This week’s ordinary traveler is a friend and fellow blogger. Courtney lives in upstate New York. She writes about tea at illbemother221btalkstea.
1. What makes you want to travel? The chance to see new places is always a huge draw for me. Traveling abroad usually means new customs, foods, etc. and that is always exciting to me. While traveling in the U.S. allows me to see the history and to some extent new customs and foods too.
2. How do you afford to travel? My husband and I typically try to save up for a trip every other year somewhere big. Two years ago, we went to Ireland. Thanks to our tax return and a work bonus, we were able to make it happen without breaking the bank. There have been times where family will offer to let us stay with them so all we’ll need to buy is the plane ticket and make dinner while we’re there. Plus Southwest always has good fares.
3. Do you prefer to travel alone or in a group? Group travel can be difficult. Last fall we went to Disney World. It was my first time – which meant everyone wanted me to see everything, while I just wanted to wander and see what I could see. So that was tough. I do like tours when traveling abroad because the tour tends to include a lot of entrance fees for museums and the like. But when we were in Ireland, we drove ourselves. I think we were able to meet more of the locals because we weren’t with a tour group.
4. What is the most memorable experience you’ve had and why? There have been two . . . and they were the two most recent trips. Disney World because I had never been. I loved experiencing it with my husband AND I got to meet Minnie Mouse which was the BEST part of the trip for the 5 year old in me. Ireland was amazing and full of history. Plus my family and my husband’s family come from Ireland so in a way it felt like going home.
5. What has been your favorite destination and why? Besides the two above? I LOVED the UK! But I’m a history nerd and let’s face it there is a whole lot of history to take in there.
6. Where have you been that you’d like to live for at least a year? I’m torn between London and the west coast of Ireland. Seeing as I haven’t been to London in many years I think I’d have go with that.
7. What’s the one thing that you have to bring home as a souvenir? Tea!
8. What’s the strangest custom that you’ve seen or experienced? I don’t know that it’s so much a custom. But in Ireland and the UK we were always asked “what time you wanted to be knocked up”. It took me a moment to realize they were asking for the wake up call time!
9. What do you always pack? Beyond the essential items. I always take my grey hat with me because of my blog and also because sometimes you need to cover up a bad hair day no matter where you are!
10. What’s the best travel advice you’ve learned? Pack your suite case then take out half of what you packed for clothing. So true and it’s saved me space to bring things back.
11. Where are you going on your next trip? My next trip is to Bethesda, Maryland for a Sherlock Holmes convention. So not vacation, but it is time away for something I enjoy so I think it counts!