What do you love about travelling?
I have a real passion for discovering new places, cultures and languages, and finding adventure wherever I can. That's why I love to travel, whether that means exploring incredible landscapes on the other side of the world, or revisiting old favourites around my local area.
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to see different countries and parts of the world. But travelling first became a passion for me when I was around 14. It was at this time that I went on an amazing holiday to Canada with my family, which was the first time I ever left Europe. This was also when I started to really get serious about learning French, in preparation for my GCSE. These experiences made me realise how fun it was to get to know different countries and learn foreign languages, and since then I've been eager to learn as much as I can about the world. It's my dream to learn as many languages as possible and visit as many countries as I can in my lifetime!
Why did you start travel blogging?
I first started travel blogging during my Year Abroad, when I was studying for my degree in Modern Language Studies. It's quite common for students to write a blog during their Year Abroad, and I thought it looked like a fun way of documenting the year, so I decided to give it a go. It actually took me a little while to get into it, but by the end of the year, I absolutely loved it. That led me to start my current travel blog, Charlotte's Travel Adventures, and I don't plan on stopping blogging any time soon. I really enjoy documenting my travels and sharing travel tips here - it's something that allows me to combine my loves of travelling, writing and photography. And I don't care if my blog never "takes off", because I don't do it for money; I do it for fun!
How many countries and continents have you been to?
So far I've been to 25 or 26 sovereign states, including my home country, the UK. The reason for the confusion over the number is because I once crossed over the border from Canada to the United States in a boat, but never officially stepped on U.S. land. However, given that the boat ride was a trip around the Niagara Falls - one of the country's most famous tourist attractions - I think it probably should count!
What is your most visited country?
The first foreign country I ever visited was France, and it remains my most visited country. I've been there 13 times (17 times if you include airport transfers and times I passed through by train)! However, the foreign country I've spent the most time in overall is Chile.
What's your favourite country to travel to?
It has to be Chile. Maybe that's partly for sentimental reasons, as my boyfriend is from there, and I also used to live there and will be moving back this year. But it's undeniably an incredible country: its landscapes range from the dry lunar landscapes of the Atacama Desert in the north, the green valleys of the centre, and the lakes, glaciers and forests of the south. And all this is located between the wide blue Pacific Ocean in the west and the imposing Andes mountains in the east. I can't wait to go back there!
What's your least favourite country to travel to?
It feels harsh to pick a least favourite country, as there's been at least one thing I've liked in every country I've been to. However, my trip to Berlin, Germany in 2016 didn't leave a great impression on me. I had a couple of unpleasant experiences there, and the city just wasn't very attractive compared to other European cities. I also encountered several rude people when I went to Budapest, Hungary with my family when I was 12, which lowered my opinion of what was admittedly a very beautiful city. And I can't say I found Prague, Czechia particularly exciting, but that was probably because I was 10 years old at the time and too young to enjoy that kind of holiday. I'd be happy to revisit all of those countries in the future and see if my opinion changes!
What's the best trip you've ever been on?
My family holiday in Canada is definitely up there. We visited Toronto, Montréal and the Niagara Falls, and it was an amazing fortnight.
Other places I've really loved visiting include the Atacama Desert and the south of Chile.
What's the worst trip you've ever been on?
Along with the ones to Berlin and Budapest mentioned above, I would say my weekend in Mendoza, Argentina during my Year Abroad was one of my least favourite trips. A few things went wrong during the trip, but I think it all felt a lot worse than it actually was, because I was going through a relationship breakdown at the time. Fortunately, I had the chance to go back to Argentina last year to visit Buenos Aires, and had an great time. So my memories of the country are much more positive now!
What's been your craziest travel experience?
Probably climbing Cerro Manquehue with a group of students from my university when I was living in Santiago, Chile. This was an experience which lasted several hours, and which involved me grabbing a cactus, falling on a pointy rock, and getting very lost as night was falling. Still very glad I did it though!
Which destination would you love to revisit?
What are your favourite kinds of destinations to visit?
I have a real love of the sea and swimming, so beaches are my favourite places to visit, especially in warm countries. But I also love exploring cities, castles and places of natural beauty. So basically, I like all kinds of destinations!
What do you always take with you on a trip?
This is perhaps a little odd, but I have a tatty old cuddly guinea pig toy, who I've always taken on holidays with me since I was about 5 or 6. He's like a sort of lucky charm!
What's your favourite mode of transport?
I really enjoy travelling long distances by train, especially within the European continent. It's less stressful and more environmentally friendly than catching a plane, and you get to see some beautiful landscapes as you travel.
Who do you like to travel with?
Over the years, I've travelled solo, with family, with friends, and even with groups of strangers. But what I like best is travelling with Claudio. Like me, he loves exploring new places, so we always have a great time travelling together.
Have you ever lived abroad?
Yes, I have. During my Year Abroad, I lived in Feldkirchen in Kärnten, Austria for a semester, and in Santiago, Chile for another semester. I also spent extended periods of time in both the north and south of France. While challenging at times, living abroad is a really rewarding experience and is something I would recommend to anyone.
What's the furthest place from home you've ever travelled to?
That would be Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve in the south of Chile.
What destination surprised you the most?
I would say Udine, Italy has been the destination that's surprised me the most so far. I'd never heard of it before moving to Austria, but decided to visit because it was just a couple of hours away from Feldkirchen by train. I ended up being really impressed by the city - its architecture is so beautiful, and it has plenty of cultural attractions to visit.
Which destination would you most like to visit in your own country?
At the top of the list would be Edinburgh in Scotland, but I would also really like to visit Portmeirion and Snowdonia National Park in Wales. As for England, I think I'd most like to visit St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall.
What are your dream destinations?
I previously wrote a post about my dream travel destinations, and I'd have to say Australia would be at the top of my list - it looks like an amazing country to explore. I also have a bucket list goal to visit every country in Europe and to visit all 6 inhabitable continents.
What are your travel plans for this year?
Day trips will be allowed again from April 12th (less than a month away!) and I'm looking forward to discovering a few more local places after that date. I'm also going to have to go up to London twice in the near future for visa-related reasons, so I've been looking up outdoor areas to explore around the city. My list is already pretty big, but I'll try to see as many as I can!
After that, I'll be (finally!) moving out and starting my job in Chile. Hopefully travel will have somewhat returned to normal by then, as I can't wait to discover more places around the country, as well as the rest of South America. Claudio and I have been discussing some exciting travel plans, which I really hope we can make a reality. Watch this space...
Image by Leah Kelley from pexels.com
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