Interview With Christine Fernandez of Adventures of A Jovial Wanderer
Please give my readers a background about yourself. What made you want
to start jovialwanderer.com?
I started blogging in 2006 and wrote just about any topic in my head. Now I'm
concentrating on adventure and travel. If you're lucky or bored enough, you
can probably spot some off-topic posts from way back. I used to blabber a lot
about boys. Hahaha!
I began backpacking independently in 2007 and found delight in organizing climbs
and backpacking trips. I documented my adventures and shared it through my blog.
I wish to encourage more people to travel and engage into an adventurous lifestyle
because I believe that it can cure gossip and all the other evils that sprung
out of boredom. :P
In all of your travels, in your opinion what country has the best food?
and the worst food?
I’m a "easy" foodie so I can appreciate all types of cuisine but apart
from my mom’s cooking which is mostly Filipino dishes, I consider Chinese
as my comfort food, especially steamed dumplings so any place that offers Chinese
dishes has got to be my favorite place!
I plan to go to Hong Kong some day because aside from being dubbed as the dim
sum capital of the world, it also has tons of hiking trails. As with the worst
food, that can be found anywhere so I don’t have an answer for that. :P
When you first started traveling, did your family support your decision?
Yes! Initially, I was obsessed with football and I’d sometimes go home
with blood on my clothes and wounds everywhere so it was easy for them to get
used to the idea of me hopping from one place to another.
If you had to choose one favourite destination, which one would each
of you chose?
Now that’s a killer question! I have a lot and at the top of my head right
now is Bukidnon. It’s a landlocked province located in Mindanao. It’s
got great weather, cheap food, lodging, beautiful horses and hiking trails.
What has been the least exciting destination you've traveled to?
Of all the questions here, this is the toughest to answer because I'm always
excited to get away! Let me see, I'd have to answer Singapore and it's mainly
because I didn't get to hike that much when I went there. I live in the city
so when I'm on vacation, I don't want to see buildings. I did enjoy eating at
their restaurants very much and Changi airport is just amazing! It's a destination
on its own.
Did you always have a love of travel or did you develop your passion
for traveling as you got older?
I’ve always been fond of wandering around. As a kid, I 'd walk around
our village and found delight in finding vacant lawns with tall grasses.
What impact has jovialwanderer.com had on your lives?
I met a lot of new friends who inspire me to live a good life. It's also very
encouraging and touching when readers take time to send an email to say that
I've helped them get started with backpacking or hiking.
What has been the most surprising destination you've been to? Meaning,
you had a specific mindset about a certain destination but it was totally a
different experience than you had imagined.
I was surprised I fell in love with Palawan. It's famous for incredible beaches.
I love swimming but I don't consider myself a beach bum so I normally don't
go after the ocean in choosing a destination. I went there 3 years ago with
friends and I can't wait to be back again because its waters are just breathtaking!
They also have tons of mountains and great food. I hope to go back next year
for a hike.
If you had to decide which destination has been the most influential
in your life, which destination would you chose?
Borneo! It was my first overseas trip and I realized traveling outside the Philippines
isn't as scary as I imagined it would be. I also met lots of long-term travelers
and learned that some people actually survive just wandering around the world.
It was so enlightening.
What advice would you give to a newbie traveler?
Just relax and have fun responsibly. Remember that you have people who care
about you coming back home. Happy feelings attract happy events so trust that
whatever happens, whether you get left behind by the last trip back to town
or something, you're going to have a great time! Lastly, talk to the locals
as they are the best source of travel information. No guide book can beat them!
In 10 years, do you see yourself still traveling or slowing down?
I live for adventure so I will definitely still be traveling and hopefully married
to someone who enjoys hiking. :P
Thanks Christine for the interview. Please visit her blog @ Adventures of A Jovial Wanderer