Travel Crush Tuesday: Gina
Photo Source: Gina and Instagram
Welcome to Travel Crush Tuesday!
Meet Gina, a wife, mother, professional, and adventurous traveler. This week's travel crush has some advice if you need to find time for an off-the-beaten-path journey despite wearing numerous hats.
1. Tell us about yourself! Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do? What inspires you to travel?
I am Gina, and I currently live in Australia with my husband and baby. I work in a corporate company as a trainer. Learning and Development Specialist. However, I'm presently off while I look after my baby. Travel has always been my favorite thing to do. I love exploring new cultures, history, locations, and different lifestyles on the opposite side of the world. It brings pure joy to my soul.
2. Why is it important to explore off the beaten path and discover hidden gems?
The world is vast, and some cities have become saturated due to social media. Still, we are forgetting how much more beauty there is out there. I love to explore further how the locals live, what they love, and the simple life in some of the most hidden gems. It's so refreshing to escape the constant buzzing of packed cities. Every new and hidden place I have discovered has left me with many happy memories.
3. How do you uncover lesser-known travel destinations?
Lots of research. It all depends on where I want to go first. For example, if I am going to Italy, I look into some of the cities I still haven't been to. I also consider how I want to travel: by train, flight, ferry, etc. On my latest trip, I traveled with my baby for the first time, and I knew traveling by train would be much easier and more comfortable. So, I picked Paris as a startup destination. I looked at the nearby destinations by train from Paris. You get to learn cities like Strasbourge and many others are about 1 hour away by train, so we read about them and locked it in. I use google maps to see what cities are close to each other and how trains operate in those areas. My favorite train apps to use within Europe trainline.
4. What is the most obscure destination you've been to?
Recently we explored other lesser-known Greek islands. Chios was one of the destinations we traveled to. Within Chios, there is a town called Pyrgi. Pyrgi is often called the "painted village" because of the detailed decorative motives on the buildings' facades. It is the largest medieval village in Chios and was simply stunning. You get to see all the locals sitting outside their houses chatting with their neighbors. The whole town shuts from 2-5 for siesta. Just so calming
5. Where is your favorite underrated place you've been? What puts it above the rest?
I loved the Greek Island Symi. It was honestly one of the most beautiful places I have been to. The colorful houses reflected in crystal clear water. The people were so friendly and relaxed, the food was delicious, and everything was within walking proximity. I didn't need to hire a car or a bike. It was so relaxing and refreshing to visit a less crowded Greek island. It was a huge bucket list for me.
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