Every Thursday, A Dangerous Business will be shining the spotlight on a world nomad, travel blogger, armchair adventurer, or just someone really cool in the travel world. This week, the traveler is Chris of Backpacker Banter. Chris is a born and bred Devonian — surfer by nature, photographer by trade and traveler by choice. He spends his days riding waves, exploring the world, and blogging about it all on his website.
1. How do you define the word “traveler,” and why would you consider yourself one?
I’d say that a traveler is someone who wishes to explore and experience new things, going with the flow and being open to what the world has to offer. A tourist, on the other hand, has a set itinerary and it’s more about the outcome than the journey.
I’d consider myself a traveler simply due to the fact that that’s what I do — I just see where a destination takes me.
2. What has been your favorite travel experience thus far?
Living in a campervan in australia. It had been my ideal situation for sooooo long, and I was stoked when i managed to sort it.
3. Have you had any travel mishaps or bad experiences? If so, have these influenced how you view the place where they happened? Would you go back?
I had a pretty nasty surfing incident in Byron Bay — smashed my face up pretty bad and I now have nerve damage in the left side of my face! Hasn’t stopped me surfing though — and it made me realize how many friends I’d actually made there. My girlfriend Kerri looked after me for like 2 weeks and the hostel where I worked sorted me out with a private room — everyone was great.
4. Name one thing you can’t travel without.
My iPhone. I bloody love that thing!
5. Name one thing you wish you COULD travel without.
Oddly, the Internet! Sometimes I’d like to go back to the days where backpackers literally disappeared around the world. I’m the first to admit I’m addicted to technology and the Internet, but I do realise it does get in the way sometimes!
6. What do you think has been the biggest thing you’ve learned while traveling (about yourself, a destination, a culture, travel itself)?
That I can land somewhere with only myself for company, make new friends and support myself — it’s taught me that I can make it on my own.
7. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Byron Bay (yes it’s a slightly reoccurring theme!). For me, the Bay is everything I set out to find: a perfect mixture of sun, sea surf and party carnage!
8. Name one place you’d like to see or one experience you’d like to have before you die.
I really want to visit Indo and Tahiti. Please don’t make me choose between them though!
9. If there was one thing you wish somebody would have told you before you started traveling, what would it be?
That’s a tough one! I wish I’d been told about ways to structure your visas for maximum effect. For example, using a tourist visa in Australia for 6 months and then leaving for a brief ‘holiday’ whilst your WHV clears, I pretty much wasted 8 months of mine because I didn’t need to work for a while.
Visit Chris’ site: Backpacker Banter
Follow Chris on Twitter: BckPackerBanter
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Are you a travel blogger who has something to say on these topics? Do you know of somebody really interesting in the travel universe that you’d like to see interviewed? Speak up! The Thursday Traveler needs some interview subjects.
Great interview…I was lucky enough to live in Byron for 2 years back in the day (96-97 and 99-00)….it is truly paradise on earth…!