Expat to Expat Q&A: Travel

Today I'm linking up with Found Love, Now What? & The Hemborg Wife for my very first Expat to Expat Q&A! There's even questions this month from my friend Lisa! 

June Questions:

1. Which airport would you like to never see again?
The Manila, Philippines airport! It's pretty terrible. But, I know I'll see it again. It's inevitable. I just hope they get their stuff together ASAP!

2. What is your travel nightmare?
Missing a flight.

3. Would your rather stay in a fancy hotel and do less activities or stay in a hostel and do more activities?
HOSTEL! All. The. Way.

One of our most favorite hostels we've ever stayed at- The Point in Máncora, Peru.

4. Do you have any pre-travel rituals?

I say a prayer in my head before taking off.

5. What is your favorite airline to fly with?
I like Japan Airlines. They're really nice and good food! (well, good for airplane-type food)

6. If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

This has got to be one of the hardest questions for me to answer. People ask me this all the time. I have too many places I want to go. One place that's at the top of my list though is Amsterdam.

7.  How do you survive long haul flights?
Watching in-flight movies or listening to my iPod.

8. What is your favorite stamp in your passport and why?
Every single one is my favorite because they all remind me of great times in great places. 

Questions from Lisa at Meanderings, Adventures & Crafty Inspirations

1. What are your top 3 necessary items for travel?
My husband, my backpack & money.

2. What is your off the beaten track trip in your current home?
Well, in the Philippines, I'd say it was going caving in this lesser-known cave where we lived. It was quite the adventure. (Read about it here.)

I'm even going to do May's questions since I missed it! And it's about food, so you know I can't skip that topic!

May Questions:

1. What is your favorite food tradition in your new country?
In the Philippines- eating rice with everything. Haha...

2. Where have you traveled to that you thought had the best food to offer?
Ooooo, this is tough, too. I think Korea had really good food. I love Korean BBQ & kimchi! Oh, and Thailand. Of course. Love it.

Eating KBBQ in Korea!

3. What is the typical breakfast where you currently live and would you eat it back home?

In the Philippines it's rice, some kind of meat (like spam or loganisa (sweet sausage), and fried egg. Not the healthiest, but definitely yummy! I do eat that back home every so often.

4. What type of restaurant, either style or type of food, do you think is lacking in your new home?
In the Philippines, a good Mexican place was definitely lacking. Here in Nashville, we seem to be running into the same problem. Of course, we're picky when it comes to Mexican since we're from California. Also, there are no Filipino restaurants here. That's a bummer.

5. Do you think your home state/city/province has a food everyone should try?
In the Philippines, I think everyone should try the foods I talked about in my post Filipino Food: A Basic Guide. In California, In-N-Out. Duh. 

6. What is your favorite dish to prepare that you would never have made back home?
Hm, I don't think I have one...

7. What is the oddest food in your new country?
In the Philippines- it's probably balut (incubated duck egg) or dinuguan (intestine stewed in pork blood).

8. If you could have a crate of one type of food sent to you from your home country, what would it be?
When I was in the Philippines, I always wanted a carne asada burrito! So I'd take a crate of that! 

9. What three foods remind you of summer?
BBQ (any kind of meat!), watermelon and s'mores (if you consider that food, lol)

10. What food from your new country are you surprised to enjoy?
Nothing surprised me because I tend to enjoy all food. =)

 Bonus:  Where was your favorite place you ever took a summer vacation to?
Costa Rica.