We’re chatting with Jennifer Ruiz Garay, our traveller of the week, and let’s just say we’re all kinds of inspired over here. Not only is she a successful attorney, she also finds time to travel the world and run a solo travel blog. To celebrate her 29th birthday, she took on the modest task of completing 12 trips in 12 months!

Jennifer gives us her tips on how to prioritize travel, her greatest takeaways, and tells us about which adventures she’s looking forward to next.


 

6 Questions with Jennifer

What do you love most about travel?
The best part of travelling is not knowing what a day will bring. For instance, I had plans for months to swim with whale sharks in Mexico that were cancelled at the last minute. I was discouraged at first, but ended up going scuba diving, visiting an underwater museum, and eating fresh ceviche with the boat crew instead. Travelling brings about a sense of anticipation in the best way, because anything can happen.

What’s the most memorable trip that you’ve taken? Could you tell us a bit about your 12 trips in 12 months?
The most memorable trip I’ve taken was to Athens, where I celebrated my 29th birthday at the Parthenon. It was the beginning of my 12 trips in 12 months adventure. As I entered the last year of my twenties, I realized I wanted to celebrate the decade in a meaningful way. After years of studying to be an attorney and working as an entry-level associate, I finally reached a point where I had a work/life balance. I started travelling and haven’t looked back since. In fact, I only look forward now, to my next trip.

What did you love most about your trip to Nice? Do you have any recommendations?
I stopped in Nice after road tripping through the South of France for a week. I highly recommend visiting Lac de Sainte-Croix if you have the time and means to get there. It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Otherwise, stroll the Promenade des Anglais and don’t miss the gelato at Fenocchio!

Any advice for solo travellers?
Absolutely – just go. Don’t wait for the right time or travel partner or sudden infusion of cash to your savings account. There will never be the perfect circumstances, but you can always make the perfect memory.

What was your biggest takeaway from your trip to Nice?
That the south of France is even better than Paris (if you can believe it!), and that macarons are a danger to both your waistline and wallet.

Where are you planning to travel next?
Before the year is up, I’m set to visit the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, Ecuador, Buenos Aires, Thailand, and Cambodia.


“Just go. There will never be the perfect circumstances, but you can always make the perfect memory.” – Jennifer





Flytographer: Gaëtan in Nice


Read more about Jennifer’s solo adventures on her blog, Jen on a Jet Plane.


See more: Nice – solo traveller – traveller of the week