ArcaMax

A. Yes. I had done a MCI commercial and with that money, I helped my best friend go to hair school and took my mom to Europe in 1995. We did Paris, Florence and London. My mom had taught Shakespeare in school. I wanted to get my mother to the Globe Theatre. We saw Shakespeare's birthplace. We went to see "Julius Caesar." My mother said every word along with the actors and it was the best moment in my life.

Q. Do you speak a foreign language?

A. I am not good with languages at all! I studied Spanish in school. On the plane, I'm always looking at the phrases in the back of Lonely Planet books so that I can say a few words in whatever country I'm visiting. You don't want to come across as a jerk. I find it far more respectful to enter quietly with a smile and know a few words. I think people appreciate the effort, even if you just murder the dialect. When I was in Bali, I may have sounded crazy, but I tried.

Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?

A. We didn't travel a lot, but we always went to Myrtle Beach. I got to take my best friend. We took our Rick Springfield posters and set up our room. We walked on the beach. I am totally afraid of water. She would go frolic in the water and pretend that a shark had gotten her! Even in a swimming pool, I was afraid of sharks. (Laughs) "Jaws" did us in! It was fun, but I'm not really a heat and water type of girl. I'm more of the rain, mountain and hiking type. My grandparents had a camper up in the mountains and that was more my speed.

Q. Are you an adventurous eater on the road?

A. Yes, I think so. But, I am vegan, so that does limit some of the things I can eat. Now with the Internet, you can do some recon. There were a couple vegan restaurants in Reykjavik that were insanely delicious. But I'm also a simple eater, so I'm happy with a little fresh produce. I often travel with oatmeal and protein bars to sustain me, just in case.

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow "Go Away With..." on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)

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