Interview (1) - let me introduce you to Denise from Germany

My name is Denise. I'm from Germany, 29 years old. I'm currently studying English and geography to become a teacher :)
I believe that everything you picture can become true if you embrace all the positive things and love life, yourself and others :) you'll attract SO much luck and love :))

1. What was your inspiration or the event/idea that made you want to travel?- oh this is funny :) and weird haha. I was actually with a friend in London and went to a fortune teller at Camden market. He said he sees me traveling a lot the following year. Not that I used to believe in stuff like that, but everything else he told me became true (long story) and when that happened I started to actually think about a big travel adventure and started it.
2. What was your first travel experience? - I then set off to Bali fully confident that everything would turn out fine. I was teaching English to kids there and it was the first time I traveled alone. It was awesome and I loved it.  
   First time in their life the kid have seen snow :)) I won a Thailand trip with that picture!! ;)

   

   First time in their lives the kid have seen snow/ I won Thailand trip with that picture!!!! :)
   

   

3. Have you ever felt lonely travelling solo? - I was afraid I did, but as much as I tried to stay on my own (at the beginning) the more people I had around me and I was never alone or felt lonely. At later travels I fell in love though and my heart was broken. This was the only time I felt like being all alone and lonely. It was in Australia- compared to my home Germany it was the other side of the world and yes this didn't feel good.
4. Do you have any fun stories of things that happened to you that you realized even at the time, “This never would have happened if I had been traveling with someone else?” - everything! When you travel alone you keep attracting people that have your vibes and if you have good instincts they will never lead you to people that are bad for you. And if this happens you can always leave for good. This is not as easy when your traveling in a group or with another person. You have to make compromises then. I think this is one of the reasons why I prefer to be on my own.
5. What was your best travel experience?- oh wow this is a hard one- there are too many :) Like: Some years ago in Germany I was looking through a webcam showing the Duke statue in Honolulu, Hawaii.People were passing the screen, some were putting flowers in the statue, some dropped their bags, some we're waving into the camera. I always tried to imagine what was behind the camera and wished I was there. Nearly 10 years later some Couchsurfers showed this place to me and I saw what was behind the camera I was on the other side of the screen!! This made me SO happy!!!! :))
   
   When I was in Thailand teaching kids I met a guy who lived 15 minutes away from my hometown in Germany! :)) what a small world. We rented some scooters and drove up the North of Thailand. When I took this picture he was holding my hand so I don't fall off the waterfall. We were sitting up there for a while- this view was amazing. 
   
   Another great experience was to swim with an elephant. Swing this huge huge creature in front of you allowing to come that close was amazing!
   
   Aw I love elephants!
   Oh yes!! This one is great!!! We hypnotize a chicken!!!! Hahahahaha! I'm totally serious with that!! A really good friend of mine, Ashley, told me how to do it :))
   
   
   And this is how it works:
   Grab the chicken and put it sideways on the ground, his head has to be on the ground, hold it there gently and make sure it looks at the stick you are holding in front of it. Wait till his pupils widen, then move the stick backwards and stick it into the ground. Let go of the chicken and I will not move until the stick falls over!!!! This is SO hilarious!!! :D hahaha
   
   Another great travel experience was to participate in a Rainbow Gathering.
   Rainbow gatherings happen all around the world but they are secret. There are no maps guiding you there you have to ask people and look for small hints to get there. In my case this meant hiking with Lily (a gourgeous girl from New York I met while traveling) for 8 hours! We were chasing after cars trying to hitchhike and missed most of them ;)
   
   Packed with a lot of stuff we walked through Hawaii's most southern area. No tropics there just sand sand and sand ...
   
   At some point a car took us along. Those guys were wave boarding and drove us just where the lava stones began. Someone had told us this gathering was near the coast so we hiked into that directions. Small signs saying "save the planet" helped us find our way. By the time we saw some naked people we knew we were close haha.
   
   Hidden in the trees was a whole village of friendly hippies greeting you with "welcome home rainbow warrior" :D we were sitting on the ground, eating and smoking- enjoying life. The food was for free and each of us ha half a coconut shell to eat from. Swings were hanging in the trees and everyone was happy- besides the crazy flower lady who probably had too many mushrooms and started to shout at everybody with small flowers braided into her hair hahaha :)
   
   
   We stayed for 1-2 days and hit hiked with some nice people back home to our hostel. Make sure to experience one of those gatherings- keep an eye open they're all around the world.
   Another great experience is to do a camping trip to Maya Bay ("The Beach") there are always only 25 people on the island. 
   They'll throw you out of the boat and you swim to a small ladder where you hike to the beach then. It's quite a small island and when the sun goes down- luckily all the tourists go home too haha. And you get to be there with just a bunch of people!!
   When the sun in down and you swim in the water you are surrounded by glowing plankton in the water that sparkles every time you move around! :)
   I was floating on my back for a while when I saw a shooting star in the sky ..ten I realized I'm so happy I can't come up with one single wish! :))
6. Is there anything you would have done differently/ any regrets, if you could do it over again?- no. Because everything I've experienced shaped me the way I am.
7. What was your worst travel experience? -the heartbreak thing. And I trusted someone as a friend and he stole the parcel he offered to send home for me. This was hard because I really did think we were good friends. Still hurts a bit.
8. What’s the strangest situation you have found yourself in?- Java. I wanted to see the Bromo volcanoe by sunrise ad wa brought there by a guy on a horse in the dark. We stopped at a camp fire where 10 men sat all covered in carpets. I had to walk up that mountain in the dark on my own without any torch. I was sitting on that mountain for 3 hours before a few other travelers found their way. This was a bit scary.
   
