In celebration of International Women’s Day, Spafax took the opportunity to check in with some of our top female executives about one of our favorite topics: travel! We asked them 8 questions, from their favorite travel memories to what they can’t leave home without to what they love watching at 30,000 feet.
Happy International Women’s Day to all of our colleagues, clients, and partners!
1. Window seat or aisle for your dream getaway? Aisle for sure!
2. What’s your go-to travel accessory you can't leave home without? Quality ear plugs
3. First thing you do when arriving in a new city? Local orientation walk – I like to get a sense of where I am
4. Favorite travel memory that inspires you? So many! Scuba diving with spinner dolphins in Brazil, spotting blue whales in Sri Lanka, everything about the Galapagos!
5. Favorite thing to watch on an airplane? I like to catch up with a movie I haven’t seen or a box set drama. Later in the flight, I might watch a favorite comedy such as The Office, Kath and Kim or Motherland where no effort is required!
6. What's your favorite travel destination for relaxing, and where in the world do you feel most empowered? You can’t help but chill in the Caribbean. The easy-going vibe is infectious, there is music everywhere, and the ocean and beaches are amazing. I feel empowered anywhere I can travel solo and feel comfortable. The Greek islands are a special favorite.
7. Craziest travel experience you've ever had? Being in a camp on safari in Zimbabwe which was overrun by elephants
8. Ultimate travel hack for busy female executives? Have a duplicate bag of toiletries so you are always ready to go. Always take a pashmina for the aircraft. Steam any creased clothes in the shower. And keep a packing spreadsheet.
1. Window seat or aisle for your dream getaway? Always a window. I love to cocoon, and you can’t beat the views.
2. Favorite thing to watch on an airplane? I typically prefer to read, as I watch a lot of content off the plane and it’s a nice, concentrated time to read. But I do get excited to catch up on some movies or TV series I may have missed, or a comfort watch (I will always find Clueless if it’s onboard!).
3. First thing you do when arriving in a new city? I like to take a long walk or go for a run to get a feel for where I am and what’s around. And then I like to find a great place to eat and a good bookshop.
4. Favorite travel memory that inspires you? When I was 20, I was traveling with my cousin who was a very nervous traveler. We were in Brussels and got very lost — this was pre-smart phones. We eventually found our way back but it was a detour of over an hour. Later, I described it to my mother as a fun adventure where I saw parts of the city I otherwise wouldn’t have, while my cousin described it to my aunt as a disaster of a day. So I try to always remember that sometimes the mishaps of travel are the best stories — and it’s all in how you view it.
5. What's your favorite travel destination for relaxing, and where in the world do you feel most empowered? I find it relaxing to meander around a city, feeling the energy and in particular spending a morning or afternoon in an art museum and then eating at a great restaurant. I love Chicago — I could spend days in the Art Institute of Chicago — and Barcelona most for my type of relaxation. I’m also a New Yorker at heart, but since I live abroad, I count New York as a key destination for me to relax and feel at home.
6. Craziest travel experience you've ever had? At a temple in Delhi, about 200 schoolchildren lined up to shake my hand thinking I was possibly someone famous!
7. Ultimate travel hack for busy female executives? Packing cubes, always have layers (for varying temperatures throughout every part of the journey), and hydrate.
8. If you could have dinner anywhere in the world with your female icon, who and where would that be and why? As a big book nerd, I’d love to have dinner in London with Zadie Smith or in Los Angeles with Roxane Gay to talk books, writing, art, life and travel.
1. Window seat or aisle for your dream getaway? Ideally, a window seat with aisle access.
2. Go-to travel accessory you can't leave home without? My Kindle
3. First thing you do when arriving in a new city? Figure out where I’m going to eat.
4. Top destination on your travel bucket list? New Zealand
5. Favorite travel memory that inspires you? Sunset beach yoga. It gives me a sense of inner peace.
6. What's your favorite travel destination for relaxing, and where in the world do you feel most empowered? My favorite destination for relaxing is the Maldives. I feel most empowered in the big cities, like New York, Los Angeles, and Singapore
7. If you could have dinner anywhere in the world with your female icon, who and where would that be and why? I’d meet with Malala Yousafzai anywhere! Given I am also of South Asian descent, Malala’s passion in supporting female education resonates with me deeply.
8. Craziest travel experience you've ever had? A long weekend in Paris visiting a friend in my 20s ... and that’s all the detail I will share ;-)
1. Window seat or aisle for your dream getaway? Window for short clear-day flights and aisle for long-haul flights
2. Favorite thing to watch while flying? I like watching recent blockbusters, as I rarely have time to go and see them in cinema!
3. First thing you do when arriving in a new city? Take a stroll to get a feel for the local vibe and to make sure I have cash.
4. Top destination on your travel bucket list? Niagara Falls. And seeing the Northern lights.
5. Best piece of advice for female travelers? Stay alert and trust your intuition in unfamiliar situations.
6. Craziest travel experience you’ve ever had? Driving a half-broken car at night in rural Russia 100 miles away from any tarmacked roads under torrential rain. Not the experience I want to repeat ever!
7. Ultimate travel hack for busy female executives? Stay hydrated and make an effort to eat healthy.
8. If you could have dinner anywhere in the world with your female icon, who and where would that be and why? I would love to meet Serena Williams because of her unmatched talent and resilience, inspiring generations of athletes. She is also a philanthropist dedicated to various charitable causes, particularly focused on education, health, and empowerment. We would meet at a restaurant that offers a relaxed, intimate atmosphere.