Travellers’ Tales – Meet Catalina from Miss Adventures Abroad

I created the “Travellers’ Tales” section to give my readers and other travellers an opportunity to talk about their travels. Today I would like to introduce you to Catalina, a travel blogger based in Chicago, USA. Visit her blog at "Miss Adventures Abroad " .

I would love to hear about your travels too. Go to “Travellers’ Tales” , fill in the quick questionnaire and email it to me with your blog links.

Read about Catalina’s travels here,

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hello! I’m Catalina, the blogger behind "Miss Adventures Abroad ". I’m from the United States, but packed up my bags and moved to Italy to work for a student travel company after I graduated from college. There, “Miss Adventures Abroad ” was born, and I haven’t stopped blogging (or traveling) since! During my time in Italy I was able to travel to over 10 different countries (for free) as well as do a bit of travel independently. Thus far, I have visited over 20 countries, and I’ve stepped foot on 6 continents!

2. What is your earliest travel memory?

My earliest travel memory has to be from 2nd grade, where my family and I spent a month traveling through Chile. I don’t remember much from my childhood, but I vividly remember so much of this trip, from hiking and swimming in hot springs to horseback riding in Patagonia. I was lucky enough to return in high school and fell in love with Chile all over again.

In Croatia

 3. Where was your last holiday?

I last visited Jamaica on a family vacation! We stayed at an all-inclusive resort, and I had an excellent time escaping the snow in Chicago, which is where I am currently based.

4. What was the best thing you did there?

Some of my Jamaica trip highlights included climbing the Dunn’s River Falls, swimming in The Blue Hole, and relaxing on the beach. If I had more time I would have loved to visit Rick’s Café and go cliff jumping or check out the Bob Marley House!

5. What was your best holiday ever? Why?

This one is so tough! I recently returned home from an epic adventure through Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. I visited so many amazing places in each of these countries and it was the longest trip I have ever been on. I really enjoyed being able to slow travel for months as opposed to a few days or a week.

6. What is your favourite travel destination?

I’d have to say that my favorite travel destination (at least for now) is Italy. Italy will always hold a special place in my heart as I had such an amazing time living there and was able to explore so much of the country. I also speak some Italian, and absolutely love Italian food, which makes traveling there that much better! I’m also a history lover, and it doesn’t get much more historic than Italy!

In Florence

7. What must one do there?

One of the best things about Italy is that there is so much to see! Florence, Rome, Cinque Terre, Pompeii, and The Amalfi Coast are some of my favorites. I even wrote a Two-Week Italy Itinerary which includes all of my favorite Italy highlights! If I had to pick just one place to go, I’d say Florence, but I’m biased because I both lived and studied in the city!

8. Who is your favourite travel companion/s?

I love traveling with anyone who is easy going and has a good sense of adventure! I also need a travel companion that doesn’t mind me taking a million photos for my blog! I tend to plan pretty jam-packed itineraries, so it is nice to travel with someone who has a more relaxed approach and reminds me to take it easy from time to time.

9. Name one item you must have when travelling.

My camera! I love taking photos and recording my travels. It would also be pretty hard to run my blog without it, as one of my favorite parts of blogging is sharing my photos!

10. Your best travel advice?

Research. Research. Research. I love researching my trips and find that the more research I do, the more smoothly my trips go. While it is fun to be surprised from time to time, and I don’t think you need to have every minute of your trip planned and scheduled, a little research goes a long way in helping you plan a trip, stick to a budget, and avoid missing anything you simply must see.

Miss Adventures Abroad

11. The one place you want to visit before you die?

Right now I am dreaming of going to Iceland. Seriously, every day I think about visiting at least once! I’d book a trip tomorrow if I could, but I’m really looking to go for more than a week, so I’m taking my time and waiting for the right moment. I also really would like to backpack through SE Asia at some point!

12. How can people connect with you?

Blog: www.missadventuresabroad.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missadventuresabroad
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missadventuresabroad
Twitter: http://twitter.com/_missadventures

At the Spring Fest

Thank you, Catalina , for sharing your fascinating travels with us!

I would love to hear about your travels too. Go to “Travellers’ Tales”, fill in the quick questionnaire and email it to me with your blog links.

Who will I feature next? I’ve got an exciting line-up ahead. Make sure you subscribe to the free newsletter so you don’t miss out on some exciting travel tales.

Sara Essop

Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 49 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.