Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Becky Sauerbrunn
Soccer fans know Becky Sauerbrunn as the captain of the National Women's Soccer League's FC Kansas City. She is also the co-captain of the United States National Team and will be competing in her second Olympic Games this summer in Brazil. She splits her time between Missouri and Oregon, where she resides when she's not playing for FC Kansas City. Asked where she'd like to visit after the Olympics are over, Sauerbrunn, 31, said, "New Zealand. I've never had a big enough chunk of time to travel that far and have enough time to really experience the country. My boyfriend and I are planning on traveling for a year after I retire from soccer and New Zealand is definitely on the list." Fans may interact with the Olympian on Twitter (https://twitter.com/beckysauerbrunn).
Q. Most people will never get to watch the Olympics live, much less compete in them. What was it like for you to be in London representing the United States in 2012, and then winning gold?
A. It was fantastic! I'm such a fan of the English Premier League and it was amazing to get to play in those iconic stadiums, where I've watched the best soccer players in the world play. And then to win a gold medal, it doesn't even feel real. I got to represent my country on the world stage and get to call myself an Olympic gold medalist. Those are two huge honors.
Q. Do you anticipate getting to do any sightseeing at the Rio Games?
A. There won't be a lot of time! We play in stadiums all around Brazil and won't be in Rio until the end of the tournament, if all goes well. If I have some time, however, I would like to see the National Library of Brazil. It's one of the largest libraries in the world.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. My boyfriend and I really enjoy traveling to Central America. We don't get a lot of vacation time, so Central America offers destinations that are relatively close and that offer attractions that we enjoy. We like to travel off the beaten path and explore the more natural areas of a country. We stayed in Placencia, a small fishing village in the south of Belize, and had an absolute blast. I'd recommend visiting the Mayan ruins of Lubaantun. We did several hikes around the ruins, one involving swimming through a cave and climbing waterfalls.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. We recently traveled to Panama and stayed in a tree hut on Bocas Del Toro. It was a wonderful combination of feeling like you were the only people on earth and knowing that civilization was only a short bike ride away.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
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