Welcome to the second Meet the Traveler interview. Today we have Krista from Krista Aoki, a lifestyle & travel blog. I'm so excited to get to know her more so lets move onto the interview.
Blog name/social media accounts
I'm the writer behind the blog: Krista Aoki, a lifestyle & travel blog
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kristaaoki
Instagram: http://instagram.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/
How long have you been blogging?
I started blogging around 2005 or 2006 on Livejournal. Sometime in college I started a personal blog on Wordpress.com. I started KristaAoki.com, a lifestyle & travel blog, at the beginning of this month (February, 2017).
Where are you from?
I am proud to say that I was born and raised on the island of Guam! It is a tiny island (37 miles long) southeast of Japan and east of the Philippines.
Where I am now, in the mountains of Colorado, is very very far, and very very different.
What has been your favorite trip/adventure and why?
My favorite adventure would have to be living in Hawaii for five years. During that time I had the opportunity to explore the islands and open my mind to activities I had not tried before. I jumped off a cliff into a river for the first time. I discovered my love of hiking into the back country of the forests. I had opportunities to work in taro patches and learn about the culture and histories in every area I worked. I only moved away one year ago but I'm always planning my trip back to Hawaii.
What kind of duffel bag/luggage do you use?
I try to travel light! So I typically bring a Roxy duffel bag with me, and my Knomo backpack (it has a laptop holder and plenty of pockets so it's sooo useful!).
If you fly often do you check or carry your luggage on the plane?
I carry my luggage to avoid the check-in costs! Unless I'm flying Southwest - I love that they allow two free checked bags.
Tell me your worst travel experience you’ve had so far, what could you have done differently so that that situation wouldn’t have happened
Oh gosh. I have such a bad relationship with airports. I learned while I was in college, do not check a bag if you are switching airlines at an airport. Oh, and confirm your flight times (I guess). Unless you have an ample amount of time. I'm serious, my flight time got changed in between booking in December (I read the email over and over again), and when I finally flew out in May. So I waited for my bag at the baggage claim area thinking I had time. But the United attendant would not let me in! I thought that was crazy since it was a small airport in Maui, but I suppose they have to abide by certain rules.
In retrospect, it wasn't a huge deal. I stayed the evening in Maui and caught up with a college friend who was gracious enough to show me around the island the next morning until my flight.
To avoid this now, I definitely just choose to carry my luggage most of the time. And I have an account with an airline I'm flying so I can confirm on their website the flight time (instead of having to reference an old and possibly outdated email).
What kind of camera do you most while traveling?
I use my iPhone 6! I love the quality of its photos, although I understand that it cannot do everything a DSLR can. iPhone tip: don't use your selfie camera for professional pictures! The quality is much better when you use the regular-facing camera lens on the iPhone.
If DSLR what lens?
Name 3 places that are currently on your bucket list?
France (I'm excited - I'm going there in May!)
New Zealand
Italy
What’s the next adventure you have planned?
My boyfriend and I are planning to go to France in May. We are so excited! Right now, the plan is to explore Paris for a few days. Then, we are going to rent a car, and explore the country! Alsace, Nice, Burgundy, Champagne, Grenoble. We will also spend a couple of days in Geneva, Switzerland, and drive through Italy to visit the municipality of Monaco! So four countries packed into 11 or 12 days. Not a bad way to spend my first visit to Europe!
What’s the best travel tip or advice you have?
Be open-minded. Last year my boyfriend suggested we visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park here in Colorado. I'll admit it didn't sound that cool to me... sand dunes just aren't glamorous! But we stopped at cute mountain towns on the way there and back; had an amazing time camping with each other; and had a nice hike up the sand dunes! It kind of felt like we were on a Star Wars movie set. So even though I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did, I am so glad we went! Who knows, your next trip, whether you want to go on it or not, may inspire you!
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