9. Where will you never return to?-hm... I don't really know. I always try to see new countries so I avoid those I've already been to (if possible). But if I had to chose it would probably be Las Vegas. 
10. What advice would you give women traveling solo to your home country?- oh haha :) drink beer!! Come to Germany sit down somewhere and have a nice cold beer! Oh and probably don't come in autumn- there's too much rain. Oh and go to Heidelberg. Take the mountain train thing (hahaha that's so NOT the English word for it, haha) up to "Königstuhl".
    
    Take a blanket (oh and the beers) and sit on this meadow :))
11. What are your future travel plans?- Nicaragua and Costa Rica
12. What are your top three tips for women traveling solo? - listen to your heart! - follow your instincts - and smile :)
    
13. What would you tell women who are looking to travel alone but worry about their safety? - trust the feeling you have in your stomach when meeting a person and go away  if it doesn't feel right. No matter what!!!!

    

    Trust the feeling you have in your stomach when meeting a person....

14. Couchsurfing..what do you think about that?- oh it's awesome!! A nice way to meet new friends and have good conversations with. Unfortunately I was only accepted by guys - would have loved to meet some girls but this was nice too :) oh and I'm writing my dissertation about couchsurfing as an anthropogenic (?? Dot know if that English word is right, haha) story (okay I'm pretty sure I translated that one wrong, haha)
15. How do you pay for a life of travel?- I'm lucky to have parents who want me to see as much as possible. I'm saving at the moment though. Wen my studies are done next year I will probably have enough money to financiate myself. So far it's promotion work, serving coffee and gardening at my parents place
16. Tell us about the best food you have ever eaten on your travels?- oh yes!! Frog in Cambodia!! 
    I was a bit skeptical at first but, holy shit that was good! Haha :)
    
    I also love dumplings and every single kind of fruit! In Hawaii I could just pick them up from the streets while waiting for the bus. SO yummy!
    This was our weekly coconut supply!
    
    Unfortunately I couldn't find the picture of the shirtless guys throwing the coconuts into the truck ;) hahaha
    Oh hahahaha when you're in Australia try and eat the green ants!!
    
    They're really sour and taste like lemon!! Not kidding! ;)
    Oh but eat only the green part it's quite painful to get bitten in the tongue...
    Oh and durian in Thailand is pretty awesome!! :)) and breadfruit and everything Vietnamese, like fried pumpkin flowers :)) 
    
    
    Did you know that you can dry the seeds of papayas and use them as a mild pepper? :) this is pretty good- especially in bread :) on this picture you can see George- our daily papaya seed visitor in Hawaii.
    
    
    You make me hungry now- hahaha!
17. What is the most breathtaking view you have ever witnessed on your travels- the north of Thailand up in the mountains over the clouds, 

    

    lava streams in Hawaii
    

    

    Every single waterfall and rainbow in Hawaii

    

    the desert in Morocco 

    

    Angkor wat in Cambodia!!

18. What do you miss about your home when you go traveling? -my family and sometimes my friends
    
19. What item will you always carry in your backpack?-my phone haha :) I'm addicted to wifi ;) and my travel journal. I managed to write every single day down so far :)
20. Who was the kindest or most generous person you met on your travels, and what did they do?- There were several people/ friends who offered me to stay at their home, which was just heartwarming.
    Two people became very important to me at some point of my travels: Vera and Flo. 
    (We were making blue pancakes there)
    
    
    She was from Holland and he was from France. We met in Cairns and I up until now I have no idea why try liked me. I was heartbroken and the worst and most desperate person to be around. They managed to cheer me up with just being themselves and dragging me along wherever they went. I am SO thankful for that.
    So many people I met on my way who became friends for life. It would take too long to mention everyone. When you travel on your own you'll find friends in each country where you just feel home being around them.
    
    
    Another good friend I met through traveling is Ashley. I met him in Thailand several times on coincidence, he visited me in Germany and I stayed with his wonderful family for a while in Australia! :)
    There he is on the phone for "Big Dick Buddha slide" a mountain slide shaped like a Buddha in the back if this picture. You can rent it calling the fake phone on the beach hahahaha
    
    
    By the way this place (south of Koh Tao, Thailand)
    
    has a hilarious fridge:
21. What have you learned from travelling?- oh wow a lot where do I start. The most important thing I learned besides developing an understanding of people and feeling how they feel was probably the ability to share and and enjoy it! The knowledge that giving makes you so happy! :)
22. Who inspires you? What other travellers do you look up to?-I look up to adventurous people who dare themselves (I admire their braveness). And I look up to women that are beautiful but don't take an advantage of it- who have a truly good heart and love themselves as well as others.