An Interview with Wesley and Felicia
Wesley and Felicia
Connect With Wesley and Felicia
We’re Fel and Wes, a couple from opposite sides of Canada that met one fateful day when an ad for an apartment brought us together in Edmonton. We haven’t got much of a plan but we love to travel and we’re figuring it out as we go. We started our blog primarily as a way to let our friends and family know where we were in the world and we love sharing what we learn through our podcasts and videos. We want others to know that it’s possible to have more fun, spend less money and travel the world on your own terms.
When and how did you discover your passion for travel?
Fel: I first caught the travel bug after a semester abroad in Australia. Since then, I’ve always wanted to continue travelling but never made the leap until I met Wes.
Wes: I get restless if I’m in the same place for too long and I always want to be somewhere else. When I met Fel, it wasn’t hard to convince her to follow our dreams and start ticking off the bucket list.
Wesley and FeliciaHow has travel changed your life?
Experiencing food, culture and life in so many different places has really put things into perspective for us. It made us realize what’s most important in life and learn how to not take anything for granted. Travel has impacted our way of life so much now that we’re constantly looking for ways to stay on the road and continuing learning.
What is your biggest pet peeve while travelling?
We hate travelling to foreign places and getting scammed by vendors, taxis and tour operators. It happened to us in Paris, Marrakech and even San Francisco. Because our backpacks instantly flag us as travellers, we research as much as we can to ensure we’re not being taken advantage of when spending our hard-earned loonies and toonies.
What is the one thing you absolutely never travel without?
After our first trip we realized how valuable Google Maps is. Now we make sure we carry an unlocked cell phone with us so that we can get a SIM card anywhere while traveling. We know that half the fun is getting there but getting there is so much easier when you can rely on the internet.
Wesley and FeliciaWhat is the most unique experience you've ever "accidentally stumbled upon" while travelling?
When travelling from Baja California Sur to Mexico’s mainland, we got our dates mixed up and had to book last-minute accommodations in La Paz. While looking for a place on Airbnb, we stumbled upon a bus-turned-RV parked two blocks from the beach. Because we want to build a tiny house one day, this was the perfect place for us to try out tiny living.
If you were going on a one-week rest and relaxation vacation somewhere you've previously been, where would you go and why?
When I first started travelling, I fell in love with Fiji and would love to explore more of the islands with Wes. Even though there are fabulous beaches and scenery, I’m not sure how much rest and relaxation we’d be doing. I had the best snorkeling experience, did some great hikes and caught fish that was freshly prepared at my hostel. I would love to return to visit the local schools and villages so that Wes can meet some of the happiest people I’ve ever met. Perhaps our future honeymoon?!
With the Canadian Dollar being a little weaker than it once was, what is something unique you do to stretch your dollars while travelling?
Our biggest savings come when planning excursions for the day. Whenever we’re heading out on a day trip, we look up itineraries offered by expensive tour companies but then use local transport to get there and save a lot of money by doing our research ahead of time. By travelling at a slower pace, we’re able to rent apartments and save on things like groceries. We’re also not daily partiers and love street food which is always cheap and delicious.
If you could pack only a carry on sized backpack for an extended trip, what would you pack?
We’ve been travelling with only our backpacks for quite some time now and a carry on is surprisingly enough. We pack minimal clothing but still make sure we have what we need for hot days, cold nights and the occasional fancy restaurant for our date nights. We manage to fit the obvious essentials for blogging (laptop, camera, hard drive, phones) and a couple of padlocks for good measure.
What kind of mistakes did you make when you first started travelling?
When we first started backpacking we realized we were packing and planning too much. We made the mistake of leaving home with really full backpacks and that made it hard to pack and unpack when we were on the road. We also used to plan most of our trip before leaving which left little room for spontaneity. Now we’ve learned to make do with fewer belongings and enjoy travelling with less plans and more freedom.
Wesley and FeliciaWhat is your most embarrassing travel story?
Regrettably we have quite a few. Felicia has split her pants on a scooter ride in Berlin, fallen off a bike on a main road in Mexico City and has been asked to put her shoes back on when a passenger complained about her stinky feet on a bus in Slovakia. But the most memorable was when we were camping across Canada and set up tent at a site with no facilities and thousands of mosquitos. When I was visiting the men’s room in the forest, I was too busy fighting off the mosquitos to realize that I was peeing my pants. I ended up with dozens of bites on my backside and had to hand-wash my only pair of jeans in the lake.
What's the craziest thing you've ever eaten while away?
Most people shy away from street food but we love to dive right in. The craziest thing we’ve eaten is Dorilocos. We tried this popular Mexican street snack where they split open a bag of Doritos and top it with so many things it was hard to know what we were getting ourselves into. Aside from the cucumbers, peanuts, salsa, cabbage, jicama, and lime, we were most surprised with the rubbery texture of cueritos: pig skin in vinegar. In the end, it really wasn’t that bad.
Wes and Fel The Doritoloco.... caught on camera
What is the most exciting thing/craziest story that has ever happened to you when travelling?
We were visiting an island off the coast of Mexico and took a smaller boat with fewer people to save money. It took about an hour to get to these amazing clear blue beaches and a sea lion colony we were able to snorkel with. Swimming with sea lions in their habitat was such a memorable experience but the craziest part was the ride home. The water was so choppy that we were literally flying out of our seats as the boat dodged big waves. The worst part was that our driver had to keep his speed high in order to cut through the water and it was such a rough ride that one of the railings actually broke off. It took over 2 hours to get back to land and it was one of the scariest moments of our travels so far.
Of all the places you've been, what was your favourite destination and why?
This might be because we’re still going through withdrawal but our favourite city right now is Guanajuato, Mexico. We recently spent a month living there and, even though there’s no beach in sight, the city is full of surprises. After a couple of days, we settled into a routine of exploring the cobblestone roads, eating new foods and going to nightly salsa lessons. It’s a very affordable city and unlike any place we’ve been before.
Wesley and FeliciaWant to learn more about Wes and Fel's adventures?
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