This month we are featuring Katelyn, a young enthusiastic blogger who has been writing on all things travel, beauty, fashion and food-related since January this year. Let’s meet Katelyn…

Hi, my name is Katelyn, and I’m a 21-year-old teaching assistant at my old secondary school. I love my job as I learn new things every day and work with some amazing kids (and see all my old teachers) but my dream job would be writing on my blog and travelling the world at the same time. In my 21 years of being on this planet, I’ve been to nine countries individually – meaning I’m not including any revisits to places I’ve been before, or my list would be a lot longer! My family and I have a travel bug and we go abroad at the very least once a year, and I travel separately with my boyfriend also, so, within a year, it’s normal for me to leave the country around 2-3 times. My dream would be to go somewhere new every month and experience life outside the one I currently live. The world has so much to offer that I can’t experience in my little town in England. I’m obsessed with culture, food, language and I would be disappointed with myself if I didn’t continue to travel and educate myself. I studied anthropology for a short while, which didn’t help my travel bug as I just become obsessed with learning about different cultures and beliefs. Anyway, I write about my experiences on my blog, www.embarktoexplore.com which is where you can find me.

1. Why do you travel?

I think I accidentally said too much in the introduction, but I am so intrigued about what life is like around the world. I love scenery too, so when I travel and find gorgeous buildings or landscape; I have to just take it in and appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship behind it. Then I’ll snap a few photos. I’m also a massive foodie – I eat plant-based so my palette can be a challenge (slowly getting better here in the UK) and I wanna see what the world has to offer for someone like me on a ‘restrictive diet’ so-to-speak. So far, everywhere has been a wonderful surprise as they cater to veganism really well. Cough Disneyland Paris you have some work to do okay? Cough

2. Tell us your favourite: a place to visit, mode of transport and source to get travel info.
Place to visit; Barcelona has my heart. I’ve never felt so happy in a country before. I get chills typing this out, but the way it makes me feel is something I can’t explain. It’s not even about the beach, or the sun, or any of that stuff. It’s the falling asleep to the sounds of locals chatting and clinking their wine glasses at 12 am from below the balcony. It’s the wandering around the streets whilst the sun is setting and being afraid that you might get lost for a while. It’s the sound of authentic music being played acoustically as you take in the breathless views surrounding you. It’s the freedom you feel when no one in the whole countries
knows who you are, and you can do or be anyone you want. And it’s sharing that experience with someone you love that makes it my favourite place. Sorry, that went on a little longer, I got a little carried away.

Mode of transport; There’s something about trains that I find therapeutic and relaxing. Watching the scenes speed by your window is mesmerizing to me and therefore my favourite mode of transport.

Travel Source; I really enjoy watching vlogs on YouTube and reading blogs about places to go, so I would say those two are my favourite sources of information!

3. What is your favourite travel memory?

We’re throwing it back for this one. My favourite travel memory was when I visited Cyprus as a child. I remember walking back late at night to our apartment from an outdoor show, and my mum dared me to jump into the pool. I was one of those kids that was rather shy and boring I guess, but for some reason, I took her up on the dare (must’ve had one too many fruit mocktails!) and jumped in fully clothed. I remember the other guests at the hotel giving me weird glances whilst my mum and brother cried with laughter. This stands out most as it was a completely out of character thing for me to do. My brother is the more outgoing, confident and cocky sibling, so for me to have thought “ok, sure. I’m gonna jump in!” was a moment I realised that sometimes I hold myself back due to not wanting attention or to embarrass myself. I always look back and think that I have to act like my younger self sometimes and be care-free.

4. What's the most important thing you've learned while travelling?

I’ve learnt that travelling is a luxury and I’m so lucky to be able to have visited even nine countries in my lifetime. Not everyone will be able to do what I do simply because they have other priorities in their life, or they just can’t afford it. I’ve also learnt that the planet we live on is beautiful and full of beautiful people and we need to keep it that way for future generations.

5. Who would you love to sit next to on your next flight?

Haha, my boyfriend. We don’t sit together because we don’t wanna pay an extra £20 something – we’re a bit tight like that.

6. What's your best money-saving tip to travel?

I really liked Frank’s answer to this question and my ‘philosophy’ if you will is quite similar. There are ways to reduce the cost of the tickets (saving a price tracker and get notifications for when it increases and decreases), reduce the price of hotels (search around tonnes before booking, use discount/referral codes on websites such as Airbnb) but when it comes to the luxury of travelling as I mentioned before, you are gonna have to spend in order to travel. If you have the money or can save up, then DO IT. You can’t take your money to your grave, but you can take your memories with you.

Plus, the money will come back to you; eventually, your time on this planet won't.

7. How do you deal with the post-holiday blues?

By booking another trip of course! Haha, not really. I usually sit in bed and go through all my photos I took and relive the memories until my next holiday. I feel as though when I write for my blog, I am constantly reliving memories, so it’s a very pleasant thing.

8. What's one thing you like to do in every place you visit?

I like to find a pin representing that city or country. For example, when I went to Krakow, I bought the cutest little pierogi pin from a stall in the mall (which I have sadly LOST AT WORK! IM SO MAD AT MYSELF UGH!), so I guess that means another trip back to Krakow?

9. Travelling can leave a big environmental footprint, how do you minimise yours?

I like to think my plant-based diet helps towards my carbon footprint. I also try to be as ecofriendly as recycle correctly. I’m really not the best one to suggest anything on this but I think if you make a conscious effort to do something, like walking or use public transport instead of taking a car then do so.

10. Plan an around the world trip for us, stopping in one city only on each continent.

FIRST OFF: let's start in Europe. Let's go somewhere I haven’t been to before like… Bratislava, Slovakia! I have had many tell me that this country is gorgeous, and their food is amazing so let's go there!

NEXT: ASIA – ok we have to go to Phuket, Thailand – duh!

THEN: Melbourne, Victoria in Australia – we can say Hi to my family for a bit before we go to Marrakesh, Morocco in Africa. My favourite cuisine is Mediterranean so we kinda have to stop for some authentic falafel, hummus and pitta ok!

A cool blast from Antarctica – let's observe penguins because they’re my favourite animal

ALMOST AT THE END, WE GO TO Guatape, Columbia because I saw ‘TheEndlessAdventure’ stay in cute little white mushrooms and I really need to wake up to that kind of view!

FINALLY, WE END UP IN Banff, Canada where we cry at how beautiful the lakes and mountains are.

Does that sound fun? 

Sounds like so much fun Katelyn. I haven't been to Slovakia yet but its definitely on my list. It was great to read about your realisation about holding yourself back. I find I have to remind myself often to be more kid like and enjoy the moment rather than hold myself back.

Thanks Katelyn. If you would like to read more from Katelyn, make sure to visit her blog at Embark To Explore.

If you would like to read other traveller profiles we have featured, click here.

Each month an enthusiastic traveller will share with us their personal stories from their adventures around the world. If you would like to be featured in the upcoming months, then please drop us a note below…