People WHo Travel: Craig from san diego, ca

1) Number of countries visited:

26

2) Language(s) Spoken and/or want to learn:

I speak French (poorly), and low-level Spanish. I really want to learn Bahasa Indonesia!

3) Age and First International trip you took:

I’m from San Diego so I started traveling to Mexico when I was young, but my first “real” international trip was a family trip to England and Ireland when I was 16.

4)Favorite airline:

my most favorite flight experience I’ve had was with Etihad

5) Your Go-To In-flight Apparel:

t-shirt, sweatshirt, and track pants

6) Things/Gadgets you can’t travel without:

my iPhone, a tablet for my son, external chargers

7) Favorite country and why:

I love Mexico! I love trying local food wherever I go and I think that Mexico has the best regional cuisines

8) WTF moment:

hiking Komodo island in Indonesia. Our group saw about 15 Komodo dragons kill and eat a deer. The was the most awesome, horrifying, and surreal thing I’ve ever seen.

9) Favorite city and why:

Paris because…it’s Paris

10) Most embarassing moment:

I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Bénin, West Africa and the first day I moved to my assigned post, I was in town picking up my furniture. My moto taxi gunned it and I fell off the back right in the middle of the street and in front of the market. I barely spoke French or local language and then my moto taxi got lost and I had no idea where my house was! I thought I was going to be stuck in rural West Africa for the rest of my life.

11) Favorite cuisine:

Mexican

12) Hotel, Hostel, or AirBnb?

Actually, my wife and I couch surfed through SE Asia and had THE BEST TIME EVER

13) Most memorable travel experience:

the first time I went to Paris, I stepped out of Gare du Nord for the first time and I thought I was on a movie set. I instantly fell in love with the city.

14) Most challenging travel experience:

traveling from Mt Bromo to Gili Air. It took over 24 hours and we took a bus, taxi, ferry, taxi, and local boat to get there!

15) Best travel activity:

hiking, scuba diving, eating local food and drinking local drink

16)Favorite travel souvenir:

I like buying my twin brother bottle openers from places we go but wherever there’s decent coffee I try to bring a few pounds back

17) Future travel plans:

Haiti, maybe? 😉

18) Bucket list:

I’d like to visit more of the developing world while I’m still young, and save Western Europe for when I’m older and need more comfort

19)Your travel influencer(s) and why:

Mick Salas, of course!

20) Favorite travel quote:

“You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so…get on your way!” -Dr. Seuss, “Oh The Places You’ll Go!”

Go check out Craig and Heather’s blog as they prepare their big move to Haiti!

Dispatches From Dad