Hi everyone! It's nice to be back here with the "In the Limelight" segment. This Valentine's Day, I'd like to introduce to you the "epic" traveler. Her distinct style of writing travel stories plus the humor that goes with it are so compelling and one-of-a-kind. Personally, I admire her remarkable talents in writing and photography making her one of my most favorite and best loved travel storytellers. Her compilation of the February 2012 Pinoy Travel Bloggers' Blog Carnival, Why You Should Date a Traveler, was so amusing, lovely, and heart-warming! Read more and discover some snippets of her travel experiences here.
Name: Lauren "The Epic Potato" Gaile
Address: Montreal, Quebec, Canada (screams it out pageant style!)
Blog:www.Pandelicious.com
Number of countries visited: 5
Number of Philippine provinces explored: Like the number of ex-boyfriends, i don't really keep count!
Favorite travel memories:
It really ranges from climbing Bongao Peak, Tawi-tawi wearing shorts and with a 19 year old student whom I just met at the airport that same morning- to bawling my eyes out while eating bacon and eggs on my hostel's internet cafe in Beijing and listening to the geckos and crickets at Siquijor while trying to fall asleep. But really, it's the great moments I had with the people I spent my epic trips with.
Favorite travel destinations:
Both Shanghai, China and Toronto, Canada are awesome places to go and try to get drunk in- and Cebu, Philippines for the awesome cheap beers.
Most embarrassing travel moment:
Aside from the fact that I'm a walking embarrassment and how I'm trying to shy away from fart jokes, it's really the time I murdered the French language while speaking to a Francophone after 1 too many beers.
Something I learned about myself while traveling:
I've learned to embrace--- or more likely tolerate my apparent idiocy when traveling. I suck at keeping deadlines- hence a lot of missed flights, and i have a huge propensity for getting scammed or lost because i ask too few questions and i trust people too much (even if we don't speak the same language) The fact that i'm still alive and ready for more adventures is all thanks to my friends who save my ass repeatedly and i really wish i could do more for them. The lesson that i never forget while being miles away from "Home" is that i am still a young Padawan with much to learn.
Injuries/illnesses incurred while traveling:
Angina Pectoris, the inevitable side-effect of loving people and places that you may never ever come across again. One of the few maladies not cured by fine scotch.
Lost items/gadgets while traveling:
Money, wallet, airline tickets, shades, valuable IDs, cellphones, sense of embarrassment.
Things/persons I miss when I am on the road:
My bed, my bathroom and my Mom's low-fat, low-cholesterol and low sodium cooking.
Future travel plans:
I want to have a lot of Kosher Wine in Israel before this year ends.
- Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series
Follow the next feature that will be posted in the next few weeks! :)
Name: Lauren "The Epic Potato" Gaile
Address: Montreal, Quebec, Canada (screams it out pageant style!)
Blog:www.Pandelicious.com
 |
| At home in Montreal, Quebec. |
Number of countries visited: 5
Number of Philippine provinces explored: Like the number of ex-boyfriends, i don't really keep count!
Favorite travel memories:
It really ranges from climbing Bongao Peak, Tawi-tawi wearing shorts and with a 19 year old student whom I just met at the airport that same morning- to bawling my eyes out while eating bacon and eggs on my hostel's internet cafe in Beijing and listening to the geckos and crickets at Siquijor while trying to fall asleep. But really, it's the great moments I had with the people I spent my epic trips with.
Favorite travel destinations:
Both Shanghai, China and Toronto, Canada are awesome places to go and try to get drunk in- and Cebu, Philippines for the awesome cheap beers.
 |
| At Huangshan Mountains, China. |
Most embarrassing travel moment:
Aside from the fact that I'm a walking embarrassment and how I'm trying to shy away from fart jokes, it's really the time I murdered the French language while speaking to a Francophone after 1 too many beers.
Something I learned about myself while traveling:
I've learned to embrace--- or more likely tolerate my apparent idiocy when traveling. I suck at keeping deadlines- hence a lot of missed flights, and i have a huge propensity for getting scammed or lost because i ask too few questions and i trust people too much (even if we don't speak the same language) The fact that i'm still alive and ready for more adventures is all thanks to my friends who save my ass repeatedly and i really wish i could do more for them. The lesson that i never forget while being miles away from "Home" is that i am still a young Padawan with much to learn.
One thing I always bring while traveling:
A huge exasperated smile that i always wear when i'm lost, hungry, tired and down to my last penny. It always did a great job of pulling me out of those finicky situations.
A huge exasperated smile that i always wear when i'm lost, hungry, tired and down to my last penny. It always did a great job of pulling me out of those finicky situations.
Injuries/illnesses incurred while traveling:
Angina Pectoris, the inevitable side-effect of loving people and places that you may never ever come across again. One of the few maladies not cured by fine scotch.
Lost items/gadgets while traveling:
Money, wallet, airline tickets, shades, valuable IDs, cellphones, sense of embarrassment.
 |
| At UP-Los Baños, Laguna. |
Things/persons I miss when I am on the road:
My bed, my bathroom and my Mom's low-fat, low-cholesterol and low sodium cooking.
Future travel plans:
I want to have a lot of Kosher Wine in Israel before this year ends.
Travel books I would recommend:
- Anything and Everything by Kurt Vonnegut - Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series
Travel movies I would recommend:
Fight Club, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Darjeeling Limited :D
One tip for fellow travelers:
Say yes to anything and everything except when paying out of the meter with taxi airports and don't do anything Carrie Bradshaw/Barney Stinson wouldn't do.
Sum up your travel experiences in one sentence:
The mishaps and misadventures of a chrono-synclastic nerd backpacker trying to find life's meaning through chasing adrenaline rushing, heart pumping and soul crushing moments. TL-DR: awesome.
Favorite travel quote:
"The only purpose of life is to love whoever is around to be loved." - Kurt Vonnegut
Fight Club, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Darjeeling Limited :D
One tip for fellow travelers:
Say yes to anything and everything except when paying out of the meter with taxi airports and don't do anything Carrie Bradshaw/Barney Stinson wouldn't do.
Sum up your travel experiences in one sentence:
The mishaps and misadventures of a chrono-synclastic nerd backpacker trying to find life's meaning through chasing adrenaline rushing, heart pumping and soul crushing moments. TL-DR: awesome.
Favorite travel quote:
"The only purpose of life is to love whoever is around to be loved." - Kurt Vonnegut