Meet Our Explorer Crystal Anderson
Crystal Anderson, a native of Florida and blogger at Candie Travels, joined Tiplr early on and became one of our very first Explorers. So far she has shared Tips on our website about her travels in Morocco and South Africa. Because of her contributions to the community thus far, we chose her as our Explorer of the Month for June!
What made you first catch the travel bug?
Growing up, my travel experiences were mostly limited to beach weekends, ski trips, and visits with family. I think what really made me get the travel bug was a trip I took just after I turned 16. My high school chemistry teacher, who was in her 20s at the time, organized a month long group trip all over Europe with over 70 juniors and seniors. I’m sure I didn’t fully appreciate everything we saw at the time, but it sure whet my appetite for travel. Later, I studied abroad in both Spain and the Czech Republic. Getting to travel during those experiences really sealed the deal for me and I became hooked on the travel life.
Where was your last trip?
My husband and I just traveled for two weeks to Paris, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Goreme, and Istanbul for our 4th wedding anniversary. It was marvelous!
Favorite thing you found “by accident” or randomly while traveling?
I’ve had several experiences of stumbling upon a local festival or event while traveling. There was an Il Palio festival in Siena; a party in Old Town Square in Prague for a soccer game; an art and music festival in Berlin; a Ramadan market in Kuala Lumpur; and a live music performance on the river in Brisbane. Going to local events is a great way to see how the locals have fun in their free time and is also a good way to make friends!
Why do you travel?
To me, traveling is what life is all about. Experiencing other cultures and meeting people with backgrounds that are very different from my own helps me to understand the world in which we live. I also feel that meeting people from other countries makes the world feel a bit smaller when you realize how much you can have in common with someone from the other side of the world. Also, let’s be honest, the food is half of it. I like to try everything!
You travel very often with your husband, what is that like compared to traveling with other people? How important was it for you to find a partner who shared your passion for travel?
Traveling with my husband is the best! We actually went on a trip to Germany and Poland after we’d been dating for 9 months. I thought it was really important to find a compatible travel partner and it obviously worked out really well for us! I also enjoy traveling with friends and family, but even when I’m having a great time, I usually think about how I’ll want to go back to that place with my husband if it’s somewhere we haven’t been together. Also, he and I have very similar travel styles and interests so traveling together is pretty effortless! Ultimately, with whomever you travel, it’s such a learning experience about compromise and communication. Navigating a foreign country definitely brings people closer!
I know you’ve written about how you and your husband can afford to travel so often and the work you do to fit it into your schedule, life and budget (on your blog). Can you give us some quick tips so we can follow in your footsteps?
We are super fortunate to have jobs that give us more than your average vacation time. On top of that, we keep a close eye on flight deals and use credit cards points to maximize miles. My best piece of advice is to try to be flexible if you can. If you keep your options open regarding where to and when you can travel, you can snag incredible deals. Case in point: we flew to South Africa last year for only $300 round trip from JFK. You really can’t pass a deal like that up!
Where are you off to next? I am writing this while we are on a flight to Bogotá, Colombia!
Favorite thing you’ve written about so far? Gosh, that is so tough! I have to say that for me, writing about travel allows me to relive the experience so I truly enjoy everything I’ve written! If pressed to choose, Australia will always have a piece of my heart and I really enjoyed writing that series.
Favorite thing that you haven’t shared with us yet?
I love hiking and the mountains are my happy place. I worked at a restaurant in Yellowstone the summer after I graduated from college. Currently, we try to incorporate at least one hike every time we travel. I find it to be a great way to get some exercise, take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, and enjoy some fresh air and beautiful scenery!
What the strangest experience you’ve had while traveling?
Alex and I were in Berlin a few years ago and I really had to use the restroom. It was later in the evening and we couldn’t find a public bathroom until we checked the doors to a mall and found them open. We followed the signs for the restroom and ended up in an employees only area where I was able to use a restroom. However, when we tried to leave, we were locked in from the inside! We walked into the stairwell and realized we had gotten locked in there as well! Finally, we found an emergency exit and ran away from the building as the emergency alarm was ringing after us! Oh and this all happened after we already got ticketed for having an incorrect metro ticket, so we may or may not be “wanted” in Germany.
What is at the top of your travel bucket list?
This is a really hard question for me because my travel bucket list is so long! I really want to explore more of Southeast Asia. I’m also dying to go to Iceland for the hiking and fishing. Antarctica is the only continent I haven’t been to so it’s also at the top of my list, but it’s a bit out of our budget for a few more years! And finally, I’m hoping to get a few more of the US national parks out west under my belt as soon as possible!
Photos by Crystal Anderson // Interview by Tara Turner
