Almost every day I am asked interesting questions from all over the world and I thought I would start sharing my responses to them, along with travel related giveaways. I love questions, thus please feel free to ask me anything in the comments or send me a private message if you prefer.
Q51. Wow, to travel to Easter Island must have been amazing? What is the most exotic place you have ever traveled to?
A51. Normally, my answer to this question would be Easter Island, since it is the most remote island in the world (yes, it truly was beyond amazing)! However, since that destination is already mentioned in the question, I would have say to the archipelago of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. I cannot put into words how gorgeous the water is there.
Q52. Hi there! I am going to the Great Barrier reef next year. I have never been scuba diving (but lots of snorkeling). Did you prepare yourself before hand? I have heard many stories about people having a horrible experience diving because their ears hurt and their nose bleed. What are your thoughts? Any tips for my upcoming visit? Thank you!! I love your blog.
A52. I did not prepare myself in any way before diving for the first time. I have been a swimmer my entire life, so I feel incredibly comfortable in the water. Having said that, during the classroom hours of your certification the instructors will teach you in detail about how important it is to dive slowly and to make sure that you are constantly monitoring how you are feeling. You will learn how to descend properly before even getting in the water. Middle ear barotrauma (MEBT), or ear pain, is experienced by 10 – 30% of divers and is due to insufficient equilibration of the middle ear. Unfortunately, sometimes it just cannot be avoided no matter how skilled you are. My best advice is to make sure that you select a scuba school that has an outstanding reputation and pay close attention in your classes!
Q53. What kind of camera do you use? Your photos are simply amazing! I love your pictures.
A53. First, thank you sincerely, I cannot put into words how honored I am by your compliments! Second, my primary camera is a Canon 7D and my primary lens is a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L. I also shoot with a Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 lens.
Q54. What is your proudest travel moment?
A54. Traveling solo throughout Brasil, especially in the Amazon. It was a trip that challenged and changed me in countless ways and I am incredibly proud of myself for doing it alone.
Q55. Andi, what is your favorite wine, champagne, and cocktail?
A55. What an awesome question! Malbec, Baron B, and mojitos.
For this giveaway, I am offering the chance to win a free two week Tep Wireless rental with 150MB/day (cumulative throughout the rental, thus over 2GB of data). The average smartphone user uses around 50MB/day, so it is quite a substantial amount of data. You can find out more information about this awesome product here. Imagine being able to go on your next adventure knowing that you would always be connected to wifi!
Having constant Internet access is great, but traveling internationally presents a real problem for those looking to stay connected while abroad without paying exorbitant roaming fees. Tep Wireless looks to eliminate that problem with their pocket wifi rental. It works like any wireless broadband Internet, however the device is portable and fits in your pocket. Also, you can connect up to 5 wifi enabled devices to the pocket wifi — including smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
The way it works is that Tep sends you your pocket wifi a few days before your trip and you can drop it off at the airport or send it back in a pre-paid return label once you return. Company research has shown that it can save travelers up to 95% on roaming fees. The device itself is a small modem that fits in the palm of your hand. It connects to the largest networks in the world such as Vodafone via the SIM card inside of the device.
I would love to go to Easter Island some day!
Those New Caledonian waters look so inviting … I need a South Pacific break right now!
Your style is so unique! I don’t know if this question has been asked before or not, but can you list 3 ways other than a job to save money for a trip?
love the asking questions idea 🙂 and scared of scuba diving now ha just kidding
You know I could use this on a trip to Italy! 🙂 I was just trying to figure out wayfinding and this provides a great solution!
You sure do get around!
I recently saw the photos of the bodies of the Easter Island heads being unearthed and I was absolutely transfixed! How did we think they were only heads for all these years?! 🙂