Meet Gina Petrovich 害羞草研究所� this Kelowna woman is always on an adventure, and now she害羞草研究所檚 willing to share her unique view of the world with our readers. This Monday we, at the Capital News are running her introduction. Next Monday we害羞草研究所檙e going to share her first travel column. It害羞草研究所檚 genuine and from a local view. Better yet, it will give you something to daydream about when the weight of the Mondays sets in.
In the last three years, Gina Petrovich has been to 18 countries and thinks that害羞草研究所檚 a pretty small number, compared to cruise travellers who can visit multiple countries in one trip.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 mostly since I started travelling alone. I did the Euro trip with family and all I learned from that was how not to travel with family,害羞草研究所� the Kelowna woman said, laughing.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 so much to see, so every time I leave I usually come home with some crazy (story) or misadventure mishap and I害羞草研究所檝e just learned so much and met some really fun people,害羞草研究所� she said.
The 36-year-old害羞草研究所檚 mishaps include almost missing her first day of work at SunRype as she remained trapped in Bali due to an erupting volcano and when she burned her retinas after experiencing snow blindness while hiking in Peru.
READ MORE: Okanagan woman trapped in Bali preparing for the worst
But that hasn害羞草研究所檛 stopped her from travelling. Petrovich recently visited Hong Kong for a week and plans to visit Jordan and Isreal next for the history and culture.
She joked that since she doesn害羞草研究所檛 drive, it害羞草研究所檚 easier to get around in other countries than it is in Kelowna.
害羞草研究所淚 was telling my friend it was easier to get around Hong Kong than hike the Coquihalla summit and I really want to hike that,害羞草研究所� she said.
What started as a solo trip to New York a few years ago led to her passion for travel, which fit nicely with her photography hobby, she said.
害羞草研究所淢y first of two trips to New York City害羞草研究所� but just that, like the feeling of liberation just getting on the plane, getting off the plane, running in the Toronto airport, which seems to be a thing, I can害羞草研究所檛 be in that airport without running and crying.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淎 New York minute wasn害羞草研究所檛 enough so I was back for another minute within a year,害羞草研究所� she said.
And travelling along allows her to make new friends.
害羞草研究所淚 find for me, when I害羞草研究所檓 with a friend, I害羞草研究所檓 looking down and talking to my friend, when there are new friends (that could be walking by in front of me),害羞草研究所� she said.
Her trips include Hong Kong, Hawaii, New York, Peru, Bali, Thailand, Europe, Mexico, Jamaica and more.
READ MORE: Erupting volcano traps Canadians in Bali
There害羞草研究所檚 a common misconception with travel is that you have to quit your day job in order to go far, Petrovich said, adding people often aren害羞草研究所檛 utilizing the time they have.
害羞草研究所淧eople aren害羞草研究所檛 making the most of it because it害羞草研究所檚 in their mind that they don害羞草研究所檛 have enough of it害羞草研究所�. Five days in Hong Kong is better than no days in Hong Kong,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭o be able to keep your job and travel, you don害羞草研究所檛 have to go somewhere close and quick, you know you can go far when you only have a week, but you don害羞草研究所檛 have to quit your day job,害羞草研究所� she said.
She booked her Hong Kong trip the day before she left while on her lunch break.
Even though she has faced challenges during her travels, she said it害羞草研究所檚 part of the experience, like how she didn害羞草研究所檛 know a word of Cantonese.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a vegetarian, so I went into a restaurant and I害羞草研究所檓 like 害羞草研究所榓m I going to end up eating meat? Is this a mushroom? Because it looks and tastes like meat,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she said.
害羞草研究所淚 love how I feel doing it害羞草研究所� its a very rewarding feeling knowing that three days ago I was at work and now I害羞草研究所檓 in Hong Kong, riding on this crazy people car ride.害羞草研究所�
Some people call her crazy, but she thinks she害羞草研究所檚 one of the luckier travellers because she gets to experience these things and come away with a good story.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of people come out of Bali and say it was beautiful, I come out of Bali and (say I got cool pictures of an erupting volcano.)害羞草研究所�
Petrovich will be writing a travel column for the Capital News every two weeks.
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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