Not sure where to go on your next holiday? Spend just a few minutes with Patricia Schultz, the author of the best selling book “1000 Places to See Before You Die,” and you’ll be inspired to travel to the ends of the earth. Her book has seen incredible success: about 6 million copies have been sold and it has been translated into 26 languages.
And she’s still not done. Schultz recently slept in a Yurt in Mongolia and she just returned from Turkey. With even more destinations under her belt, she was ready to share just a few of her thousands of travel tips and stories.
Eat in Istanbul
Schultz was enthusiastic about her trip to Mongolia, but she was possibly even more ecstatic about her recent trip to Istanbul. She loved the ancient, cosmopolitan city, but the best part according to Schultz? “The food! The food is so rich and everything is fresh. They will eat for 3 to 4 hours; people are just talking and smoking. I loved Istanbul.”
Don’t Skip Cairo
In today’s world, Schultz explains that it’s easy to stay within our comfort zone. But we fear what we don’t know, which Schultz believes helps no one. When she was in Cairo recently she says that, “We were the only tourists. There was practically no one else there – to the degree that we stopped traffic because people couldn’t believe we were there.” Travelling to these areas opens up your eyes and helps countries that depend on tourism.
Stay Out Late in Spain
What financial crisis? The current situation in Europe is no reason to stay away, says Schultz. “Europe will always remain a consistent, relevant and exciting place to visit. There are financial crises, but they won’t affect the individual’s visit. We went to Spain last year, in the Northern region. Our trip was a party: we went out on a Wednesday night and it was midnight and restaurants were full. Spain was a revelation – the people just love to live and embrace life.”
Don’t Give Up
If you travel to a specific place to see something, don’t give up. Schultz shared a story about her trip to see the Northern Lights. On her fourth and final night, there was still no sign of the natural phenomenon…until her husband woke up in the early hours of the morning to try one last time: “And there they were! We were staying in a town of 42 people, so there was no light pollution at all. It really is magical.”
Explore the Unexplored
And on November 11, Schultz will embark on yet another adventure. This time, she’ll be venturing to the ends of the earth to explore Antarctica. Her trip will also include the Falklands and South Georgia, not commonly considered to be popular tourist destinations.
Patricia Schultz has had extraordinary experiences, yet she writes and shares stories to inspire others to explore the world we live in. “When you explore things on our own and meet a lot of the local people, these are the highlights and experiences we walk away with. I’m a better person because I’ve travelled.”
She is certainly inspiring Calgarians to travel.
Visit Trafalgar Canada for more destination ideas. 1000 Places to See Before You Die is available from Amazon.