Traveller Profile - Kerry from VeggTravel
Hey everyone, I’m Kerry Hanson from the UK, Organisational Change Manager by day, travel blogger by night (and most weekends!). I got the travel bug when I travelled South East Asia solo in 2010 and since then I’ve probably been to over 40 countries and counting. My love of travel and extensive experiences gave me the passion to help inspire people for their next adventure.
I run two travel blogs:
VeggTravel – My main site where I share guides, itineraries and things to do across worldwide destinations. I aim to give people ideas and inspiration for their next trip.
Adrenaline Junkiez – My secondary site focuses on specific adrenaline activities that will fuel a thrill-seekers bucket list.
My last trip was to Playa del Carmen, Mexico in November which was a substitute for a road trip around the Garden Route in South Africa which was unfortunately cancelled. I haven’t booked my next trip yet but it is likely to be Egypt or Morocco in Spring.
You can connect with Kerry on all the socials - TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Why do you travel?
I love to experience new cultures, meet interesting people and step outside of my comfort zone with lots of fun (and often scary) activities.
Tell us your favourite:
Place to visit – Southeast Asia holds such great memories for me. From my early experiences in Vietnam to more recent Borneo Backpacking adventures.
Mode of transport – Flying, although that has definitely got more restrictive since COVID-19.
Source to get travel info – I like to read other peoples blogs. I used to just wing it and figure out my itinerary when I arrived somewhere. Although I experienced some unique and amazing things this way, I also missed a lot that I didn’t even know about until later.
What is your favourite travel memory?
This is a tough one as I have so many! I will always love when I worked at a bar in Vang Vieng, Laos when river tubing was still a big thing. It was incredible and I met great people that I travelled the rest of Asia with.
What's the most important thing you've learned while travelling?
Trust your instinct. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Equally though, I think it is wrong to be overly suspicious of people. Sometimes people just want to help. Not everyone is trying to scam or harm you. I wouldn’t have had half the experiences I would have had if I hadn’t taken a few risks.
Who would you love to sit next to on your next flight?
Randomly, I’d love to sit next to Alice Cooper. While I don’t listen to his music anymore, I have a lot of nostalgia and he’s always seemed like a really nice guy.
What's your best money-saving tip to travel?
Pack the right way. I always avoid taking a hold bag if I can as they’re so expensive. When you have more space, you often pack a lot of things you don’t need. If you run out of space in your hand luggage, take an extra bag that bits inside a bag you get from the airport duty-free and put your extra things in there. Hand luggage restrictions only apply to your own bag, not anything you buy from the airport so it’s a great way to get extra space.
How do you deal with the post-holiday blues?
Book a new holiday!
What's one thing you like to do in every place you visit?
Do an adrenaline activity or three.
Travelling can leave a big environmental footprint; how do you minimise yours?
Travelling light certainly helps and it also means I restrict my liquids, so I often take shampoo and conditioner bars which are environmentally friendly. I also think it is important to look at where you’re staying and whether your chosen location/country shares the same values as you do.
Plan an around the world trip for us, stopping in one city only on each continent.
Starting from Manchester, UK and sticking to official continents I would advise the following world trip:
Amsterdam, Netherlands, Europe
Cape Town, South Africa
La Fortuna, Costa Rica, South America
Ontario, Canada, North America
Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand
Kyoto, Japan, Asia
The Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
These amazing destinations are a mix of places I’ve been to and highly recommend, plus a few others that are definitely on my bucket list!
Thanks for sharing Kerry. Keeping two blogs must keep you busy! What great memories you must-have of all your travels. I love the places you suggest for your around the world trip. I have been to all those cities (except The Antarctic Peninsula) and can definitely recommend for others to see them too.
Make sure to read past traveller profiles here.
Each month an enthusiastic traveller will share with us their personal stories from their adventures around the world. If you would like to be featured in the upcoming months then contact laurathexplaura@gmail.com
What were your key takeaways from Kerry? What did you learn? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.
