Introducing another new blogger at Gadling, Amy Chen…
Where was your photo taken: Mazatlán, Mexico, before parasailing
Where do you live now: New York City
Scariest airline flown: Any commuter plane when it hits turbulence.
Favorite city/country/place: The San Francisco Bay Area for its laid-back lifestyle, inventive cuisine, and walkable streets. Oh, and my family still lives there.
Most remote corner of the globe visited: I haven’t been there yet, though Land’s End in Cornwall, England, did have a nice edge-of-the-earth feeling.
Favorite guidebook series: To be honest, I’m more of Yelper these days than a traditional guidebook reader. But when I lived in London seven years ago, I was partial to Lonely Planet and Frommer’s books. I know I have those dog-eared copies somewhere. Nowadays, I’m more likely to check out the websites.
Worst hotel experience: I’m going to protect the name of this hotel, but I spent a sleepless night at a stylish boutique property, which was so cool and sleek that it was uncomfortable. It wasn’t just that the canvas-like sheets were scratchy and itchy, but it turns out the previous guest had set a timer on the flat-screen TV. I was rudely awakened at 2 a.m. After turning off the TV, the blasted thing turned on again at 3 a.m. like it was possessed. I called the front desk and was told to unplug the TV. I’ve never been happier to check out and go home to sleep in my own bed.
Worst place to catch a stomach bug: Hong Kong. I suspect I ate a bowl of congee that had spoiled. I ended up contracting dysentery, going to the emergency room not once but twice at the filthiest hospital I’ve ever seen–and missing my return flight home because I was in the ER. It took me an entire summer to recover and regain my appetite (which I thankfully haven’t lost since).
Favorite means of transportation: My feet. I love wandering around and checking out new neighborhoods at my own pace. Especially in New York City, I find that if I vary my path by a block or two, I’ll inevitably notice a building or shop that I’d somehow overlooked. This sense of wonder and discovery, which comes so naturally when you’re traveling, is something I like to replicate even in the places that I call home.
Languages spoken: high school French, plus conversational Taiwanese and Mandarin. By conversational, I mean my 8-year-old niece is probably more fluent than I am. But that will change, thanks to my Rosetta Stone.