Jess
It's definitely genetic. My mother has always loved traveling, as did her father before her. Because of that, I grew up going all sorts of places.
What’s your favorite place that you’ve been?
Definitely Salisbury, England. It looked exactly like a little English town out of a movie. There were even swans swimming in a pond. I walked around alone eating a Cadbury bar and never felt even slightly unsafe or out of place. It was fantastic.
Is there anywhere you’ve been that you don’t care to go back to?
Philadelphia. We just don't mesh. I visited the city once for a few days (even spent New Year's Eve watching fireworks over the Delaware River), and on another trip, I got stuck in the airport overnight. I'm sure it's a great place, but it's not for me.
Where haven’t you been yet that you really want to visit?
Redwood National Forest, Roswell, Chicago, Italy, Disneyland, the list goes on & on.
What’s your most unusual experience so far?
When I was stuck in an airport for 16 hours, I made friends with some ladies who were going to a knitting convention. The airport closed down for the night, and the airline gave us all emergency blankets that looked like aluminum foil. Basically I was camped out overnight in the corner of an airport watching older ladies knit while we were all wrapped in foil like baked potatoes.
Tell us about a place there that really surprised you, good or bad.
Cumberland Island was definitely a shock. I saw it on a Buzzfeed post and figured I'd go there just to be able to say that I'd been. Then I got there, and I fell in love. I'm scared to go back again because I don't want it to be any less perfect on another trip and the magic to be ruined.
Have you ever happened upon somewhere/something really cool by accident?
There's this apartment building in my hometown that has corrugated metal around the entire outside. It's so cool! We found it one day when my mom was test-driving a car.
Mountains or beach?
Mountains by far!
Road trip, plane, train, or boat?
While I love how fast planes get from A to B so quickly, I'll take a good road trip any day.
What’s your packing philosophy? Over- or under-pack? Ahead of time or last minute?
I usually pack the day before I leave, sometimes the last few minutes beforehand. The less time I take to pack, the more I tend to overpack.
What is the most essential item that you pack?
Sunscreen. Lately my favorite has been Ocean Potion, spf 50. As fast as my skin burns, I'm pretty picky about my sunscreen. This one not only works, but it smells awesome, nothing at all like any other sunscreen I've tried.
If you could only use one app on your next trip, which would you choose?
Assuming that the camera doesn't count as an app, I'd go with Waze. It's the best navigation app I've used. Users update it in realtime, so you get a pretty accurate view of what lies ahead. I also find that the ETA is closer to reality than any of the other navigation apps.
How do you feel about traveling without a GPS?
Since I can read a map, street signs, a compass, and even the sun's position, I know that I could. However, the GPS makes it way easier to enjoy the ride/sights without worrying about details.
Have you ever gone somewhere just for the picture?
A few times. I've never been disappointed either.
Do you have any hobbies outside of traveling?
Yes. I do pottery at a local pottery studio and have recently started selling my pieces at local shows.
