Celebrity Travel: Go away with Bonnie Whitmore

By Jae-Ha Kim, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 13, 2020

A: Spain. Barcelona and Granada are incredible.

Q: If you've ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?

A: One year we did Christmas in South Carolina, because my dad wasn't able to get it off work. The layover was in Charleston. Everything was closed and it was colder than expected, but we walked around the town and stayed at a very nice hotel and I had lamb chops and cheese grits for the first time. It was more about being together, than the destination. All other times we've been at my folks’ home or in Terlingua (Texas) for the holidays.

Q: What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A: My friend and I were supposed to travel from Barcelona to Greece, but we missed our first flight out. It was a stupid mistake that cost $800 a piece to fix, and I was already maxing out my credit cards for this trip. It almost cost us the trip to Greece entirely, but we managed to work it out and got an extra day in Barcelona. What came out of that unfortunate blunder was the friend we had been staying with took us to his favorite places just north of the city. We ate paella and drank champagne sangria on the beach and watched the sun set. In our mad rush to try and make the flight, we didn't get to say a proper goodbye to these wonderful folks, so this opportunity was a beautiful moment I was grateful not to miss out on. Even though it cost us, I'm so glad we got to say a proper goodbye to him and to Spain.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: New York, Barcelona, Granada, Amsterdam, Wellington (New Zealand).

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A: Senegal or Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco. I'd also love to go to places in South America. I wish I could be like Anthony Bourdain and travel everywhere eating and drinking in the culture. There really isn't a place I would not want to experience, except I don't exactly blend in. I am painfully aware that I look like an American, but if I was given the opportunity, I would want to go somewhere that didn't needlessly put my life in danger.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?

A: Bakeries and dinosaur-related attractions. That's why Sinclair gas station always gets my vote. I will always want to pet that long neck.

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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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