Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Jen Murphy
Occupation: Deputy Editor AFAR Magazine
Hometown: Point Pleasant, NJ (the nice part of the Jersey Shore)
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Website: AFAR
Twitter: @jengoesafar
Pinterest: jennymurf1
Short Bio: Wanderlust struck deputy editor of AFAR Magazine, who has a slight food obsession and a major fanaticism for surfing, yoga, the mountains, Barca soccer, and good beer.
How often do you fly: On average 2 to 3 times per month
How many countries have you been to: 38
How many continents have you been to: 5
Favorite American city: Boulder, Colorado
Favorite international city: Copenhagen, Denmark
Least favorite country: I can’t be a fair judge since I haven’t been to them all yet.
Favorite World Heritage Site: Fraser Island, Australia
Favorite airline: Virgin America
Favorite aircraft type: Private jet (I’ve never flown one, but I imagine I’d love it.)
Aisle or window: Window
Favorite airport lounge: I never give myself enough time to enjoy the lounge.
Favorite U.S. airport: SFO or JFK for the amazing new food outlets.
Favorite international airport: Changi, Singapore. I go early just so I can eat at the amazing food stalls.
Favorite hotel: Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, CA
Favorite cruise line: I’m still a cruise virgin.
Favorite island: Boracay, Phillipines
Favorite fancy restaurant: This is so hard. It’s a tie at the moment between Meadowood in Napa Valley, Eleven Madison Park in NYC, Restaurant Andre in Singapore, and Restaurant Central in Lima
Favorite hole in the wall: Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco—Maybe not technically a hole-in-the-wall, but definitely unassuming.
Favorite fruit: mango
Favorite food: ice cream
Least favorite food: hot dogs
Drink of choice (In the air and on the ground) Bubbles. If we’re staying on the ground then a negroni.
Favorite travel movie(s): In Bruges, The Thomas Crown Affair, the Endless Summer, Before Sunrise, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Favorite travel show(s): I never watch TV.
Favorite travel book(s): Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyer, The Beach by Alex Garland (the movie ruined the book), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, The Motorcycle Diaries
Right now I am reading: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
Five things you bring on a plane: Water, trail mix, book, iPod, Journal (I’m pretty low maintenance)
What do you always seem to forget: To actually mail my post cards.
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport duty free store? I’d hope my loved one would have remembered to buy me something before they got to the airport.
Favorite travel iPhone app(s): I’m such a luddite. I really try to keep off my iPhone when I travel. Though I must admit to a slight obsession with Instagram.
Most embarrassing/worst travel moment: I pass out when I get on a plane (no drugs needed). On a recent flight from SFO to Chicago I had a connection in Las Vegas. I fell asleep as soon as we boarded at SFO and never realized we had been sitting on the runway for over an hour. When the engine finally started I thought we were leaving Las Vegas and that I’d forgotten to get off the plane. I jumped out of my seat running down the aisle screaming, “I need to get off this plane.” When the stewardess informed me we were still in San Francisco I was mortified. The poor people sitting next to me definitely thought I was crazy.
What’s your dream destination: There are so many. At the moment I’d say surfing in Tahiti or the Maldives or a trip down the coast of Brazil.
Favorite travel charity: Learning AFAR, which helps underprivileged high school kids have the opportunity to see the world. Also, Waves for Development International
Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!: I can’t not say AFAR.com. Our community of travelers is so engaged and their photos are simply amazing. I really admire Roads & Kingdoms. I think it has a great mix of serious reporting and humor. There’s nothing quite like it out there. And Fathom has such great taste. I am also a total beach girl and could spend hours on Beach Tomato.
Best travel tip: I hate to crib off of Nike but I’d have to say, “just do it.” People make too many excuses about why they can’t travel –work, time, money. My biggest pet peeve is people who are scared to travel alone. Life is too short to make excuses. Just get out there and start seeing the world. The people you will meet and the experiences you will make you grow as a person and open your eyes and mind.
My second tip would be to always ask the local bartenders where to eat.
My favorite island also is Boracay in the Philippines. I was there this May 2012. The beaches are so amazing. Lots of fun activities are available. The sunset is so fantastic. How often do you go there? I wanna come back to that paradise island.