Hello there, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hi!
We are Maëva and Antony, 28 and 32, both Marketing managers in Rouen, France.
Antony: I love sports (CrossFit, tennis and football – sorry – and especially PSG – sorry again!), fashion, good food and good wine, and of course travelling! The real life ! 😊
Maëva: I'm from Montpellier so I love the sun and the heat! I love traveling but more in the islands than skiing 😉, sports (especially boxing, it lets off steam!) and good wine (Pic Saint Loup, of course!).
We love to be on the move whether in France or abroad, moreover at work we are often told "what, are you still on vacation?! » …
What gets you up in the morning?
A good breakfast (and our expatriation project 😉 ).
What's your guilty pleasure?
Antony: Maëva's mashed avocado! How come you don't know her?!
Maëva: Sun and summer!
The thing you are most proud of?
To support our friends who are embarking on new adventures, and especially Antoine in the launch of his great project We are Voyagers!
(Editor's note: they are really too cute 😊 )
TRAVELING AS A GREAT PASSION
What does travel mean to you, why is it a passion?
For us, travel is synonymous with discovery, curiosity, the unknown, there is so much to see in the world! Each time there is tremendous excitement at the idea of leaving, and it starts with the purchase of the tickets, the travel guide, and the preparation! We love discovering landscapes, cultures, gastronomy, chatting with locals...
How would you define the ideal trip?
A good trip is a special moment when we live completely in the present moment, when we get out of our daily life. A successful trip is when you are happy to come home, because you were able to experience a good change of scenery and enjoy the experience 200%!
And you don't have to go to the end of the world to travel, it's also possible by staying in your own city, being curious and discovering new things (like great restaurants!). It's all about being open, immersing, enjoying!
Where have you had the chance to travel before?
Antony: I've been lucky enough to travel quite a bit! Those that marked me the most are New York (my first trip without my parents, what a slap!), Malaysia (my first backpacking trip), Thailand (the very rich culture), Oman (the total change of scenery ), Montenegro (alone with my little brother) and Dubai (my first trip with Maëva, a great discovery far from the clichés and therefore an even stronger desire to move there).
Maëva: I have two older brothers who have lived abroad. One in the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi and the other in Canada, in Montreal. So since quite young (I would say 14), I have traveled quite a bit in Canada and the United States (Montreal, Quebec, Niagara Falls, New York, Toronto) and also in the Arab Emirates, where I have elsewhere been able to do my first business school internship! It was great, it made me want to travel regularly and especially to move abroad later!
I also did an exchange in the United States which allowed me to discover the American West Coast (LA, Las Vegas, The Grand Canyon, San Francisco…), it was crazy! I dream of going back.
And lately we did Dubai with Anto, it was great! We did it at New Year's time, we were able to see Dubai in all its splendor, enjoy the sun, the energy of a city in full expansion but also places a little more preserved, like the desert And then it went so well that I thought I couldn't wait to do many more with Anto 😉
What has been your favorite trip or the one that has marked you the most?
Antony: Super difficult question as my travels were so different! If I have to choose one, I would say Oman because it was a new destination, still not very touristy, where I was able to live crazy experiences (sleeping in a tent on the beach, at an altitude of more than 2000 m; fishing tuna on the line; discovering the Wadi; spending New Year's Eve & Night in the desert; having a custom-made djellaba made…).
Maëva: Yes, really difficult question! But I would say the Grand Canyon when I did the American West. Because it left me speechless, it was beautiful...
Who do you like to travel with?
It depends a bit on your desires and destinations! But we both like to leave 😉
A little travel anecdote?
Maëva: I have quite a bit in mind! Arriving at the hotel in Dubai, Antony had surprised me by bringing back a bottle of champagne and caviar (!). I then understood better the stress he had when we arrived at the airport and that he understood that alcohol was prohibited in the country haha! In the end everything went very well and I loved his surprise!
What do you miss the most when you come back from a trip?
The sun! We are not really spoiled in Rouen... More seriously, what we miss the most is the fact that when travelling, our days are not alike, they are all different, with their share of surprises and discoveries.
Your next destination?
Bali! We've been thinking about it for a while...
TRAVEL, ETHICS & SUSTAINABILITY
If the trip is experienced as a real moment of pleasure, escape and sharing, it is also sometimes criticized for its impact on the environment (generated greenhouse gases, local tourist pollution) as well than on humans and animals (exploitation of local workers, low wages, mistreatment of animals, etc.).
Do you think that traveling is incompatible with eco-responsibility and ethics?
No, it seems perfectly compatible.
On the other hand, when it comes to the plane, it's complicated to do without...
But once on a trip, discovering the culture, the local food, the fact of consuming mostly local (without over-consuming), it's our way of traveling responsibly.
We are not big consumers or buyers, we mainly benefit from the experiences that our trips offer us.
Have you already put in place any special gestures or attentions to minimize the impact of your trip?
To be honest, not necessarily. We try to do our best in our daily lives to limit our impact on the environment (sorting, few purchases or second-hand, etc.).
While traveling, of course, we pay attention to the little "basic" things (recycling, respect for the local culture, etc.), we are ready to be accompanied by a local guide, to discover the local populations, but we are not going necessarily limit ourselves in our modes of transport, for example.
Could you ever stop traveling for environmental or social reasons?
No, we don't think
DRESS WHEN TRAVELING
Overall, do you care how your clothes are made?
Yes, we are trying to look more and more at provenance and we are buying more and more second-hand clothes! We also try to favor quality materials so that the clothes last over time.
Maëva: As for me, it's been a while since I've attached importance to not having too many things (and especially clothes), do regular sorting (to give away or sell on Vinted) and I think we've both kind of embraced that now!
What do you think are the characteristics of good travel clothing?
A good travel garment is a garment with quality materials, which can withstand our getaways and adventures. It is also a garment with a simple but elegant design (so you can wear it during the day or in the evening, on the go or at the restaurant). Finally, it is a garment adapted to the type of trip you want to do and which takes up little space!
When you go on a trip, do you wear clothes that are different from what you wear on a daily basis?
Not necessarily even if we often have a little more sports/comfortable clothes in our suitcase for excursions.
We are looking for comfort and a nice design! Which can be worn during the day or in the evening. A practical item of clothing (which wrinkles little, gets carried away easily…).
Is there an essential accessory that you always slip into your suitcase or backpack when you leave?
The sunglasses! It's the Travel Accessory with a capital A! For me it marks the beginning of fun, of adventure! And a travel guide, we often take a paper one with you because it's always easier to find the right addresses
Give me one word to describe your passion for travel?
Curiosity!
Do you have a last message for the travelers who read us?
Dare! The best trips or the best experiences are often the ones we didn't anticipate 😉