Greetings from Helsinki! I'm in Europe's hipster capital with Henry taking up where I left off with my 2015 resolution to travel to a new country each month. Today I ask: 'What's Your Travel Personality?' - a most timely query posed by this month's travel linkup (hosted by Luxy of Lux Life Blog).
◈ I'm an Idealist: Spontaneous + Introverted + Ideas + Heart ◈
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| Chopping waves in a speedboat across the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. |
Spontaneous
When it comes to travel, I do my research - I learn some basic phrases in the local language, I check if the city I'm travelling to has Uber, I plan an itinerary according to day and area, and I save Google Maps to use offline. Whether or not I actually follow these well-meant plans is another story...trying to get me to stick to a plan is like herding cats. Some would call that flaky, I prefer the word 'flexible'. I did just that with Riga, Rome, Lisbon and quite possibly will do so in Helsinki. The beauty of being spontaneous is having arms wide open to receive whatever delightful unexpected surprise that could be just around the corner; In Riga, it was dashing through the snow on a 6-dog husky sled. I beat the summer heat in Lisbon by cancelling my city walking tour, instead buggering off to a nudist beach. Luxy planned our entire Cuba trip (Powerpoint presentation and all). Clearly I've enjoyed my discovery that I'll never be a true Type A personality as I've left my Summer trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg in the capable hands of organisers - private tours with translators, and guides? Yes please!
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| Scaling the 272 steps up to Batu Caves, Malaysia - the limestone cave site of Hindu worship. |
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| The perils of travelling solo - who's going to take my 'outfit of the day' photos? |
Introverted
I crave, no, I need alone time. For someone so chatty and who loves a good event be it society galas, or a fashion week party, I really treasure and fiercely guard my 'me time'. I fly solo between London to Kuala Lumpur (and vice versa) at least twice a year. The 13-hour solitude is my idea of heaven - all that champagne and endless snacking; catching up on reading and movies, stretching out then curling up for naps. I traveled alone to Montenegro and spent most of Bangkok in February all on my own - it was bliss. Not that I'm a weird, muttering antisocial sort (fine, maybe just a little) - it's just that being able to enjoy one's own company and do whatever you damn well please is such a precious commodity and luxury these days!
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| Enjoying the landscape and mysticism of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. |
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| Husky business with the sled dogs in Riga, Latvia. |
Ideas
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| Into the blue at my gorgeous, luxurious villa at The Taaras, Redang Island, Malaysia. |
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| Giving (and leaving behind) my heart to Cayo Largo Del Sur, Cuba. |
Heart
I'm a die-hard romantic and idealist - I'll travel across the world because I've fallen in love with an idea. Take my love affair with ancient Peru - my desire to visit Machu Picchu has never been greater now that I've dined at Lima Floral in London, after watching Emperors New Groove, and Horrible Histories jolly music video about fearsome Incan lord Pachacuti 'Do The Pachachuti' (damn tune is stuck in my head: I drink from their skull! Do the Pachacuti! Pull out their teeth whole! Do the Pachacuti!). Ahem. More than just seriously disturbing music, my travel inspiration is born from serious wanderlust - I never feel happier when I'm travelling, and I ironically I feel most 'at home' when I'm away from London - whether it's just back home in Malaysia (with friends in Kuala Lumpur or orangutan-watching in Borneo) or on the other side of the world in Cuba with no internet and phone connection to the rest of the world.
Now you know that I'm an Idealistic Wanderluster through and through (should I get that as a tattoo?). What's YOUR travel personality? Are you introverted or extroverted? Planner or Spontaneous? Heart or Head? Facts or Ideas? Take this BBC personality test and think about how you like to travel, then tell me! x
*Thank you Luxy for tagging me in this travel linkup and Angie for bringing the personality test to my attention!
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I like your idea of planning everything and saving maps, but dropping it all if something better comes along! I also love your holiday style - so beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteAhhh...! I'm so glad you wrote a post too! It's such an interesting way to find out more about someone and I literally would have never guessed that you're an introvert.
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Angie
SilverSpoon London
I'm impressed that you're going to be travelling to a new country every month. I also went to Romania and made sure to see Drac's castle!
ReplyDeleteSuze | LuxuryColumnist
Yay!! So glad you participated! Love this post, and such a good idea to save maps offline - I always spend SO much money on roaming charges!
ReplyDeleteC x | Lux Life
This post was really inspiring, love reading your personal thoughts on travel.
ReplyDeleteHanh x | hanhabelle
AMAZING POST! http://alovelystyle.blogspot.co.uk/
ReplyDeleteI like your travel personality! I wish I was more of the introvert you describe! I find it hard to travel alone. Recently, I was in El Paso, TX, all by myself and didn't really know what to do with myself. I am working on it though. I do fantasize about just going off on my own. It could be the best way to just do what I want and be at my most selfish and self-indulging! Check out my travel personality: http://www.lifeismyoyster.com/my-travel-personality/
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what kind of traveler I am, perhaps the "getaway" kind. lol Great post!
ReplyDeleteI blog here:
www.lovelifepearls.com
www.lovelifepearls.com
"Idealistic Wanderluster " has to be the best kind ever...!
ReplyDeleteFabulous post. The alone time in travel is so key for me as I mainly use it to reflect and rejig my life. xx
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way! Alone time, especially when travelling solo is my 'reflection time' - I call it 'restore to factory settings', haha! x
ReplyDeleteIt's my favourite kind! ;) x
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't love a good getaway? I'm having post-holiday blues already :( x
ReplyDeleteThank you! x
ReplyDeleteThank you Hanh! x
ReplyDeleteTell me about roaming charges! The only time it's hilarious is when I'm in Rome - you know, Rome-ing charges... x
ReplyDeleteI hope I can keep it up, Suze! So glad you visited Bran castle in Romania! x
ReplyDeleteAngie, a lot of people (myself included) think I'm an extrovert - it's amazing how travelling can make one realise who you really are! x
ReplyDeleteThank you, Frankie! x
ReplyDeleteSarah, I really recommend travelling alone, even if it seems daunting. it's one of the most rewarding things you can do! And I wouldn't use the word selfish - self love sounds so much better ;) x
ReplyDeleteLove this! I often travel alone too... apparently this isn't quite as common as I seem to think it is!
ReplyDelete