Meet the Traveler: Marianna Jamadi
Marianna in Koh Yao Yai, Thailand, celebrating her 30th birthday. Photo courtesy of Marianna Jamadi.
Hometown: Long Beach, California.
Occupation: Photographer and co-founder of El Camino Travel.
Favorite destinations: Mongolia, Indonesia, Italy, Finland.
Dying to visit: Iceland.
Bizarre travel rituals: Pulling out tightly tucked sheets in hotel rooms.
In-flight relaxation regime: Dramamine to knock me out and music to lull me to sleep.
Always in carry-on: Journal and pen.
Concierge or DIY? DIY. I prefer exploring and discovering an area on my own because concierge services often take you to the typical tourist spots. I am always on the hunt for the atypical.
See it all or take it easy? See it all in cities and take it easy at the beach.
Drive or be driven? Be driven.
Travel hero: Burton Holmes, a photographer who coined the term "travelogue." He was traveling and documenting the world at a time when the world still felt undiscovered. He was not only a traveler, a photographer, but also a true explorer. I love his book.
Weirdest thing seen on travels: Watching a mare get milked and then drinking fermented mare's milk.
My favorite hotel is Koh Yao Yai Village on Koh Yao Yai in Thailand. It's remote and the luxury bungalows will have you fantasizing about moving in. The infinity pool doesn't hurt, either.
I dream about my meal in West Java, Indonesia. I would eat nasi campur all the time if I could. It's a great dish showcasing several Indonesian flavors at once.
Best hotel amenity: Fast WiFi.
Favorite childhood travel memory: Visiting the Borobudur Temple in Indonesia.
Everywhere I go, I check out the supermarkets.
When I arrive in a new place, I learn the lay of the land by wandering around on foot and getting lost (then found).
I always bring home a piece of jewelry from each destination. I bought this staple necklace by Kalevala Koru in Finland. I take it with me everywhere.
If I never return to Irkutsk, Siberia, it'll be too soon because I was bored out of my mind.
I travel for the photographic moments.
MORE MARIANNA
Website: www.elcamino.travel
Blog: www.nomadic-habit.com
Instagram: @nomadic_habit
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