Traveller Profile - Raquel from 'Meals and Mile Markers'

Our traveller profile for the month of July is Raquel. Read on to be inspired to travel more…

I am Raquel, from Meals and Mile Markers. I am a travelling foodie who loves to share my experiences and recipes with the rest of the world. I teach ESL online, which allows me the flexibility to travel whenever the opportunity arises! While I have only been to 5 countries, I have been to three of them, along with 29 states and one US territory, in the past 3 1/2 years! My husband and I love to travel and share our tips so that other people with full-time jobs, such as his, can make the most of their time. Our last several trips have been in the Northeastern USA and our next major trip will be a road trip from Pennsylvania to California! To find out more, visit us at mealsandmilemarkers.com

1. Why do you travel?

I love to try new things! I also like to learn. Travelling is a great way to do both of those things at once. Since no two corners of this world are the same, the possibilities are endless! I also love that you can visit the same city multiple times, finding something new on each visit.

2. Tell us your favourite: a place to visit, mode of transport and source to get travel info.

My favourite place to visit is definitely Canada. I have not seen a less-than-stunning part of the country yet and I always meet interesting people!
Our transportation is always different. I think I prefer a car because of comfort and convenience. However, we like to do our road trips on the motorcycle and I definitely prefer the aeroplane when we're travelling far! When I'm in a city, I love to map out a walking or biking route.
I mostly use Google. I look at user reviews as well as local tourism board websites to find out as much as I can! And, of course, I peruse Pinterest to see what other like-minded bloggers have to say about a certain destination!

3. What is your favourite travel memory?

​This is a hard question! I think I'll have to go with a camping road trip through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Ontario. In Michigan, the temperature wasn't too cold, but we had storms. In Ontario, the weather was lovely, but it got down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the evenings. We survived a few crazy nights in a tent, and then felt as though we could take on anything that came our way!

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

Talk to the locals! While it's great to visit a country and simply see the sights, you won't learn as much about the culture by seeing their biggest attraction as you would by talking to someone who actually lives there. Many of them love to share their personal stories as well as learn about yours! While you may feel that everyone you see is "exotic and foreign," chances are they feel the same way about you!

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

My husband. Mostly because if I doze off and start drooling on the person next to me, I'd rather it be someone who loves me no matter what!

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

Go in the off-season! Just last weekend, I was able to stay at a B&B for nearly half of what I would've spent in the summer. Also, don't eat out 3 meals a day. Save leftovers or share your meal with a travel partner. You'll find that you don't need to eat that much food and you'll see a decrease in spending, as well!

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

Talk about my latest trip to anyone who wants to hear! I also look at my photos and share the best ones. And make notes of what to do differently the next time I go to that particular destination (or figure out which destination makes the most sense as my next vacation).

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

Eat the regional food. Whether it's a local favourite or a regional chain, as long as I eat something that I can't get at home, I feel as though I've had a quality experience!

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

While travelling, I don't necessarily do anything special to minimize my footprint. However, I make many eco-conscious decisions daily that I continue to make during my travels. For instance, carrying a reusable water bottle means that I never need to use a plastic cup at a restaurant. Using my own toiletries means that I can use sustainable products rather than the sample bottles that hotels supply. There's truly a zero-waste option for every purchase you regularly make!

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

North America - Prince Edward Island, Canada. Although this is a province, it's a small province so you could easily see the whole island in a day or two! It's a beautiful area rich in culture and history.

South America - Rio, Brazil. I have many friends from different parts of South America and from what I have learned from them, Rio is probably the best way to see as much of the culture as possible in such a small time. Although, I would love to see the many farms across the continent.

Europe - Greece. Greece has so much history and beauty that it has to be my choice for Europe. Since I haven't been, I don't think I can choose a city, although I'm leaning towards Thessaloniki.

Africa - Ghana. I honestly haven't given travel to Africa much thought other than that I want to go there eventually. However, the country I keep coming back to in my mind is Ghana. I've met several people who have lived or worked there so it seems more familiar to me than any other country in that area!

Asia - Shanghai, China. I love China (and everything about it!), but Shanghai is the city where most of my Chinese friends live. Fortunately, it is one of the bigger cities and great for travellers who may not be the most comfortable in their Chinese speaking skills.

Oceania - Christchurch, New Zealand. The oldest city on a beautiful island is a great place to get a feel for the history of these islands!

Thanks Raquel. I am loving your world trip itinerary. How incredible that would be!

To read past traveller profiles; 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…