Traveler Tuesday – Carol of Wayfaring Views

I wish I'd met Carol of Wayfaring Views when I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I'm pretty sure we would have hit it off! I'm super impressed with the fact that she did the El Camino solo and even more impressed that she is going to do it again!

Let’s meet Carol!

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

I took my first trip away from my family when I was fourteen. I took a school trip to Washington DC and New York and forty years later, I’m still at it. I inherited the travel gene from my Mom. She was always off on some adventure and she always supported and encouraged my desire for travel.

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

My husband and I call ourselves “adventurish” and “intrepid-y”. This means that, while we aren’t adrenaline junkies, we are willing to go off-grid and have offbeat adventures. I usually prefer to travel independently and design my own itineraries.

[3] Which country do you come from/call home?

I’m from the United States and call California home. In fact, when I’m not traveling internationally, I love exploring my own home state.

[4] What do you crave from home when you are traveling?

I’m a carry-on traveler and can cram six days of clothes into my bag. This has required me to standardized on tragically practical travel clothes in neutral colors. So, I miss wearing cute clothes (and shoes!) when I’m on the road.

[5] Tell us about your blog

I’m the Chief Wordsmith for the Wayfaring Views travel website. I help my readers explore beyond the obvious with alternative itineraries and offbeat adventures. I’m always up for something weird like the Penis Museum in Reykjavik (yes, it’s real) or the sewer museum in Paris (which doesn’t smell as bad as you might imagine.) I’m also positively crackers for street art and am on a mission to visit as many great street art cities as possible.

[6] What do you love most about traveling?

Travel forces me to the outer edges of my comfort zone. It provides constant sensory input which requires me to be present and pay attention. I like how experiencing things while traveling always brings a sharp perspective to my own culture and political circumstances.

[7] What do you dislike about traveling?

You know that moment when you emerge blinking and disoriented from a long plane flight only to have a phalanx of taxi drivers start hustling you? I hate that.

[8] How do you prepare for a trip?

I do all of the travel planning for both my husband and I. So, I do advance research on what’s available at the destination and pre-book special experiences that we want to be sure to have. That said, I’ve learned the hard way that if I over plan, I will regret it. I try to leave air in my itineraries for serendipity and downtime.

[9] You have won the lottery, now tell us where you want to live.

I’m pretty fortunate to be able to live in the San Francisco Bay Area and really love it here. It has a liberal culture and great weather. If I won a mountain of money in the lottery, I think I’d keep my home base and then do more extended trips with home rentals. I’d knock lose a few nickels and book nicer hotels.

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

1. Duct tape. It’s essential for small repairs, resealing food containers and killing scorpions.

2. Cipro. I’ve gotten sick on three continents, even in places like Portugal which supposedly have clean drinking water. Carrying “just in case” antibiotics can save a trip.

3. Curiosity. Satiating curiosity is the ultimate purpose of travel.

[11] What is your favorite article of clothing?

I have this pair of fantastic hiking pants from LuluLemon. They are black, stretchy, have zippered pockets and don’t make my ass look huge.

[12] Your single most treasured personal possession.

I don’t possess my husband, but I do dearly treasure him.

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

Education yourself about search engine optimization before you even write your first piece of content. I wasted too much time early on writing clever pieces of content that no one was ever going to find on Google.

[14] What are three other blogs that inspire you?

I’m very fond of Ottsworld. Sherry Ott is a very genuine person and a gifted storyteller. I like Roads and Kingdoms for their in-depth essays. I’ve learned a lot from my IRL friend over at A Passion and a Passport.

[14] Your favorite travel resource on the web?

I use the ITA Matrix to search for fare deals. It’s a no-frills interface that functions sort of like Google flights. You can search destinations and nearby airports to see fares on a monthly calendar. Sometimes moving your airline reservation just way day can save a lot of money.

Carol's Lightning Round of Favorites

Airport: Singapore
Mode of Transportation: Trains
Window or aisle: Aisle
City: London
Country: USA
Travel Gear: Briggs & Riley rollaboard
Travel snack: Pretzels
Book: The yearly Best American Travel writing collection
Movie: Star Wars
Song: Glitter in the Air
Quote: “My favorite thing is to where I have never been”, Diane Arbus

Thanks, Carol!

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

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