In 2017, I visited my sister who was studying in Costa Rica at the time. Upon arrival, I'd absolutely no idea what to expect — the humid air greeted us immediately after stepping off of the plane. The drive from the rental car center up to Monteverde was roughly 80 miles (129 km) on primarily unpaved roads. I was already loving the adventure and knew I wanted to travel more.
Later that year, I studied at the University of Salamanca. My weekend excursions took me from walking down the palm tree lined marble streets of Malaga, to the narrow, cobblestone streets of San Sebastian — I just knew I had to come back.
Since then, I've backpacked all across Europe for a month, spent time skiing in Austria, and have been able to spend leisure time in Italy, Mexico, and Bermuda. Since joining Audey, I've not only had the opportunity to return to Spain, but also extensively explore Portugal — my new favorite destination.
Q&A with Emily
What’s the best local dish you’ve tasted?
Croquettes are my go-to when eating tapas in spain. There are a few staple tapas that you see on every menu; ‘patatas bravas’, ‘tortilla’, ‘gambas al ajillo’, ‘pan con tomate’, ‘jamón’, amongst many others. My favorite is ‘croquettes con jamón’. The ingredients are quite simple, it consists of a thickened bechamel sauce and typically has a type of meat, fish or vegetable mixed in. It's then coated with bread crumbs and fried, resulting in a crunchy outside and gooey inside. Croquettes with Iberian ham are my absolutely favorite Spanish comfort food and I'm always on a mission to find these when visiting a new city in Spain.
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
One of my favourite travel memories was when I was in Costa Rica, visiting my sister. I had the opportunity to stay in one of the most incredible hotels I'd ever seen. It was in the jungle, with floor to ceiling windows which allowed for panoramic views. Not only were the trees and greenery incredible, but I was able to see a sloth hanging from the tree right off of my bed room — they really do move as slowly as everyone says. While I was there I went on a night time jungle tour that focused on seeing nocturnal animals. Wandering through a pitch black jungle (with a guide of course) was a bit unsettling at first. My guide gave me a black light to shine on the ground and upon doing so I'd see scorpions in this darkness light up like glow sticks. That experience gave me a true appreciation for how much nature out there we have yet to see.
Where would you love to travel next?
One of my dream destinations has always been camping in the Sahara Desert. I'm very intrigued about trekking by camel across the endless dunes, as I've heard they are extremely scenic. The thought of sleeping under the stars then being able to wake up and see the sunrise across untouched landscapes sounds like such a peaceful experience to me.