100 Things To Ask A Traveller – ANSWERED! | April Travel Challenge

So there I was just browsing the internet when I came across an article about the 100 questions you should really ask somebody who loves to travel, so I thought I would have a go at answering them for something a bit different in this month long challenge! To break it up a bit, I’ve inserted a few vain pictures of me having various unexciting travel related experiences – break up the mundane with the mundane.

If you could swim with dolphins or go shark diving, which would you pick? As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, shark diving! I’ve already swam with dolphins, but I would totally do it again.
What place is top of your bucket list? Iceland, probably.
What can’t you travel without? At least one camera.
Do you prefer solo travel or with someone else? I riding the solo travel rollercoaster at the moment, but adventures with friends and family are pretty fab too.
Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat? Not going to lie, I had to Google the latter – it looks pretty cool, but Machu Picchu calls to me more.
Who is the person at home that you miss the most? Normally my brother because I miss the banter, or just my family in general, but I’m rarely away for very long nowadays.
What home comfort do you miss the most? Private bathroom, probably. Hashtag hostel problems.
What has been the most interesting item of food you’ve tasted? I’m not very adventurous when it comes to food, so I dont know if I’ve really eaten anything INTERESTING while travelling…
What food from your home country do you miss the most? Does Irn Bru count as a food? If not I’d have to vote for white pudding, which I miss when I go travelling in this country as well as abroad to be honest.
Which country makes the best coffee or tea? I don’t drink either, so I neither know nor care.
If you could only ever eat rice or potatoes, which would you pick? I dislike both, but I particularly hate rice and potatoes are so much more versatile so I’d have to choose those!
Who would win in a fight: a polar bear with a rifle, or a shark with a laser gun? A polar bear with a rifle, surely?
Which country has the friendliest people? I would love to say the UK but that is probably the least true thing ever. The people I met in Rome were pretty lovely!
Who is the most interesting person you’ve met so far? I meet interesting people all the time, I don’t think I can choose one!
What’s been your scariest moment? I got pickpocketed in the south of France once, and that was pretty horrible.
Toilets: squat or Western? Western, but I have used both.
What was your most embarrassing moment? Oh gosh I’m not sure, but I have probably fallen flat on my face somewhere. Actually I was pretty embarrassed trying to vlog in Newcastle at the end of last year, that’s something I’m going to work on!
How many foreign words have you learnt so far? I mean, I pick up odd words here and there but I think I still rely on the French and German that I learnt at school to get me through.
How many different currencies are you carrying? I have a fair collection of foreign coins that I have accumulated over the years.
What have you brought that you haven’t used? I tend to bring things like straighteners or makeup and not use them – that’s a really bad habit. Or too many spare changes of clothes.
What has been the most useful item you’ve brought? Multiple portable chargers, definitely.
What’s the best piece of travel advice you’ve received? Know where everything is in your bag…or keep things in plastic bags to keep them clean and dry in your bag if something bursts or if the heavens open.
What’s the worst piece of travel advice you’ve received? “Don’t go alone.”
Would you rather be rich and ugly or poor and pretty? That depends, am I rich enough to pay to make myself pretty?
How did your relatives feel about your trip? Generally I get mixed responses, but they’ve come to realise that I’m just going to do my own thing regardless of what they say.
What’s the longest you’ve been away from home? Not including living in Edinburgh, three weeks. Although I was probably home about once a month at least anyway when I was living in Edinburgh, I’m a home bird!
What’s your dream job? Writer.
Where would you most like to live in the world? Right here, Scotland is lovely.
Who would win in a fight: a panda with a dart gun, or a kangaroo with nunchucks? Panda’s are too sleepy, it would have to be the kangaroo.
How many countries have you visited? 11 maybe?
What’s your favourite travel childhood memory? I don’t remember much about travelling and holidays before my brother came on the go in the new millenium, but I do remember that the sausages in Canada tasted really weird.
How are you documenting your trip? Photos and videos!
The sea – on it, in it or stay on dry land? Quite happy to be on it and in it.
What’s been the weirdest thing you’ve seen? My reflection in the mirror. Just kidding…I don’t know, I’m loathed to describe things that I see in other countries as weird because it’s usually a perfectly normal part of that culture and saying it is weird is a bit narrowminded – one thing a traveller can’t really be!
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt? Everything will be okay in the end OR that you’re in control of your own happiness – post on five things I learned in India here.
What has surprised you about yourself? That somebody so smart can be so stupid sometimes, and also that I actually had the confidence to go off on solo adventures.
Have you learnt to play any new games? I learned some new games and activities as part of my volunteering in India.
Dorm or private room? I mean, obviously private room is the dream but it’s normally a dorm!
Tea or coffee? Hot chocolate.
What’s your top travel tip? If it’s what you want, go for it.
If you wrote a novel, what would it be about? Death and darkness, probably…or a wee family of worms.
What did you love or hate most about school? I quite enjoyed school, but it became a struggle in my senior years when I became increasingly ill with practically no support or understanding. I loved language subjects, and really wasn’t a fan of maths or sciences. The extra-curricular groups were probably the best thing – I really miss drama, choir, dancing and tennis.
