The journey, according to the dictionary, is "going from one place to another", to which we would also add going from one self to another. Yes, because the act of traveling, but really traveling, immersing yourself in realities different from the daily one and abandoning every habit, leads to transforming and sometimes, as in this case, to transforming your life. After a forced stop due to the pandemic, Selena from being an employee of one of the largest Italian Tour Operators, turns into a travel blogger.

"Traveling with Selena has become my life project; in addition to talking about travel, I support companies, bloggers and other travelers with a range of ad hoc services, including social consultations, personalized travel itineraries and even a training course to learn how to open and manage a blog in complete autonomy."

Traveling with Selena, travel blog and life project

Your story is one of resilience, how important do you think this quality is in life and during travel?

Resilience for me is everything; during the first lockdown, in March 2020, I lost my job, which I loved madly, traveling with Selena was my salvation. It taught me that giving up is not an option that is part of my way of being. It taught me that you can reborn after a defeat. But above all it taught me that you can never know what will happen in the future and that you must always be ready to get back in the game!

Often the push to travel comes from a good dose of curiosity, what is your relationship with it?

If I tell you that since I was a child I have always been called “little monkey” would you believe me? In addition to always climbing on the furniture at home, I have always been very curious about life, about others, but also about the world. Curiosity is one of the reasons that always pushes me to travel, beyond the Italian and even European borders because what is "different" from my daily life for me is rich in charm and beauty. Moreover, I believe that being curious is also a sign of intelligence as it is important to discover what surrounds us and to learn to look at life beyond our own nose.

As you know, sustainability is fundamental for us, what are the greenest destinations you have traveled to?

At the top of the greenest places I have visited I would definitely put Bali, the beautiful “island of the Gods” for me represented a journey within a journey. Not just a regular journey, but also an inner journey. In particular, the central areas of the island are very green, of a green almost blinding. I would like to mention also Singapore, which is certainly a big city full of skyscrapers, but it's also full of wonderful parks that allow you to breathe fully and enjoy nature. Finally, I cannot fail to mention Thailand and Zante, two wonderful and very green destinations.

Have you ever thought about doing a cycling trip? Where would you like to go?

Absolutely yes, I love cycling so I would very gladly take a cycling trip. For me the whole world is beautiful so I would go anywhere, even by bicycle. However, there is a specific trip that I would like to do in this way: I would like to visit the Netherlands. I have been to Amsterdam twice and I fell in love with it. I promised myself to return and enjoy a wonderful complete trip in the Netherlands and I would like to discover them by bicycle. What better way to travel in the only country in the world that has more bicycles than inhabitants?

How do you prepare before a trip?

When I am about to leave, I love to prepare everything in detail and try not to leave anything to chance. First of all, I pack my suitcase well in advance, so as not to forget anything and have time to decide what I want to bring. Also, I buy a travel guide and look for a lot of information on internet sites, blogs, and books. Then I have to create a detailed travel itinerary, so as not to miss the most interesting places to visit. I confess though, that the beauty sometimes is also getting lost, beyond the initial plans. Even though I am a “serial planner” sometimes I happen not to follow the activities that I had planned to do that day, but rather I prefer to leave it up to chance and wander without a goal. And when I surrender to chance, often, I reach the most beautiful, authentic and less touristy places.

What are your favorite destinations in Europe?

In Europe there are wonderful places and I can't wait to discover them all! Among the most beautiful cities I have visited, my heart definitely beats for Amsterdam, Seville, Alicante, but also London. If we are talking about seaside destinations, I have to mention Greece, with its wonderful islands, each one more beautiful than the other, but also the Canary Islands, pure and wild.

What are the essential elements of a good trip?

I would say that the essential elements of a good trip are the experience and skills that are acquired by working in the field. Reasons for which I advise against organizing trips independently if you are not able to manage the possible unforeseen events that can happen, such as a canceled flight, an overbooking in the hotel (overbooking) or other similar problems. First of all, I would like to say that those who travel must be armed with a lot of patience and must be able to accept the unexpected. Especially when undertaking more challenging trips or in more remote destinations, the unexpected is always around the corner. So, the advice is to face everything with serenity and to manage the resolution of problems with tenacity and coolness. What certainly makes a journey a good journey, therefore, is the mental predisposition we have towards the journey itself.

And what kind of travelers are you? Serial planners or lovers of the unexpected? If the answer is both, the form of travel that suits you is certainly the self-guided one, which combines the skills of professionals in the planning phase with the freedom to manage your time, make detours and even get lost every now and then.