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: Kirsten Alana
Occupation: Photographer and Travel Diarist
Hometown: East Calais, Vermont
Residence: A suitcase or backpack
Website: Aviators and a Camera , Kirsten Alana, Kirsten Alana Photography
Twitter: @kirstenalana
Facebook: Kirsten Alana
Pinterest: kirstenalana
Short Bio: Kirsten is a multi-talented travel diarist who roams the globe in search of stories to tell, people to help and growth experiences to share. She uses NYC as her base between trips but it is new experiences which are truly the space she inhabits as a home.
How often do you fly: As often as I can possibly manage, there is no such thing as too much.
How many countries have you been to: Under 20 still, but somewhere close to that number
How many continents have you been to: 4
Favorite American city: NYC, followed by San Francisco
Favorite international city: Paris or Barcelona
Favorite airline: Of those I have flown so far – Lufthansa, when flying on the A380
Favorite aircraft type: A380
Aisle or window: window
Favorite airport lounge: Any! I haven’t yet had too much experience with lounges, but any are preferable over the standard gate and waiting area.
Favorite U.S. airport: T5 at JFK, SFO or DEN
Favorite international airport: AMS or MUC
Favorite hotel: Budget – Tune, Luxury – Four Seasons
Favorite island: Mauritius
Favorite fancy restaurant: El Celler de Can Roca
Favorite hole in the wall: Does The Breakfast Club in London, count?
Favorite fruit: Raspberries
Favorite food: Dessert
Drink of choice (In the air and on the ground): Guinness
Favorite travel movie(s): Up in the Air
Favorite travel show(s): No Reservations or Globe Trekker
Favorite travel book(s): Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents
Right now I am reading: A Tale of Two Cities
Five things you bring on a plane: MacBook, iPhone, Sony eReader, AFAR magazine, dramamine
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport duty free store? I don’t like trinkets or souvenirs, I suppose perfume. (I don’t have a signature scent and I feel like I’m old enough now that that’s just something I should have?!)
Favorite travel iPhone app(s): AFAR Magazine’s wanderlists app, Expedia hotel booking, Lonely Planet, GateGuru, Google translate, WordLens, HopStop
What’s your dream destination: Cuba and Russia are tied for #1
Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!: National Geographic, Inside The Travel Lab, AFAR, Legal Nomads, Stories Of Conflict And Love, Maptia, Captain And Clark, World Travelist, Fevered Mutterings, Hecktic Travels, Lost In Cheeseland, Writing Through The Fog, Uncornered Market
Best travel tip: After you’ve finished packing, take out half the clothes and double the money you are taking. You can always buy what you need when you travel. Packing light is far far preferable to making sure one has everything one might possibly need. Also, get a global iPhone or other smart phone and have a global SIM or buy a SIM in every country.
Similar to myself, my favorite city in the US is NYC, went out there 3 years again and was completely blown aback, fell in love with it as soon as I landed at JFK and then even more just after riding in the taxi seeing the skyline and the bright lights of a beautiful city
Love your best travel tip. I get super annoyed at myself and anyone I’m traveling with for over packing.
It’s always a work in progress for me. I get better the longer I am a nomad, and I enjoy my travels most when it’s with the least physical baggage.
Thank you so much for featuring me Johnny! I love this series. To me, far better to hear how others travel than be told how I should travel.
I forgot!! Another one of my favorite sites, and two of my favorite people in travel: http://www.novacationrequired.com/
And I am sure there are many more. So many great travel sites out there. It’s hard for me to make a list and include everyone.
We loved the interview. Kirsten is a blogger and photographer that we really look up to. It’s insane to see the stunning pictures that she takes on her iphone. It was great to get to know her better and we are so honored that she listed our site as one of her favorites. Now we’re getting all emotional :)