Carnival, cruising in a circa-1952 taxi along Havana<\/a>\u2019s waterfront, and my now-husband\u2019s proposal at a beautiful music hall in Barcelona. As for the most nerve-wracking, swimming with stingrays in Belize a few hours after learning Steve Irwin<\/a> was killed by one and 40-plus hours of traveling to arrive in Australia rank right up there. <\/b><\/p>\n Classic Cars in Havana<\/p><\/div>\n What is the best beach on earth?<\/b><\/p>\n I\u2019ve been to plenty, but I\u2019m from Florida originally, so I\u2019m a bit biased. In my book, nothing tops the sugar-white sand and emerald water of Destin and Santa Rosa in the Florida Panhandle. It\u2019s not the most culturally diverse place \u2013 it\u2019s nicknamed the Redneck Riviera<\/a>, after all \u2013 but it\u2019s still pretty magical, especially in the offseason.<\/p>\n What book(s) have you read that really provoke the wanderlust?<\/b><\/p>\n I\u2019m a huge fan of J Maarten Troost<\/a> Do you have any legendary travel souvenirs?<\/b><\/p>\n I have a collection of small, hollowed-out gourds that are used to drink a tea called mat\u00e9<\/i> in places like Argentina and Uruguay. You pour the tea and pass around the gourd, and sip out of a metal straw. It\u2019s all about sharing and camaraderie, and though I\u2019m not a huge fan of the tea itself, I think it\u2019s just a really neat cultural experience. You can buy the tea in the States now, but I\u2019ve never seen the gourds themselves. Mine are a cherished reminder of my travels and the people I\u2019ve met along the way.<\/p>\n Blane Bachelor is a San Francisco-based freelance writer\/journalist and a regular contributor to Fodors.com, Foxnews.com, and Sherman\u2019s Travel. She\u2019s also the co-founder of the travel site <\/i>Girls Who Get Around<\/i><\/a>. Visit her personal website at <\/i>www.blanebachelor.com<\/i><\/a>, or follow her on Twitter at @blanebachelor.<\/i><\/p>\n Our Interview with Blane This week we’ve interviewed Blane Bachelor. Get to know her travel tips and stories. Among other accomplishments, she is the co-founder of Girls Who Get Around. We encourage you to follow her as she has some … Continue reading ![\"Barcelona](\"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Barcelona-Cathedral-interior1.jpg\")
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