Traveler Tuesday – Adelina of Pack Me To

I love doing this series as I truly get to “meet” a lot of truly remarkable people. Which is true in Adelina's case. But also I virtually “try out” people as potential travel partners in my head and I am convinced that this part-time travel blogger and full-time adventurer would be a perfect match for me! Adelina grew up in a family that traveled a lot (like mine), fell head over heels in love with traveling while in France (like me) and while she loves Europe – she's lived in the Netherlands and Hungary – her food soul belongs to Japan – twinsies!

Let’s meet travel blogger Adelina!

[1] When and how did you become a traveler?

I feel like I’ve always been a traveler. My parents took me along on all their adventures around the US when I was a child. I lived in two states and one province before I was even 5! However, it was a trip to Paris when I was 14 that truly opened my eyes to travel and world exploration. It was my first overseas trip and I fell in love with Europe and with the thrill of going somewhere new and different. Since then I’ve always been seeking new opportunities to explore the world near and far.

[2] What kind of traveler do you define yourself as?

As I’ve gotten older, the type of travel I do has changed. When I first started, I was very much a budget traveler, trying to see everything on the cheap. Then, I lived abroad which allowed me to do weekend getaways and short holidays around Europe. Now, I’d say I’m a part-time traveler who looks for ways to stretch my money further, but also willing to splurge every so often on an amazing experience.

[3] What do you love most about traveling?

I love being able to explore someplace new. I love the sense of adventure and the thrill of the unknown. I love waking up to a day that is full of possibilities and new discoveries.

[4] What do you dislike about traveling?

I really dislike the actual travel part of it. The act of getting from point A to point B is always tiring, uncomfortable, and stressful. No matter how many times I hop on a train or a flight, I still find the experience unenjoyable. However, once I arrive, then it all goes away!

[5] Why should people travel?

Travel pushes you out of your comfort zone, giving you opportunities for personal growth and learn more about yourself. You don’t even have to go to the other side of the world to travel. There are opportunities and new things to discover close to home that are just a short car, bus or train ride away. Not to mention, travel is just plain fun!

[6] What famous person would you like to travel with?

 

Big Bud had to head back to America but I'm still holding it down in Italia. Random Master Of None tidbit: the pasta pic on Dev's fridge is an alla gricia pasta I had in Rome at this spot. 📸: @katieparla

A post shared by @azizansari on Mar 22, 2016 at 8:50am PDT

Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). Opinions are always my own and I’ll never promote something I don’t use or believe in. Also as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Aziz Ansari. I absolutely love both seasons of Master of None and I can relate to so many of the episodes. It would be fascinating to have conversations with him and explore his worldview. After reading interviews about how he packs up and heads to a destination for months at a time, I would love to join him and eat our way around a country. Plus, some of the hilarious scenes in Season 2 of Master of None (which partially takes place in Italy) are based on true events that happened to him when he was there and it seems like traveling with him would be a ton of fun.

[7] What won’t you travel without?

My phone! It’s my way of communicating with home. I save copies of all my travel documents, reservations and directions on it. It’s my camera when I don’t feel like pulling out my DSLR. It helps me with on the fly travel planning when I’m not sure of what I want to do next. And I find the GPS and Google Maps so useful even if I don’t have data. On my most recent trip to Asia, I ended up losing my phone 8 days into my month-long trip. I managed fine without it and it definitely challenged me, but it would have been a lot easier if I still had my phone!

[8] Travel essentials – 3 things you always travel with.

Beyond always having my phone, here are 3 other items I always travel with:

1. My camera – I love taking photos and always enjoy pushing myself to capture my unique experience and view of each place I visit.

2. A scarf – You can use it to warm up when cold, cover yourself when visiting religious landmarks and it makes a cool fashion accessory too.

3. Flip flops – Because you never know what’s been on that floor. I use them in the shower or in the hotel or hostel room. You can take them to the beach and in a pinch, wear them out.

[9] If you’re a foodie, what's your favorite food city? Do you have a restaurant recommendation?

I definitely travel for the food. There are so many amazing food cities so it’s hard for me to just pick one. I think right now, my favourite food city has to be Tokyo because of my love of Japanese food. One of the best bowls of noodles I had in Tokyo was at Fu-unji near Shinjuku which served tsukemen or dipping noodles. I sat at the bar and enjoyed a piece-by-piece meal of freshly fried tempura at Tenmatsu near Ginza. I dug into an amazing spread of nigiri sushi at Sushi No Midori – Akasaka branch and tried gyu katsu or breaded beef for the first time at Asakusa Gyukatsu. All of these meals were so delicious and I’d definitely go back to every one of these restaurants.

[10] What's one location on your bucket list?

New Zealand! The country looks so beautiful and it sounds like there is so much to see and do. I’d love to take a month or two and explore it slowly.

[11] Do you have a piece of advice for bloggers starting out?

Don’t give up! It takes a lot of time and energy to run a blog and it can be easy to stop after the initial rush of beginning an exciting project ends. However, I’ve found the benefits of having a blog vastly outweighs the work aspect of it.

Adelina's Lightning Round of Favorites

Airport: Hong Kong
Mode of Transportation: Train
City or Country: Japan
Travel Gear: Belkin SurgePlus USB Swivel Charger
Travel snack: Gummy candies
Book: The Harry Potter Series
Movie: Beauty and the Beast (both the animated and live action versions!)

Thanks Adelina!

You can keep up with Adelina on Twitter , Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and of course on her blog. Wherever you catch her, I am sure you will enjoy her travel adventures!

How about you? What would you like to know about Adelina?

Like it? PIN it!

Save

Save