Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Jenn and Jack
Occupation: I work as a Social Media Coordinator for a Vinyl Record Label and Jack works in customer acquisition at a digital agency.
Hometown: I am from LA and Jack is from Melbourne, Australia.
Residence: Right now, we both live in LA. Again, for now…just wait until we take off again!
College: This is where it gets interesting, we both went to each other’s schools. I went to LMU and studied for a semester at Swinburne and Jack went to Swinburne and studied abroad at LMU. It’s actually how we met!
College major: I studied communications and Jack studied entrepreneurship. I don’t think either of us really do what we studied now though!
Website: whoneedsmaps.com
Twitter: @Who_Needs_Maps
Facebook: Who Needs Maps
Instagram: whoneedsmaps
Pinterest: Who Needs Maps
Google+: Who Needs Maps
Short bio: We are Jack and Jenn, Jack is from Australia and I am from the US but together we have traveled a few parts of the world to make this long-distance relationship work. It’s been five years of a wonderful travel relationship. We love all the adventures, misadventures, food experiments, epic hikes, interesting encounters, and wild and crazy times.
How often do you fly? About 5-6 times a year, but we try to focus more on roadtrips for this year since Jack’s visa is in the US.
How many countries have you been to? I have been to 34 and Jack has been in 36, but together we have been to 20!
How many continents have you been to? We have been to five continents! All we have to do now is South America and Antarctica!
Earliest travel memory: I used to travel to Spain to visit my grandparents and Jack’s first memory is traveling to England visiting his grandparents!
Favorite American city: So far, we loved Seattle! The coffee scene was just unreal!
Favorite international city: Melbourne, Australia or Hanoi, Vietnam.
Least favorite country: Mine is Hong Kong (due an unlucky week of downpour of rain but I’ll give it another shot) and Jack can’t think of anything! He did say America but I think that’s because of the healthcare (and just a joke as he’s going through all the annoying visa processes).
I have no desire to go to: Russia, but we say that lightly, we would like to go, but we aren’t in any rush.
Friendliest people in the world: Philippines and Vietnam.
Country with the meanest immigration officers: America! Haha they are pretty strict on the laws.
Favorite World Heritage Site: The whole city of Luang Prabang in Laos. It is such a beautiful city and it’s all UNESCO!
Favorite airline: Qantas and Virgin Australia.
Favorite aircraft type: An airplane.
Aisle or window: If it’s a redeye, window seat so we can fall asleep against the window, but a short flight, the aisle is better!
Favorite U.S. airport: San Francisco.
Favorite international airport: Bangkok.
Favorite cruise line: Princess cruises.
Favorite travel credit card: Chase.
Favorite island: Palawan, Philippines.
Favorite beach: White Beach in Camiguin, Philippines.
Favorite National Park: Zion National Park near the Grand Canyon, wow it’s so insanely beautiful!
Favorite fancy restaurant: Madeo’s in Beverly Hills. Their pasta has my heart.
Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Any grungy-looking Mexican food joint in LA.
Favorite bar: New Guernica in Melbourne.
Favorite fruit: Mangosteen and mangos, even better when you pick the mangos freshly from a tree!
Favorite food: Jack loves a good roasted chicken and I love some delicious cheesy pizza.
Least favorite food: I have a weird fear of tomatoes, like they just creep me out, and Jack hates greasy foods like super oily noodles.
Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Beer or gin and tonic.
Favorite travel movie(s): Wolf of Wallstreet hahah
Favorite travel show(s): Chef’s Table.
Favorite travel book(s): I love any Malcolm Gladwell!
Right now I am reading: Right now I am reading “The Tipping Point.”
Favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: Southeast Asia Backpacker and TravelPirates.
Favorite travel website(s)—besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! Flying the Nest, World of Wanderlust, and is it bad to say our own? Who Needs Maps!
5 things you bring on a plane: Phone, headphones, Sudoku book, lotion, and chapstick.
What do you always seem to forget? For some reason I always forget underwear and Jack has forgotten his tooth brush in the past.
What do you like least about travel? Being in a country with no cheese. Man, cheese is the thing I always miss when traveling.
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? Booze because it’s just too damn expensive to buy booze in Australia!
Favorite travel app(s): Triposo, Skype and any Facebook group.
Most embarrassing travel moment: Getting stitches while in bed. An aircon panel fell on my face! They marked me with a big bandaid X on my face.
I’m embarrassed I haven’t been to: I haven’t been to Canada. I was born there but I have NEVER been back!
Worst travel moment: I left my passport in an Airbnb in Paris and only found out while I was on the train to Spain! That didn’t end well.
What’s your dream destination? We are dying go to Antarctica!
Favorite travel charity: Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center.
Best travel tip: When you go, go with all your heart. Meet new people, try new foods and say yes to everything!
