Francesca Brooking is a travel blogger and journalist from London, UK. On her blog, Little Lost Travel, she writes about responsible and Eco-luxury travel all over the world. She loves food, nature documentaries and all things related to Greek mythology.
MT: Talk a bit about yourself
Francesca Brooking: Hello! My name is Francesca and I’m a 26-year-old travel and lifestyle journalist. When I’m not travelling, I enjoy reading, going for walks with a good podcast and (very) amateur photography which I’m aiming to get better at!
I’m currently devoting most of my time to my blog which aims to inspire and make it easier for people to travel more sustainably on their trips. Some of the things I write about include Eco-friendly accommodation, ethical travel companies and how to get involved with ecotourism.
MT: When did you start to be interested in travelling?
FB: I’ve always loved the idea of travel since I was a child. The possibility of seeing what was out there captivated me. I was lucky enough to go on a few trips growing up and one place that really stuck with me was Greece. I’ve been hooked ever since.
MT: What is your first travel-related memory?
FB: My first travel memory is from when I went to Switzerland with my parents. I remember walking in the hills and spotting cows with bells jangling around their necks.
MT: What is your favourite place (travel destination) in the world? Why?
FB: My favourite place in the world so far is Fiji for its sun, sea, sandy beaches and some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.
I spent two glorious weeks island-hopping and some of my highlights include snorkelling with reef sharks, swimming with manta rays and breathtaking sunsets every evening.
MT: Have you ever had any bad experiences when travelling?
FB: My backpack was stolen in Barcelona. It was the only bag I had with me but thankfully I had unpacked most of it at the Airbnb (including my passport, phew!).
I had to travel back to the UK with the rest of my belongings in a bin bag. It wasn’t my finest hour but at least I wasn’t flying. I’m not sure air security would take too kindly to a bin bag!
MT: Which countries have you travelled to?
FB: The majority of countries I’ve visited are in Europe and my favourite ones include Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Greece.
I’ve also been to Hong Kong, Fiji and New Zealand.
MT: Do you have any advice or tips for aspiring travellers?
FB: Bite the bullet and just go for it! There will never be a perfect time to travel and it gets so much easier once you’ve got your first trip under your belt.
If you’re not sure where to go, choose somewhere easy and nearby to start with. That way you won’t feel as daunting. Trust me, taking that first leap will be the best thing you ever did.
MT: What are the challenges of travelling solo? (if you are a solo traveller)
FB: Being solely responsible for the whole trip. Everything is up to you from the itinerary to the budgeting and the all-important task of not getting lost. It’s intimidating even if you are a seasoned solo traveller – but it’s also incredibly liberating.
Your trip is yours alone. You get to call the shots on what you do and where you go. Embrace it!
MT: How have your travels changed you?
FB: I owe a lot to my travels. I’ve become more confident in my abilities, grown my cultural awareness and formed international friendships with people I would never have met otherwise.
Travel also gave me a career path. I felt lost after graduating from university so I went away for a few months and came back inspired to make travel my job.
MT: What country or city is your travel bucket list?
FB: My travel bucket list evolves and changes rapidly from one day to the next depending on my mood. Right now, I would love to explore more of Asia, starting with Vietnam. The delicious street food, culture and beautiful scenery are all calling my name.
MT: Future travel plans?
FB: I did have half-formed plans to visit Australia but I’m not too sure when that will happen now. I think my future travel plans will be domestic, at least to start with.
Once it’s calmed down a bit, I would love to take the opportunity to explore the UK as I’ve neglected it so far!
Francesca on Social Media
Twitter: @littlelosttrvl
Instagram: @littlelosttravel_
Facebook: @littlelosttravel
Pinterest: Little Lost Travel
Olá Simone, it’s always a pleasure to read and discover about other fellow travelers 🙂 all the best and greetings from Lisbon, PedroL