World Travellers: Anthony Karakai – Traveller, Writer, Vagabond

I love the diversity of my World Travellers Series on here and hope you enjoy reading them, having featured Turner Barr just yesterday, I’m back with another one tonight! From friends, to bloggers, to travellers, to nomads, to lifestyle designers to AUTHORS. Yes today we meet Anthony Karakai, who is an author as well as a traveller. You should check out his book “Vagabond” a great read, I caught up with him to talk travel…

Who are you?

An author and traveller.

Where are you from?

Australia.

Where have you been?

Europe, Asia, South East Asia, Australia, America.

Where are you now?

The Philippines.

What are the top 3 places you’ve visited? 

Budapest, Santorini, Granada (Spain). These are the only three places I’ve visited where I feel truly lost in the alleyways and backstreets.

What is the best travel experience you’ve had? 

Quad biking all over Santorini, or tapas hopping in Granada.

What is the worst travel experience you’ve had?

Unknowingly being served moonshine in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand.

What is the funniest travel experience you’ve had? 

Exploring Amsterdam by foot. I have seen peculiar characters in those streets, at all hours of the day and night. What I found fun about the whole experience there, was the array of people I came across. Young, old, all corners of the world- everybody was there to simply let loose and enjoy themselves sensationally. It made me fall in love with the allure of Amsterdam.

What is the scariest travel experience you’ve had? 

Running through a crocodile pit in Northern Queensland, at midnight. We didn’t realise it was a crocodile pit of course, but the following morning when we saw the dozen or so adult saltwater crocodiles with their jaws open, we sincerely wondered how we got away with it. What really stacked the odds against us though, were the pockets of quicksand in the pit. As we moved through the trees and bush, one of us would suddenly sink right down to our necks. It was pitch black and impossible to move. It was only by the grace of some higher entity, or a freak chance that one of us would get sucked in at a time, leaving it up to the other for the rescue. We sunk down about ten times each, all the while surrounded by fully grown saltwater crocodiles. In hindsight it’s those experiences that make the whole journey memorable, but I certainly don’t recommend getting yourself into danger.

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

Appreciate the local culture first and foremost before anything. Realise that your country and culture is not the best one, it’s only familiar. Be humble and respectful, and not an annoying guest. Nothing irks a traveller more than hearing somebody complain constantly.

What are your future travel plans?

South America and Central America.

Biography: Anthony Karakai is the author of the travel adventure Vagabond, which was a #1 bestseller on the iBookstore Australia. His books are inspired by the places he has visited, as he seeks to tell others about the beauty he finds around every waiting corner. Music was his original passion, but it soon changed when at the age of 18 he went overseas for the first time. Since then, his love of travel and addiction to it has only grown stronger. He will never understand how someone can “get travel out of their system, and then settle down.” Like his novel, Karakai is a true Vagabond at heart, and loves connecting with readers the world over.

Links:

http://www.anthonykarakai.com,

http://www.facebook.com/karakaibooks,

@AnthonyKarakai

Thanks to Anthony Karakai, Vagabond Author 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 (there’s a waiting list at present), 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!