1. What is at the top of your bucket life list?
It might sound cliché, but it must be the Maldives. And then the Four Seasons as resort. Because if you are going there anyway, you would want to enjoy one of the beautiful houses on the water and all the luxury that comes with it. It just seems fantastic to me, to walk around in a landscape that you, until now, only knew from pictures. Just that sea alone, so blue that I keep thinking, that can’t be real.
Next to that I’d love to travel the world with a ticket around the world. In my mind I know exactly what tour around the world I want to make and Bora Bora of course has to be on that list. I just have a thing for tropical islands 😉
Every time again, when I walk across a snow white beach and look over the azure blue sea I’m astonished by what wonderful places the earth created. I almost feel I have the duty to visit all those beautiful places on earth. That’s why my motto is you only live once.
2. How many countries and cities have u seen and which ones?
More than 35 countries so far. As a child I’ve always travelled a lot with my dad who had an international job. For example I’ve seen almost all of Europe and I’ve travelled to America a lot. Only later on in life I went abroad for a longer period of time myself. I’ve lived 9 months in Toronto in Canada for example, and for my graduation thesis I’ve lived in Malaysia for 4 months. That time was amazing and since then I’ve been really interested in Asia.
My first job after graduation was for TUI, where I was the product manager for two country guides: Spain, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. A few years later I’ve even fulfilled my childhood dream by flying as a stewardess for ArkeFly. A beautiful time in which I’ve made many beautiful travels. Since then I’ve become a big fan of the Caribbean, but also Mexico and the ABC islands are part of my favorites.
3. What was your least favourite country or city?
Luckily, I only have beautiful memories of my travels and I must admit that I do read up a lot before I go to a country and know what I can expect. Last summer my boyfriend and I made a trip through Myanmar, previously known as Burma. This country is so undiscovered that even just the trip there is special. The inland is really beautiful and you sometimes feel like you’re in a different world. Especially the temple valley of Bagan was very special.
Our stop on the journey was the capital Yangon. That’s when I had to adjust to the bustle of an overcrowded city. To be honest it hit me a little bit and I couldn’t appreciate the primal side of it anymore all of a sudden. It was just too busy. We then travelled out of the country sooner than planned, but looking back, we maybe should’ve started with the capital then the other way around 😉
4. What was the strangest thing you ever experienced?
I had to think about this question for a while, but I can remember the time I lived in Kuala Lumpur with a friend of mine. We were invited to a lunch in a very chic hotel. I remember we walked to the toilets, but what we saw then really blew us away.
The toilet started to move and very slowly with a buzzing noise, a little hose came from under the toilet seat. We just stood on top of it, amazed, because we didn’t realize what it was. Until the hose started to squirt water! We were just in time to jump away 😉 Never ever have we laughed so hard about something so weird. Every culture has its own habits, but the other times we paid close attention before we walked in somewhere 🙂
5. What was the highlight of your life until now?
I believe every phase of your life has a highlight. Every time I just amaze myself about how I grow as a person. Sometimes things happen when you least expect them. I had the idea to start StylishTravelTips.com a long time before I started. I think I even registered the domain name 2 years before, but it just didn’t happen.
Until last year I was travelling with my boyfriend through Thailand. Then I immediately followed my dreams by starting to blog. Since then our live chance so much. We go to the most beautiful hotels, eat in the most fancy restaurants and I meet so many fun and inspiring people. For the first time in my life I have the feeling I am following my passion. The trip there is a highlight itself and I try to enjoy it every time again.
6. If you never had to work again, what would you do with your life?
That question isn’t that hard. I’d preferably combine working and traveling full-time. How awesome would it be to be travelling all the time and getting to visit all the most beautiful spots on earth? Many people dream to enjoy more later. I try to do that now and arrange my life differently. It’s fantastic to make your hobby your job, right? I can recommend that to everyone.
7. What is your life goal (or goals)?
Following your heart! It sounds really easy, but it’s pretty difficult, because your mind always has an answer that follows ‘yeah, but…’. Every day I see how difficult it is for people around me to do something that really makes them happy. Furthermore I think it’s important to discover the word, even if it’s just to get to know other people and cultures. You get a different view of the world and start to appreciate the little things more.
8.What are your passions and/or hobby’s and why?
Haha, you can guess that of course, because it’s travelling!
9. Why do you love traveling?
As a little girl I had a big map hanging in my room. My dad had an international job and had already seen just about half the world. I was always fascinated by other countries and places. At school I was always great at geography. Since then that map is like a magnet to me. The funny thing is that when friends go on holiday they always check with me if it’s a nice destination. I think that because of my touristic background I have a lot of knowledge and as the saying goes I am ‘always hungry for more’.
10. What is your favourite quote (or quotes)?
Gee, there’s a couple. Carpe Diem is probably written for me. Why? Because you live now! Enjoy now, make plans for now and don’t leave anything for later, because it might be too late. Only then you can follow your passion. Live like you have nothing to lose.
Other than that the quote ‘Travel is the only thing you but that makes you richer’ means a lot to me. You might not believe it, but I don’t like shopping. Contrary to that, I do have eye for detail and I like pretty things. Happiness is in enjoying. And you don’t have to possess everything for that 😉 I do think it’s important to invest in my website and everything that comes with it. I would do anything to be able to travel, because it literally enriches me.
11. What is your best life lesson learnt until now?
That not everything is about you, but you do it together. That concretely means to me that I am always thankful for the things that make me so happy and that I think others deserve that happiness as well. Being complimentary. I find it beautiful to see that you can motivate others. Positivity and to have faith are my keywords. If you are enthusiastic and positive then you get so much in return. And if you have faith in the things you do, everything will fall into place. And that is the moment when you know you can fulfil your dreams. I hope that the people who read this may follow their hearts and help other people in doing so.
That’s why I think it’s awesome I got this award! I want to thank Naomi from AuthenticChica for this nomination.