I love original travel blogs so I’m delighted to have Luke from Anti Travel Guides take on our five travel questions. As the blog name suggests, Luke has some great destinations and experiences to draw on from, having spent time travelling Europe, North America and the Caribbean to name a few.! Find out what’s top of his bucket list and his favourite destination!
In front of the Hagia Sofia, Istanbul
Why do you love travel?
I love travel because it broadens the mind and lets you experience vastly different cultures to what you are used to. I love trying new foods, and meeting people from different cultures and languages. Of course, I also travel to see nature that I cannot see in my home country, or a giant hole in a desert, or the castle of a crazy king in the mountains.
What destination is top of your bucket list?
Highest on my bucket list at the moment is Norway. All of it. Like I said, in Australia, I have to drive 7 hours to see crappy snow and low mountains. Norway has this in abundance. I am also bursting to see their natural fjords, glaciers, and little mountain towns. Of course, throw into the mix the possibility of seeing Aurora Borealis and basically you’ve just described my dream month of exploring.
Where is your most favourite place you have travelled to?
Leeds in England will always have a special place in my heart. While not high on anybody’s bucket list (not least the English), but I spent 6 months of my life there “studying” abroad. I met lifelong friends who I tore apart Europe with, found a local pub to call my second home, and watched insane amounts of football. Basically, as a 21 year old is was brilliant to make my new home in a different country.
What is your most favourite memory or experience whilst travelling?
I visited Turkey about 5 years ago for an ANZAC Day service, which commemorates the fallen ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corp) soldiers that were killed in a failed landing at Gallipoli in World War I. This is something we grew up learning about and to see the fields (and preserved trenches) in which it happened still gives me chills.
On top of this, Istanbul is just an insane city, I loved it so much I went back a few months later on a cruise. The mosques are beautiful, the people are surprisingly friendly (even the guy whose van I got into), the kebabs have hot chips in them by default and bargaining at the Grand Bazaar is the most fun you might ever have.
What is your favourite photo from your travels?
This photo was just taken a few months ago in December. My family spent the week on a boat in the Whitsundays and I spent the entire time in search of turtles.Among a few others, I found this beautiful creature and my look of wonder was captured.
