Melo Villareal
Meet Hannah & Adam – another traveling couple and the publishers of GettingStamped.com. Currently they are on a Round-the-World trip “GETTING STAMPED” in 47 countries since June 2013.
Hannah & Adam in El Nido, Philippines
They have always had a case of the travel bug, but it wasn’t until a trip to Belize that took their travel addiction to a whole new level. The had the “American Dream”, got married, owned a house, had great corporate jobs, lived very comfortably, BUT something was wrong. They worked way too much and had little time off. They escaped abroad with every spare minute of holiday time, but it was never enough.
Shortly after they got married, a buzzer went off telling us ‘It’s now or never’. They felt that everything is getting a bit too normal, and that was scary. Their solution? Pack their bags and head out on an epic trip of a lifetime!
Learn more about Hannah and Adam by reading their interesting responses to our travel questionnaire below.
When did you started blogging, Why do you blog?
We started GettingStamped in 2012 when we were in the early stages of planning our around the world (RTW) trip. We had been following travel blogs and realized we needed to start our own blog to share are travel tips, stories, and photos with the world, like all the great blogs we had been following.
When did you start traveling, inspirations?
We took our first trip as a couple within 6 month’s of dating, and within a year our first international trip to Negril, Jamaica where we returned 5 years later to get married on the beach. We escaped on vacations as much as possible with our limited American holiday leave.
Lessons you learned on the road?
Our lives are forever changed, we now realize how lucky we am to have the opportunities we have.
One of the biggest lessons we learned is to not value stuff as much as we once did. Having, and needing too many things leads to a life of working just to pay for the things in your life. Travel has taught us to value experiences over possessions. Basically travel has showed us how to live a simpler life.
Hannah in a Maasai village in Kenya while on an African safari
Destinations on your Bucket List?
The world is so big this list keeps growing, at the top of the list we have the following:
North America- Alaska, and Cuba which we hope to get to next year.
Antarctica is the last continent to visit for us, and one day we will make it there.
Asia- 7,000+ Filipino islands, Japan
South America- Bolivia, Brazil
Africa- Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Egypt
Middle East- Jordan, Israel
Oceania- Bora Bora, Tahiti
Beach or Mountain?
BEACH, we like to visit the mountains but could live on the beach.
Hannah at Secret Beach on Tour C in El Nido
How often do you travel by air / land?
We are a mix of everything, from bus/plane/foot/bike/tuk-tuk/boat/sea plane/camel/rafting/train you name the mode of transport we’ve taken it.
It really varies based on where we are. Just last month we had 8 flights but traveled to 4 countries. In Central America it was all by land, but here in Asia it’s a mix of flights & buses depending on prices and distances.
Rafting in the Pacure River in Costa Rica
What’s your favorite airport?
Atlanta, when we land in Atlanta it either mean’s we are going on an international flight or we are just one flight away from home. Atlanta is busy but a great airport, easy to get around and a great affordable food court.
What is your favorite Hotel?
Put us in a bamboo beach hut and were happy! Waking up & fall asleep to the waves crashing is better than any 5 star hotel.
Sun-Kissed in El Nido
What is your preferred Airline?
We love United for redemption of miles, but Korean Airlines still sticks out as the best service ever. On our last flight on Korean air we saw the stewardesses holding and rocking a crying baby, now that is service!
How do you beat jet lag / Motion sickness?
The best cure we have found for jet lag is to get yourself on the new time zone as quick as possible. When we land in a new destination we try and stay up until a normal bed time so we will wake up in the morning adjusted and ready for the day.
Hannah gets motion sickness in vehicles on windy roads, usually taking a Dramamine knocks her out and she sleeps her way through it.
What are your favorite travel gadgets?
We travel with lots of gadgets, the most important technology we carry are the camera we use to capture our travels. We couldn’t live without our computers, we like to post daily on our Facebook page and 2+ articles a week on the website.
Any Tips on how to travel light?
Pack light weight clothes that dry fast making washing quicker and easier. This will allow you to pack less clothes.
Best Backpack Brand?
Osprey, we currently have a convertible backpack with wheels so if needed we can carry but for the most part we roll it. We have also use the Osprey traditional backpacks for long hikes and travel days and they are as comfortable as it gets.
Top 3 Philippine Destinations?
El Nido had the best beaches, Coron has the best diving, and Boracay not only has great beaches but a sunsets & nightlife to top it off!
Hannah & Adam at Kayangan Bay, Coron, Palawan, Philippines
Things you love about the Philippines?
The beaches….and the beaches….did I say they beaches? Island after island the Philippines just keeps getting prettier. We can’t forget our favorite Filipino favorite foods like the garlic rice & pork tocino, makes me hungry thinking about it. Adam did make sure to indulge in the local favorite Balot we even caught it on camera.
Tosilog Breakfast
Things you hate about the Philippines?
Hate, not sure there is anything we hate. We dislike that the weather can be a bit unpredictable. We wish there were more fresh fruits & vegetables readily available on the more remote islands, but the the nature of being far, far away from everything.
What made you decide to visit the Philippines?
Reading other travel bloggers stories and seeing their pictures put the Philippines on our travel radar. Heard great things about the diving in Coron, Adam decided it would be a great place to get his PADI Advanced open water certificate. Then we stumbled upon a $27 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Manila and we jumped on it, 2 weeks later there we were in the Philippines. We had an amazing 3+ weeks exploring the country, our pictures from the Philippines make us realize it was the best $27 every spent!
Adam getting ready for a dive in Coron
Top 3 International Destinations?
- New Zealand
- Antigua, Guatemala
- El Nido, Philippines
Sunrise at Lago Atitlan, Guatemala after a 3 day – 50km hike
Favorite Travel Quote :
“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn
