Bon Voyage and Bon Appétit!

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These French phrases have seamlessly slipped into our everyday English language and have become my all-time favourites. Bon voyage is a wish for a good journey ahead and bon appétit is a wish for an enjoyable meal. Travel and food are what invigorate me and if they are both good (the French language is peppered with phrases that begin with the word bon, which means "good" and which generally means wishing others well), then life is good!

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I love traveling! I'm a bona fide wanderer who has been stricken by a serious case of wanderlust ever since I opened a travel magazine at the age of five. I will readily walk to the ends of the earth in a snap to discover, explore, and experience the wonders that this world has to offer. I bask in the exhilaration of stepping into unfamiliar territory and immersing myself in a kaleidoscope of cultures and traditions that are different from my own. I never shy away from the peculiar. Rather, I embrace its novelty and promise. I do not mind getting lost at all, for I am convinced that it is when we get sidetracked that we unravel secrets and uncover mysteries that not everyone is privileged to know. I believe that when we let ourselves wander, we get to know ourselves more, and we begin to undertand our place in this world, as we view our life from a much wider perspective.

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But while I dangle one foot in Adventureland, I do have to keep the other firmly rooted in reality. In various stages of my life, there is always a family to take care of, studies to complete, a home to manage, a job to hold, an ambition to fulfill, appointments to keep, commitments to honour, deadlines to meet, and bills to pay. It's a constant juggle and I have to maintain my balance. My steadily evolving priorities call for prudence and wisdom in making tough choices. I realize that sometimes, we just cannot have it all, that is, not all at the same time. Hence, I travel when life permits. I make the most out of the limited opportunity I have to wander by soaking everything in and living in that moment. Then, I quietly slip back to my other calling, which is equally fulfilling. 

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And I love food! Food is an essential component of the travel experience. When I go to other places, I make it a point to try at least one or two of their local specialties, depending on the length of my stay. My friends consider me a food adventurer because I will never refuse to try anything, even the strangely exotic.

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I am not much into visiting Michelin-starred food establishments. While their food is excellent, I don’t think they fully embody the local culture. I go there to have a superb culinary experience, but if I want a taste of community life and sample treats in which regular folks indulge, I go to local markets and places recommended by, who else, but the people who live in the same town or city. That for me, spells authenticity.

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I am not a picky eater either (and thank heavens, I do not have any food allergies or a particularly delicate digestive system), so I have never ever followed the recommendation to NOT try street food (because it is dirty, cheaply-made, etc., etc.). I love street food! I love unpretentious, honest-to-goodness, purely local stuff that is served in its plainest, unadulterated form, and bereft of any styling, embellishments, and artificial fusion (authentic fusion food though, is always good).

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- AMCL Schatz