I created the “Travellers’ Tales” section to give other travellers an opportunity to talk about their travels on my blog. Today I would like to introduce you to Wendy, a travel blogger based in Lisbon, Portugal . She blogs at The Nomadic Vegan .
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.
I was born in Mobile, Alabama in the south of the US, where I spent all my childhood and teenage years. In 1999, I left the States on what I thought would be a six-month stint working at Disneyland Paris in France. That was more than 20 years ago, and since then I’ve lived in lots of different countries and visited more than 100, and I have no plans to go back to the US. My husband Nick and I are currently based in Lisbon, Portugal. We lead a semi-nomadic life, staying in Portugal about half the year and traveling the other half.
Leaving with my parents at the crack of dawn to drive to Disney World in Florida. My family was not too adventurous when it came to travel, so we always went to one of three places: Disney World, Six Flags Over Georgia (an amusement park), and a nearby beach resort called Gulf Shores. My first international trip was to Mexico City with my high school Spanish teacher when I was 16, and that really whet my appetite for exploring the world.
Nick and I just finished a five-month trip across Asia. We started in St. Petersburg, Russia, traveled across Russia on the Trans-Mongolian Railway, and then continued to Mongolia, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
We had so many amazing experiences, it’s hard to choose just one! Moscow was one place that really surprised me, and was probably my favorite city on the trip. I expected a drab, gray, unfriendly city, but the reality was very different. People were friendly, the architecture was beautiful, and there was so much to see and do. I’d love to go back and spend a month or two exploring the city.
Another hard question! The first big trip that Nick and I took together was from Cairo, Egypt to Istanbul, Turkey overland by public transport in 2003. We found the Middle East to be very welcoming and saw so many incredible historical sights. Syria in particular really amazed us, but sadly some of our favorite sights there have since been damaged in the ongoing civil war.
Nick and I first met in Rome, Italy, where we worked as tour guides, and it has always been a very special place for us. We returned to get married there years later, and we try to go back as often as we can. I’m actually typing this on an Italian train, traveling from Rome to Florence. Italy is my favorite country in the world, and with so many beautiful towns and villages you could easily make dozens of trips here and see something new each time.
Eat! It’s no secret that Italy has one of the best cuisines in the world, although it’s largely misrepresented in other countries. Italian cuisine is incredibly diverse, and each of the 20 regions has its own local specialty dishes. There’s a lot more to it than pizza and pasta! Authentic Italian food is also much more vegan-friendly than most people realize, especially in the south of the country.
Now that’s an easy question. My husband Nick! We have similar interests and have traveled together so much that it’s like second nature to us. I do also enjoy traveling on my own, though.
My Buff. I use it in various ways (headband, neck warmer, etc.), but the one thing I really need it for is to use as an eye mask when I’m sleeping. I need to be in complete darkness to fall asleep, which is not always possible in hotel rooms, much less when sleeping on trains, buses or planes.
Lots of people dream of traveling but never do it. If you have a dream, do whatever you have to do to make it happen. If you are open to opportunities, you’ll be surprised at how many of them come your way. When I left my home country 20 years ago, I had no idea how I could create a life of travel for myself, and yet here I am!
It’s a bit complicated with a US passport, which is why I haven’t been yet. But it’s been on my list for years, and now that I’ve become online friends with a vegan tour guide in Iran I’m really hoping I’ll be able to collaborate with him soon. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about the history, architecture and cuisine of Iran and the hospitality of its people.
You can connect with me through my travel blog, The Nomadic Vegan, where I share the vegan delicacies I discover across the globe and show how easy vegan travel can be. I’m also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Thank you, Wendy , for sharing your fascinating adventures 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 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 50 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.