As part of the next instalment in my international version of Guests’ Corner (previously a local South African travel interview section on Tamlyn Amber Wanderlust), I chatted to Thais Saito, travel blogger at World Trip Diaries.
Thais Saito is a mom, wife and travel addict and blogger at World Trip Diaries. She manages to get motherhood and marriage down to a tee, all while exploring the world with her family and writing about their adventures.
Along with her husband, Angelo, and four children, Mel, Joao, Jose and Coral, Thais lives a life of nomadic wanderings, show travelling and homeschooling, as her family goes from New Zealand to Japan and beyond, documenting their travels in their own personal travel-book story… Join them as they explore one country at a time!
1) Who or what inspired you to go into travel blogging?
We live far from family and friends, so we always kept something where people could see where we are and what we’re doing… It was a slow and easy transition.
2) What kind of traveller are you: thrill seeker, culture vulture, adrenaline junkie, nature lover or something of everything?
I travel with my family – husband and four kids – so we don’t do anything radical and we need to keep everyone happy, so we’re a bit of everything. If it were just me, I think I’d be a foodie traveller.
3) Which are your top three most memorable travel experiences and why? Please list each one with a brief explanation.
1. Uyuni Salt Flats: It’s just surreal and one of my dreams come true, really. Perfect!
2. Uruguay: It was also incredible; it was the first country we visited that was very new to everyone in the family – and man, just stunning!
3. Niagara Falls! We grew up watching a lot of movies and stuff featuring those falls, and it was a bit magical when we actually saw, smelled and touched them!
2. Uruguay: It was also incredible; it was the first country we visited that was very new to everyone in the family – and man, just stunning!
3. Niagara Falls! We grew up watching a lot of movies and stuff featuring those falls, and it was a bit magical when we actually saw, smelled and touched them!
4) What was your most humbling or eye-opening travel experience in your home country and why? (Please provide your home country’s name too.)
6) Your top three travel destinations across the globe – either that you have personally experienced or would love to visit?
I love Japan for the food, New Zealand because everywhere is amazing, and I really want to visit Scotland! It should be incredible!
7) Any useful travel sites/blogs that you can recommend for following?
I like a lot of them, but depends on what I’m looking after. Most of the times, though, I search through Pinterest!
8) If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
(I’d be right here) In Auckland, because it’s summer and gorgeous during this time of the year.
9) Do you have any handy tips for planning a trip/day out in your city (and please state which city it is)?
For Auckland, rent a car and drive around! It can’t go wrong! There are lovely beaches everywhere, good food and the people are nice. Just beware that traffic can be bad during rush hours – and bring a rain coat… It just randomly rains a lot!
10) Best travel advice for locals and tourists?
Wipe everywhere you’ll touch in a plane with hand sanitizer – we used to get a cold almost every flight, but now we rarely do. Everywhere: safety instructions’ leaflet, magazine, food tray, seat belts (not just the buckle), controls, arm rests, windows. Wipe it, it’s worth it.
To read about and see all of Thais’s travel stories and experiences, you can visit her awesome blog. Or follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Thank you very much, Thais, for appearing in this international guest travel segment. Until the next one… happy writing and reading, everyone!
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