The latest in my ongoing World Travellers series is Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure. I was intrigued that Riana was raised in Toronto in Canada. Toronto is the city which inspired this blog’s name (in 2001) and this blog’s birth (in 2007)! Yes, the phrase “Don’t Stop Living” was etched on a High School Wall in Toronto in September 2001 as I backpacked the streets. It struck out at me and I knew it was a mantra and phrase to live my life by and I pondered on it. Then, in July 2007, on Canada’s National Day I was again backpacking in Toronto and met two travel bloggers! Back in those days, I didn’t really know what a travel blog was, but they inspired me to start this blog, and the rest is history! And now, prepare to learn about Riana!
World Travellers: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure
Who are you?
Hello! My name is Riana and I am a travel blogger and content writer. On my travel blog, Teaspoon of Adventure, I help everyday travellers discover the world, making the most of their limited time and/or budget with thoughtful tips, easy to follow itineraries and inspiring travel stories.
Where are you from?
I’m from Canada. I was born just outside of Vancouver, raised in Toronto, and then returned to Vancouver in 2010 for university. Vancouver has been my on and off home ever since!
World Travellers: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure
Where have you been?
I’ve been very fortunate to visit almost 50 countries on six continents. Some of my favourite adventures include a family trip to the Philippines, studying abroad in Amsterdam, interning for a summer in Eswatini, working with a language school in Tokyo, travelling with my parents through Europe, road tripping around New Zealand, and moving to Prague for a year with my now-husband and our dog.
Where are you now?
I am currently in Vancouver, Canada.
What are the top 3 places you’ve visited?
This answer probably changes daily but right now my top three are:
Cape Town, South Africa: I loved the coast, vibrant culture and chance to see penguins.
Tokyo, Japan: It’s such a cool city that blends modern and historic, plus the food is amazing!
London, UK: I’ve been to London about 10 times and always love my time there. It totally has my heart!
World Travellers: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure at Grand Canyon, USA
What is the best travel experience you’ve had?
One of my favourite travel experiences happened when we were in New Zealand last year on board a cruise in Doubtful Sound. We did an overnight cruise and the next morning was so magical waking up on the fiord and watching the clouds lift off the water.
At one point, the captain cut the engine and asked everyone on the boat to be quiet. With all the man made noises silenced, the sound of nature came to life. All of a sudden I could hear birds calling and waterfalls rushing in the distance. The water all around us was calm but there was still so much going on that we never usually hear. It was such an incredible experience and one I will remember for a long time!
World Travellers: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure at Doubtful Sound, New Zealand
What is the worst travel experience you’ve had?
I visited Bangkok in February 2019 after a busy three weeks through Southeast Asia. It was the end of our trip and I was already feeling exhausted – plus the heat in Bangkok didn’t help.
We got in a tuk tuk and the driver wanted to take us to a clothing store that was “on the way” to our actual destination so he could get free gas. We agreed but he ended up driving us 45 minutes in the opposite direction through terrible traffic.
By the time we arrived where we wanted to be, I just wanted to head back to our hotel and sit in the air conditioning (which we did soon after!).
What is the funniest travel experience you’ve had?
The first experience that comes to mind actually happened to my husband, but it was funny for the rest of us who got to witness it!
We were on a family vacation at a resort in Mexico, which is not our usual travel style but all-inclusives can be fun. Everyone’s luggage arrived except my husband’s. They kept telling him it was on the way but it ended up taking five days – most of our week away – to get there.
Because our resort was kind of remote, there were no clothing stores nearby. So for five days my husband wore the tackiest, most obviously touristy clothing from the gift shop. I’m talking neon iguanas, bad puns, bright floral print, etc. He looked like a walking billboard for the resort. It was so funny seeing him in those outfits!
What is the scariest travel experience you’ve had?
When the pandemic first hit, my husband and I were 10 months into our year abroad in Prague and on a trip in Croatia. Literally overnight, the situation changed and borders began closing. We couldn’t get a sure answer about whether we’d be allowed back into the Czech Republic since we were Canadians on temporary visas.
It was a very tense time and we ended up cutting our trip short and racing back from Zagreb to Prague. Each time we reached a border (Slovenia, Austria and Czechia), we were so scared we would get turned away. Luckily, we were allowed through and made it back to our home in Prague.
Less than a week later, we were packing up and leaving Prague to get on one of the last flights back to Canada, which was another scary and stressful journey.
World Travellers: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure
What is the most random job you have had on your travels?
I spent a month working with a language school in Tokyo when I was 22. I don’t speak Japanese, but the school wanted someone to help chaperone the high school students who were coming to Tokyo for the summer to learn Japanese and live with homestays.
Since the school had homestay families and Japanese teachers in place, all I had to do was connect with the students and make sure they were doing okay. They also placed me with my own homestay family and invited me to join in on the lessons. So I basically got paid to learn Japanese and live with a Japanese family for a month!
How do you fund your travels?
I’m a full time freelance writer, a career I’ve been working in since late 2016. I have a few long term clients that I write content for, as well as publications that I pitch with travel stories. I also earn a small income from my travel blog.
I love that all of my work is writing related – and mostly travel writing – and that it’s all remote. It makes it a lot easier for me to travel since I can work from the road.
What 3 tips would you give a new traveller before they set off on their adventure?
- Start small. If this is your first trip, you don’t have to throw yourself into the deep end. You can build up your travel skills by going somewhere closer to home, going with friends, choosing a more familiar destination or travelling for a shorter amount of time.
- Do your homework (but make it fun!). You don’t have to be an expert before you hit the road but it’s a good idea to know the basics. Look up local customs and make sure you have all of your paperwork (like visas) in place. But keep in mind that travel homework can be fun! Joining travel groups on Facebook or watching a travel-themed TV show definitely count as good research.
- Remember that you won’t be able to do it all. A lot of new travellers cram their itineraries full of everything they’ve ever wanted to see and do. And while I know slow travel isn’t for everyone, it’s impossible to see everything even if you love moving fast. There will always be one more restaurant, museum, hike, etc. that you didn’t get to. Instead of trying (and failing) to do everything, slow down and appreciate what you do have time for.
What are your future travel plans?
Up next my husband and I are spending about 10 days in the south of France in February. It’s the off-season, but I’m still excited to check out the market towns in Provence and the coastline of the riviera. We’re also hoping to get back into some longer term travel in the next year or two.
Biography
Riana Ang-Canning is a travel writer who has been sharing her global adventures as the founder of Teaspoon of Adventure since 2012. In that time, Riana has travelled to almost 50 countries on 6 continents, including interning in Eswatini, working in Tokyo, road tripping New Zealand and living abroad in Prague. Riana helps everyday travellers discover the world on a mid-budget, proving that you don’t have to be athletic, wealthy or nomadic to have an adventure!
Links (Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube)
https://teaspoonofadventure.com/
https://twitter.com/tspadventure
https://www.facebook.com/teaspoonofadventure/
https://www.pinterest.ca/teaspoonofadventure/