The world according to northerngirl
Mountain/Desert/Ocean/Jungle... which one are you?
Hard one. I love to be beside the coast, and didn't enjoy living in a very landllocked place. I love mountains too.
What was your first great travel experience?
My first taste of independent travel. I worked on a summer camp in 1997 in Oklahoma, then travelled across the USA by Greyhound to Atlanta and New York City, travelling alone, on a budget. It was a budget trip but an experience I will always remember very fondly. I have been crazy about travel ever since.
What has been your favourite journey?
The California coast by train.
What are your Top 5 places worldwide?
San Francisco
Iona
Barcelona
Amsterdam
Mumbai
Recommend a special place to stay
Iona Hostel, Scotland. Thousands of daytrippers visit the island everyday. Most only visit the abbey. There is very limited accommodation on the isalnd, but it is well worth it. At night, few people are around. The candlelit service at the abbey was very moving and we watched shooting stars. The hostel is at the north end of the island. It is small, with only 18 beds, very friendly and very communal. This is not a place if you want privacy and honeymooners might find it too communal, but if you want to meet like minded people and really enjoy the island like it should be (after 4pm and before around 10am), I cannot recommend this place highly enough. The hostel is beside a lovely white sand beach, which I had all to mysellf.
Which three items do you always pack?
A few elastic bands - infinite uses. Keeping opened snacks from spilling, securing bags with wet stuff inside, keeping stuff together, bundling up clothing into a smaller ball etc.
Plastic bags - not to be dumped easily as rubbish, but they have so many uses
Notebook, pens and gluestick. I say pens in the plural sense, as I lose them at a faster rate than I buy them, and never have enough.
Which passport stamp are you proudest of?
India
Which passport stamp would you most like to have?
One of the harder Middle Easten stampls like Iran or Saudi Arabia
Where or what is your guilty travel pleasure?
Food. Lots of different things and trying out, including the sweet stuff!