What’s your biggest first world problem? Bad selfie lighting.
Who would win in a fight: an accountant or a banker? Neither, nobody wins.
How much stuff have you lost? I don’t know if there is anything that I haven’t lost even briefly at some point or another – I’m a scatterbrain!
How much stuff have you posted home? I love sending postcards when I’m on adventures.
What travel scams have you heard about? Various ones, I guess that’s a perk of the internet and social media is that they can spread the word about these kind of things but sometimes they are also the root of the scam!
Do you call yourself a traveller or a tourist? Tourist.
Do you call yourself a traveller or a backpacker? Neither, but more likely to be traveller. I’d love to go backpacking though.
What would you like to be famous for? Writing.
What do you miss on TV? If you mean when I’m away on adventures, the answer is nothing – there’s always too much to see and do to miss TV. If you mean in general, BRING BACK CSI (more specifically the Gil Grissom era).
Train or bus? Both have their merits, but probably train if I can afford it.
Fan or air conditioning? Air con, 100%.
Who would win in a fight: a Buddhist or a Quaker? Why are they fighting? Why is everybody fighting? We all need to stop fighting!
If you won the lottery, what would you spend the money on? Well that really depends on how much I’m winning – If I win a tenner it’s not going to go very far but if I win a couple of million then I’m definitely buying a house or two.
Disneyworld or the real world? I want to experience DisneyWorld so badly, the real world will always be here.
What would you do if you didn’t have to work? Chill, travel, sleep until I’m not tired, play my Playstation, read, learn a new hobby, binge watch everything that I want to… so many possibilities.
What’s the most reliable source of travel advice? People.
How many gadgets are you carrying? Far too many probably.
What do you wish you’d brought that you haven’t? Normally it’s something really important that I’ve left behind, like a charger or my toothbrush.
Who in your friends and family has their birthday next? Mum’s birthday is later this month.
What are you doing for your next birthday? I don’t know yet, but hopefully it’s fun.
Do you send postcards? Yes! Or more often, I buy them and write them out then hand deliver them when I get home to save on postage costs.
What was your favourite pet? I loved our dog, but now I have my baby boy Cornelius and he is pretty favourable.
What did you dream about last night? I don’t remember last night’s dream.
Who would win in a fight: Optimus Prime, or The Terminator? Team Optimus Prime.
Strict schedule or go with the flow? Go with the flow, definitely!
Beer or wine? Neither, maybe a cider or cocktail but I’d rather just have juice.
What’s been the best street food you’ve had? Do Nutella crepes count?
What destination have you found to be overrated? India.
What was the most challenging thing you’ve done? Going out and doing things alone.
City or countryside? Countryside.
Do you prefer to walk, take public transport, or take private transport? Depends on the situation.
What was the last book you read? I have a lot of half read books at the moment, it’s ages since I actually finished a proper book. I think the last book I actually finished reading was Trish Paytas’ The History Of My Insanity , or the last one on Audible was Animal Farm.
What was the last film you saw? I watched Yogi Bear at the weekend.
Which country has the best weather? Where does it snow all year round? If I can’t choose that place then I’m going to choose Scotland – all the seasons in a day.
Which religious or spiritual sites have you visited? Quite a lot, they’re some of my favourite places to visit.
Do you feel better or worse for the change in diet? Normally worse because I don’t eat properly!
What’s your favourite pizza topping? All the cheese (and no tomato).
Window or aisle seat? Window, definitely!
Is there anything you wish you’d done before you left home? Almost everytime time that I go away I wish I had taken more time to pack instead of rushing – this next adventure will be no different.
Who would win in a fight: Batman without his gadgets or Superman without his powers? They will both win because of the life lessons they will learn in the process.
What’s the longest single journey you’ve taken? Megabus to London from Aberdeen probably – 13 hours in one go.
What’s the best thing you’ve bought? I actually love my teeny tiny nativity that I bought on a street near Vatican City.
Do you think you’ll stay friends with the people you’ve met? Probably not, we’re like ships in the night.
What’s been your weirdest moment? Speaking to the Queen about ducks is a pretty surreal life experience.
Would you rather see a lot of places or get to know one really well? Lots of places.
Do you prefer hot, cold or temperate places? Cold or temperate, I really don’t like the heat.
What’s the most interesting animal you’ve seen? I’m not sure!
Why did you want to come to this place? Normally I go places because they speak to my soul and my impulsive nature.
Who at home emails you the most often? Mum.
How many photos have you taken? I take tens of thousands of photos every year.
What was the best place you stayed in? My favourite accommodation is my tent, every time without fail.
Who is your dream travel companion? Somebody as whimsical as I am, probably, but that also sounds like a travel nightmare – I’m probably my best companion!
What is your dream travelling experience? To just be able to get up and go where I want when I want.
Are you usually early, late or bang on time? Laaaaaaaate.
Bungee-jumping – yes or no? I’m too much of a wuss!
How would you describe yourself in 3 words? Too laid back.
Who would win in a fight: me or you? I’m most fightless person, so probably you.