A Well Traveled Pair

Katie McCabe

“Time is our most precious commodity. Money will always come back. Book the ticket!”

Interview and photography by Amina Touray

We had the pleasure of chatting with writer, photographer, and world traveler Katie McCabe, who runs the blog and social media account A Well Traveled Pair with her husband, John. After 70+ countries, Katie shares the wisdom she carries from her travels and tips on combining work with traveling and becoming a frequent traveler. So fasten your seat belts and follow us around the world!

How did you and John initially meet? John and I met in 2015. I worked in his neighborhood, and we would occasionally see one another in passing, but we never really spoke. One day, we struck up a conversation and I learned that he was newly single, like myself, and that we both loved traveling. There was an instant connection between the two of us, and I couldn’t believe that we had so much in common. We went out on our first date two days later, and the next month I surprised him with a trip to Paris and London for his birthday. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

What is the usual planning process when you plan for your travels? Most of our trips are planned at least six to twelve weeks in advance in order to get reasonable pricing on airfare and lodging. However, there’s nothing I love more than a great last-minute deal. Spontaneous travel is so much fun, and if it’s affordable, what’s better than that!

How are you able to combine traveling with your work? Combining travel and work is something that took some practice. Since John usually travels with me, I don’t want to spend the whole day working

and not enjoying our time together. So, what we usually do is this - I work in the morning and then we have the rest of the day to explore, or we add a few extra days onto the end of the trip and we spend those days doing whatever we’d like. It works out well.

I’m sure a lot of people, including myself wonder how you’re able to afford traveling as much as you do. You’ve mentioned that you’ve cut out on materialistic things and rather spend money on experiences. Has cutting things out of your life been enough to save money? And what are some things that you’ve cut out that you thought you needed but actually didn’t need? This is probably the question I get asked most. Of course, we all have different financial situations, but for me personally, I found it quite easy to eliminate a lot of material items from my life. I stopped leasing a new luxury vehicle every three years, buying clothes and shoes that I didn’t need, dining out for almost every meal, and just frivolously spending money where I didn’t need to. Travel opened my eyes to so many things, one being the importance of experiences over things. Once I let go of my attachment to material items, I was much happier. And with all that extra money, I was able to travel more. My advice for anyone wanting to do the same: Look at what you’re spending money on. Think about what you can eliminate. If you really want to travel, then you have to make it a priority. If you’re constantly dining out or buying clothes, shoes, electronics, etc, then those things are your priority, not travel.

How many times in a year do you travel? We try to take at least four trips a year, but every year is different. One year, we visited twenty different countries in ten months. It was amazing! What inspired you to start your blog A Well Traveled Pair, and whose idea was it originally? When John and I began traveling together, I started A Well Traveled Pair to keep friends and family updated along with our adventures. It was purely a fun hobby for me, then it turned into a job. Now my main goal is to use it to inspire as many people as possible to get out and see the world because I know it will change their life.

Can you make a financial profit from your travels, for example through spon-

sorship? Sure. There are so many different ways to make money while traveling - writing for different publications, selling photographs, promoting hotels and airlines on social media. Just use your skills and get creative.

Do you have any advice for anyone or any couple that would like to travel as much as you do on how to get started planning-wise, work-wise, etc? Keep an eye out for travel deals (websites like Skyscanner and Travelzoo are great), read blogs about places you want to visit, and don’t make too many excuses about why you shouldn’t go. I see so many people not booking their dream vacations because of fear. Time is our most precious commodity. Money will always come back. Book the ticket!

What are the biggest lessons that you have learned from all

of your travels? I’ve learned a great deal of invaluable lessons from traveling. Probably the three most important ones are that we all need to take care of the planet, money and material items will not bring you happiness, and everyone around the world all wants the same three things - love, health, and happiness - so let’s treat each other well.

What country has left the biggest impact on you? Switzerland definitely made a huge impact on me. It showed me that a simple life is a good life. We really don’t need much to be happy, and I realized that after ten days surrounded by the most beautiful nature in the world.

Is there a special country that changed your life? Egypt reminded me how very small we are in this grand Universe, and also what a tiny amount of time we have on this planet. After that trip I really wanted to live life to the fullest.

What country was not what you expected? Turkey really knocked my socks off. I loved the architecture and culture in Istanbul, and Cappadocia was absolutely breathtaking.

What country has the best food? I love Japanese food, so Japan is an obvious choice for me, but I also think France, Thailand, and Italy have some of the best food in the world.

What country has the best adventures? New Zealand, hands down! From bungy jumping and white water rafting to skydiving and glacier heli-hiking, this country was built for adventure. The bungy jump was even invented here in the 1980’s, helping the city of Queenstown get its nickname ‘The Adventure Capital of the World.’

What country has the best beaches? There are so many beautiful beach destinations that I couldn’t possibly pick only one. Instead, I’m going to give you my five favorites - The Whitsundays, Hawaii, French Polynesia, The Bahamas, and Thailand.

What country have you experienced to be the most spiritual? Hiking Machu Picchu in Peru was an incredibly spiritual experience for me. Sometimes when it’s just you and Mother Earth, there’s nothing else to do but dive deep within. India and Bali are also great destinations for people looking for a spiritual experience.

For more information, visit www.awelltraveledpair.com Follow Katie & John on Instagram at @awelltraveledpair