Tell us something about yourself.

I consider myself to be an explorer who holds a great will to live, a person who believes in honesty and being humane. A good listener, an empath and always ready with a smile. I am a youth worker by profession and the artistic director for the TV programme One Night Stand. I love art, music and theatre. I am very much into upcycling and a bookworm.

How often do you travel?

I try and travel whenever I have the opportunity, it’s my hype. There were times were I travelled three times a year, there were times when I had to make the best out of being on the rock. Not that this is boring, as I’m always up to discovering secluded places with interesting findings such as caves, shark teeth and more. My travels always have a different purpose. I travel on holiday, to attend weddings, training seminars, exchanges and to carry out voluntary work. But every trip is remarkable in one way or another.

Do you remember your first time abroad?

The first time I went abroad was 14, when my parents decided to send me to Italy on a student exchange programme along with my class mate and our language teachers. It was a truly memorable experience, living with an unknown Italian family in Parma, keeping up with their traditions and trying to make sense out of the conversation, which always came with a hard core dialect. It was a week full of activities and interesting places to visit.

Best holiday ever and why?

India, without a shadow of a doubt. India is the country which has a very special corner in my heart. This was not really a holiday, as I was engaged on a project in Hospet doing voluntary work, an experience which I relive in my memories on a daily basis. Even though we were stationed in a slum area, which means being restricted from having certain commodities, it still features its own special attractions. There were boars roaming around, ladies carrying coal on their head, men sitting cross-legged sipping chai and children calling us ‘Auntie’. They were three months full of experiences that brought smiles and tears and the diversities really fed my mind. While being there, I truly understood the meaning of life, learnt how to live with the bare necessities and came in touch with my soul. Up to this day I have not found proper words to explain this expedition, but every time I try to express myself about it I always smile and get goose bumps.

Which place would you never visit and why?

I have to say that it has to be Dubai. In my eyes, Dubai is a concrete jungle, a place where one has to always seek a place that is equipped with an AC... so you are somehow bound to stay indoors. I don t find this place appealing at all, despite all the riches it holds.

Best travel companion?

I have two travelling buddies whom I feel very comfortable with and who are mostly on the same wave length as myself. Darinka and Amanda are two friends who are always up for an adventure willing to try new things and live up to what the country we are visiting has to offer. Mind you, we do argue as well, but we are mature enough to give ourselves a time-out to gather ourselves and get back on track.

While being there I truly understood the meaning of life, learnt how to live with the bare necessities and came in touch with my soul

And what’s the worst your travel companion could do?

Have a list of recipients who requires souvenirs. I can’t stand a person who thinks it’s a must to bring souvenirs home, who allocates time for shopping instead of heading somewhere more interesting than hopping from shop to another.

What do you usually look for when you travel?

I usually try to visit families in order to have a first-hand experience of the country’s traditions, story and life style. I am always mesmerised with the differences each country holds from another. I believe that when you live with a family based set-up, you are then really coming in touch with most of the aspects of the country, be it the food, music, prayer, etc … I always ask to be considered as one of them, so if it’s a farm we’re living on I do not hesitate to milk a cow or collect eggs.

The perfect holiday would be: a back-pack, trekking boots, head scarf and heading to a jungle that has been untouched by humans, exploring the caves and walking the bewildering trails, while enjoying the smell of the flora and fauna… and also scaring myself to death with the unidentified sounds of animals that call this place home.

What’s the furthest you’ve been from home?

My three-month experience in India. With respect to length of time, there was another three month stretch while working in Brighton, England. I don’t mind being away from home as my parents have always encouraged me to be independent. Of course, even though I don’t mind travelling on my own I do have those particular moments were I long to have someone specific with me, who I’d know they would love it as much as I do.

Package tours or DIY?

Package tours are not for me at all. Most probably if I had to travel with a tour, the guide would ask me to leave the group, as I would be declared missing every day. I am not capable of sticking to a plan. I wouldn’t want to call a chat off with a local because the tour has to leave to visit another location. I’m not just into sightseeing, I’m into feeding my mind and soul and enjoying the moment.

What the best travel advice you can give?

To follow the gut feeling. Following my gut feeling has never given me disappointments. On the contrary, I usually get a more colourful experience than anticipated.

The worst piece of advice you’ve been given?

I can’t recall being given advice that led to a sour experience.

Flying – hate it/love it/neutral?

I’m not scared of flying, though I’m quite surprised at the fact that I do not get panic attacks since I’m very scared of heights. I don’t think I’ll ever consider sky diving or bungee-jumping.

The one place you never get tired of visiting?

India earns this title again, even though I’ve only been once. Each region holds its treasures in every way and this country has such a spectacular feeling. I never get bored reading about its history and traditions.

Describe one memory that stuck with you from a place.

Too many to mention, but there’s one particular event that makes me laugh my heart out when I look back. Amanda, my sister Roselyn and I, were attending Tiziano Ferro’s concert in Agrigento, Sicily. Following the concert, while people made their way home, we tried to get in touch with the taxi service. But it was to no avail as it was late at night and there was also the village feast. The concert area emptied in minutes and we decided to walk our way to the centre in pitch darkness, till some policemen noticed us and approached us, asking us what we were doing at this hour. We explained the situation and ended up making our way back to the hotel in a van, along with another five Sicilian policemen.

I can’t stand a person who thinks it’s a must to bring souvenirs home

You met the coolest people at... ?

Germany, when I was studying theatre. I was living with people from all over the globe, but our trainers were German. They were so open-minded and challenged us in different ways and exposed us to different scenarios in order to study different behaviours from all walks life. This meant going down to the streets and speaking to homeless people, attending my first illegal party and singing along to untuned guitars. People of Halle – you rock.

Your best budget tip to save money on holiday?

Walk. It’s one way to save money and explore the country you are visiting. Always set a limited budget to spend on food, set priorities before travelling and make sure you stick to them.

If you actually had to live away from Malta, where would you pick?

Surprise… India. The areas that lie on the outskirts of the chaotic cities fit perfectly the needs of my lifestyle and I love the weather, the music, the food, the tranquillity and much more. I wouldn’t mind running my own farm and being self-sufficient where there is space and peace of mind.

What’s the one thing you would never do in a foreign country?

Look like a tourist. If you don’t, chances are you’ll end up having a much better and often less expensive experience that allows you to blend in and get a local’s perspective.

Anything on your travel bucket list?

Go on a solo trip and see the landscapes and wild life of Namibia in the Sub-Saharan Africa. It holds an exceptional wildlife, including the last free-ranging of black rhino. Its coastline and deserts keep the whole world awestruck. I’d love to live for a period of time with the Himba or San (formerly Bushmen) of the Kalahari. That would truly be an enriching experience.

Travel is important because... ?

It allows my spirit to gain freedom, feed my knowledge and see what’s beyond pictures portray. Travelling is like medicine to me, it gives me life and empowers me to reach my dreams and relate better with people on different levels. It completes me as a human being, it develops my apprehension towards our world and all its organisms and it allows me to succeed that I am a citizen of the world and not just on the rock I live on.

What has travel taught you?

It has broadened my horizons in various ways and allowed me to realise who I really am by living different moments in various situations, either alone or along with other individuals. I have grown to be more open-minded. Above all, it has given me the opportunity to recognise the beauty and miracles that our planet holds.

Where would you retire and why?

Gozo, because at the end of the day there’s no place like home. Gozo has a magnificent and tranquil aura that would enable me to go through all my past moments and be grateful that have lived through them all, while giving me the serenity to enjoy the last few years of the magical journey which we call life.