Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Katherine Castro
A. Japan, Russia, Lebanon, Serbia, Croatia, Australia, China.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. Sunglasses, lip balm, wallet, phone, earbuds, scrunchie, a hat and trainers to walk everywhere.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?
A. Spa day! Getting a two-hour massage is always must. And Spotify. I love playing music everywhere I go.
Q. What is your best vacation memory?
A. It has to be when I went to the Middle East for the first time. Jordan was my first stop and I fell in love with Amman. The food is so delicious and the people are so warm and open. And going to Petra. It was just breathtaking. On that same trip I went to Egypt and, of course, a stop in Alexandria to go to the Pyramids was a must. The energy is so strong there it literally gives you goosebumps. Another favorite was when I went to Berlin for a Coldplay concert. I had never been to Berlin before and it was one of the most fun trips ever, not to mention the concert was spectacular!
Q. Do you have a worst memory?
A. Oddly enough, Paris was my worst vacation ever. It had nothing to do with the city itself. My bad experience was at the airport. Back then, I didn't have a carry-on. I had checked my luggage and upon retrieving it in baggage claim, one very eager male customs agent decided to go through my entire bag -- clothes, undergarments, cosmetics. Everything was spread out. It was a mess! Literally took out my facial cleanser and put it through the X-ray machine. He had me there for an hour at least, until his superior, a female customs agent, argued with him, apologized to me and told me I was free to go. At the time, I didn't speak French, which made things even more frustrating.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. I check the weather and surrounding areas of where I'm staying, so that I can walk around and discover the city.
Q. Where is the most romantic destination?
A. Bali, Indonesia. You feel like you're on another planet all together and it stimulates all your senses. It's quite amazing.
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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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