World Travellers: Audrey AKA That Backpacker

In my continual quest to interview global nomads, travel bloggers and addicted wanderers I managed to track down Audrey of That Backpacker! She’s currently in Cambodia, here’s what she has to say about her crazy travel experiences…

Who are you?

I’m Audrey, or the girl who wants more stamps on her passport. On a normal day, you can expect to find me making travel videos in whatever city I’m travelling through, or writing about my experiences on the road.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Canada, but I’ve called a lot of different places home including Argentina and Korea.

Where have you been?

Lots of places, but not everywhere…yet! Most of my previous travels have centered around South America, Western Europe, India, and now South East Asia.

Where are you now?

I am currently in Cambodia where I will be spending a month exploring the country.

What are the top 3 places you’ve visited?

Buenos Aires – It may have something to do with the fact that I’m half Argentinean, but I love this city! The food, the lifestyle, the architecture, and again THE FOOD!

Rio de Janeiro – I have spent a lot of time visiting relatives here and it’s a city that fascinates me. I love the beaches, the laid back way of life, the mix of colonial and modern buildings, and the nightlife.

Barcelona – I’m starting to sea pattern here; again with this one, it’s the lifestyle and the food. More tapas, please!

What is the best travel experience you’ve had?

There have been lots of good ones, but the most recent one which really stands out in my mind is watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Yes, there were several hundred people there with me, but for that morning it felt like our shared little secret.

What is the worst travel experience you’ve had?

Again, this is another recent one, but arriving in Sihanoukville, Cambodia was quite disappointing. I had read rave reviews about this beach side town with a hippie feel, and well, the streets and the beach were littered with garbage. Even worse, there were broken glass bottles bobbing in the ocean! The only way to salvage the stay was to check into a fancy hotel with a nice swimming pool.

What is the funniest travel experience you’ve had?

My sister and I had a paparazzi moment in India. We were visiting a particular attraction by the sea and we decided to take a few photos from the viewing platform which offered a nice panorama of the coastline. Well, the tables were turned on us. As the only foreigners there we became an instant attraction, and we had about a dozen people snapping pictures of us. Our reaction was pure laughter.

What is the scariest travel experience you’ve had?

I had a pretty close call riding rickshaws in India. I rode three rickshaws on this particular night: the breaks failed on the first one, the second rickshaw hit a pot hole and lost its front wheel (how does that even happen?), and then a large coach bus nearly hit the third rickshaw I was in when we got in its blind spot…

What 3 tips would you give a new traveller before they set off on their adventure?

1 – Pack your backpack and strap it on. If it feels too heavy after 5 minutes, you need to repack. It’s only going to feel worse when you’re tired, sweaty, and you need to carry that bag for 8 blocks to your hostel.

2 – Always carry toilet paper with you. You’d think this would only apply to travel in developing countries and rural areas, but this has come in handy even travelling through Western Europe.

3 – Bring snacks for the long bus / train / plane ride. The trip will only feel longer if you’re hungry and thirsty!

What are your future travel plans?

I am currently in South East Asia and will be for the foreseeable future. My boyfriend and I have plans to travel around this part of the world for the coming months, and next up is Vietnam!

Biography and Links (website, twitter, facebook)

Audrey is a perpetual traveller whose idea of seeing a city includes feasting on local delicacies from a street vendor’s cart, bargain hunting through maze-like markets, and wandering through crooked back alleys covered in graffiti. She has called Canada, Argentina and Korea home and is now on a quest of indefinite travel. You can follow the adventure on her travel blog, Faceboook, Twitter, and even YouTube where she makes travel videos.

Thanks to Audrey for being the latest in my series of World Travellers! If you travel the world and run a travel blog or are a travel writer, please get in touch, you can be featured, either e-mail jonny (at) dontstopliving (dot) net or head to my contacts page and get connected! You can also subscribe to Don’t Stop Living by filling in the form below! Safe travels!