The Traveller's Magazine
We’re back to interviewing our colleagues here at liligo.com HQ and we caught up with Romain over lunch, our SEO guru. Remember his bike trip from Budapest to Belgrade? We continue our travel chat with Romain.
Hey Romain, tell us: when did your passion for travel really start?
Like many others, it was my parents that inspired me to travel from a young age. When my sister and I were young, my parents took us on trips around France and abroad. I remember spending our family holidays in places like Tunisia, Spain and Portugal… so I discovered how fun travel could be quite early.
What was the first trip you did without your parents?
If I remember correctly, it was a trip to Andalusia with a friend. We visited Malaga and Granada, two incredible cities with a great atmosphere.
You travel a lot with your girlfriend but let’s pretend she’s not reading this. What do you prefer: travelling alone, in a couple or with friends?
I think one of the most fundamental aspects of travel is to share. That’s why I really like travelling as a couple, or with friends so we can share our discoveries. I’m lucky though, that my girlfriend also loves to travel so it’s just natural that we go together.
What kind of traveller are you?
I don’t like to organise too much. I usually decide stuff at the last minute and buy my plane tickets a couple of day before taking off. I love surprises, getting lost and totally accept the risk of the unexpected. If the trip is too organised, it feels like something is missing.
Were there any trips that really touched you, as a person?
I think one of the best trips I ever took was with a friend to the Swedish Lapland. We took a flight to Stockholm and after spending a few days to Abisko we ventured further north to the Arctic Circle. We did a one week trip along the Kungslanden Trail (so-called the “King’s Way”) and climbed the highest mountain in Sweden, the Kebnekaise.
Lapland is incredibly wild. We slept in tents and under the stars beside a bonfire. We showered in the rivers and made conversation with the resident reindeer. It all felt very “Into the Wild.”
Let’s talk about cities. What’s your favourite metropolis?
I love Russia, but I’m totally subjective because I used to live there. Moscow and Saint Petersburg will always be my two favourite cities. Saint Petersburg is wonderful, no doubt one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen so far. In general, Russia is a country every traveller should explore.
Where are you going next?
I’m already searching for flights to Dubai, a city that has really peaked my curiosity lately. It sounds like a great place to relax with a good cultural offering.
Finally before we go, what little-known destination would you recommend to readers of the Traveller’s Blog?
Montenegro. It’s easy to reach from just about anywhere in Europe and every summer there seems to be more and more flights heading there. On the plus side, Montenegro is still largely undiscovered by the droves of tourism, like what’s happened to Croatia.
I recently took a trip through the country by car and the coastal roads offer the most amazing panoramic views of the turquoise ocean. It’s really spectacular with craggy cliffs on one side and peaceful waters on the other. I definitely recommend the Bay of Kotor, it’s really beautiful.
