Meet the Travel Writer: Becca Bergman Bull
Becca on the island of Bornholm, Denmark.
Hometown: Live in New York City, born and raised in Seattle.
Occupation: Writer and editor
Favorite destinations: Too many. Block Island. Sonoma and San Francisco for the eats, Montana for the space, Seville for the tradition, Berlin for the freedom, Hong Kong for the audacity, Copenhagen for the design, Buenos Aires for the fun. Colchagua Valley, the San Juan Islands, California National Parks...
Dying to visit: Tokyo! Cambodia. Nicaragua. South Africa. Vermont. The American South — Savannah, New Orleans, Kentucky — anywhere with a drawl, bourbon, and those manners I've heard so much about. Newfoundland, but mostly because I picture giant dogs running around everywhere.
Bizarre travel rituals: Hmmm...perpetually forgetting toothpaste?
In-flight relaxation regime: Guilty pleasure movies plus vino.
Always in carry-on: Prodigious amounts of reading material. Chocolate. Apples. And oh yeah, everything, because I never check bags!
Concierge or DIY? DIY, though I'm learning to let in a little concierge.
See it all or take it easy? Take it easy while trying to see a respectable amount.
Drive or be driven? Be driven. By husband.
Travel hero: Those who will fearlessly eat anything, anywhere.
Weirdest thing seen on travels: Robots riding racing camels in Doha, Qatar. It used to be the job of small boys, but that has since been prohibited.
Best hotel amenity: Free long-distance phone calls at The Peninsula Shanghai.
I dream about my meal at Kadeau, a restaurant that feels like it's falling off the edge of Bornholm, which is a Danish island that feels like it's falling off the edge of the earth.
Everywhere I go, I check out the secret restaurants and bars — I'm such a sucker for those things. Cemeteries and bookshops. Also farmers markets and grocery stores, especially the dairy and candy sections, just to see what they are up to.
When I arrive in a new place, I learn the lay of the land by walking, walking, and walking some more. Big fan of walking.
I always bring home kitschy magnets. My favorite is a real piece of bread that's been lacquered and topped with fake lard and garlic from Kiev.
If I never return to trying to navigate Valparaiso in a rental car it'll be too soon because it was quite a stressful endeavor and I wasn't even driving.
I travel for the photo ops, boozy lunches, and perspective.