I recently had the opportunity to meet a really awesome person, Anya, who shares a lot of the same passion for travel and exploration that I do, and I’m very excited to announce that she will be contributing articles to the blog on occasion! Here’s a little bit about Anya, and look out for her first article later today!
My name is Anya, and I am a travel junkie…
Even before I could remember, I spent a lot of time on airplanes as a toddler. My grandparents lived in a different city only an hour away by plane, and my grandfather loved spending time with his only granddaughter, so he would come to visit often. Because flight tickets within the Soviet Union, which is where I was born, were super cheap in the ’80s, he would sometimes whisk me away for weeks at a time, and my parents would pick me up later. Although he died from cancer when I was 5, my grandfather is the reason I love being in airplanes so much.
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In 2005, I went to an all-inclusive in Mexico for a week, and I was hooked! In 2007, I spent five weeks in Spain studying abroad and living with a host family. In 2012, I spent a month backpacking through Central America, and I’ve been putting dents on the bucket list ever since with more than 30 countries on that list now. However, having a full-time job makes juggling trips and responsibilities a bit more challenging.
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Traveling offers so much knowledge one cannot find without opening up to new experiences, and I love that high you get when that happens. I also enjoy connecting with travelers like me for tips on new destinations, foods to eat and activities to try.
So far, my top-three countries I’ve visited are Spain, New Zealand and Iceland. A few places on a dream list of far-flung destinations include Bora Bora, Galápagos Islands and Morocco.
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I hope you enjoy reading about Anya’s travels as much as I do! If you are interested in contributing on a one-time or ongoing basis, please don’t hesitate to contact me at caroline [dot] lupini [at] gmail [dot] com.