An Interview with Jack & Jenn of Who Needs Maps
At Travefy, we occasionally like to throw the spotlight on travel pros and bloggers that we’re falling in love with. Meet Jack & Jenn, we found them through this article and have been following them since.
Photos Courtesy of WhoNeedsMaps.com
Q. Where are you from and how long have you been travel blogging?
J&J: We are Jenn and Jack. I am from LA and Jack is from Melbourne, but now Jack is living in LA. We have been travel blogging for about 8 months while also working full time!
Q. How did you find your way into travel and blogging?
J&J: Jack works for digital marketing companies and builds websites as a career and while he was still in university, we thought it would be great practice to work, travel and experiment by making our own travel site. In the end, not only was it great for Jack to use for work reasons, but it became a big passion of ours and we love working on it!
Q. What’s the most eye-opening experience since you started traveling eight months ago?
J&J: I think backpacking Southeast Asia was unreal. It was really the first time we have taken a backpack with no itinerary, a one way ticket, and just left. Just knowing we had a backpack, no plans and each other was really liberating. I think everyone should experience backpacking in their life!
Q. What’s the most frustrating thing you’ve dealt with traveling?
J&J: I think getting sick is the worst thing. You are there for x amount of time and everyday is really precious when you are traveling! So getting sick knocks out a few days and you feel lethargic so activities become minimal. I got pretty sick when we were in Beijing so climbing the Great Wall of China was so hard when you are feverish and achy.
Q. You travel together as a couple, any tips for others traveling together?
J&J: When we travel, we act like bickering best friends. We get our own hostel room, sometimes, but we love to hang out with others and meet new people. We are also a long distance couple, so when we travel it’s usually our time together, so we like to get our own rooms. But every time we travel, we have the best time together. We learn so much about each other, we create unbelievable memories, and we bicker like there is no tomorrow! At the end of the day, we are traveling together, how awesome is that!!
I think it is important to travel with your partner- it truly makes or breaks the relationship.
I think it is important to travel with your partner- it truly makes or breaks the relationship. You learn so much about each other when traveling like how to handle a situation, how adventurous they are, or even how high maintenance they are. I don’t think people should commit to each other until they travel together haha. It is an adjustment, you know, you are constantly moving and adjusting to new places and cultures, so it affects a person greatly! But luckily for us, it has worked out for the better! I don’t think I can travel without Jack now, we just have such a great time together!
Q. What’s your best kept secret for planning a trip to a place you don’t know anything about?
J&J: When we plan a trip, I like to make sure I use personal recommendations over a book or something. A book will tell you all about the touristy stuff, but the best experiences are recommendations from friends, and especially those from LOCALS! Local knowledge will get you to the best places, with the best value, and you will have an incredible time. It’s the hidden gems that make a place truly special, so don’t be afraid to ask!
Local knowledge will get you to the best places, with the best value…
Q. What’s the next trip you’re going on?
J&J: Right now, Jack has a visa to be in the States for the year so we are trying to make the best out of it. We are trying to explore a bit of California, so Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Palm Springs, San Diego. We have no order but that’s where we are with travel, but if Jack’s visa doesn’t work out, here we come South America!! It is our bucket list to do it and since visas can be so complicated we might as well travel more while we figure it out. We are pretty bad with itineraries, it usually happens while we are there and where the low is moving or the next bus that leaves. That’s the fun part, right?
Q. What’s your favorite travel accessory?
J&J: We love our GoPro! We take it everywhere since it works rain or shine. We have some of the best underwater pictures with it to some of the best motorbike videos. It just captures our travel so well. And yes, we do have the selfie stick with it and we love it!
About Who Needs Maps
We are Jack and Jenn from Who Needs Maps. We are a long distance couple, from America and Australia, so why not meet in the middle and use travel as an excuse! We are thrill seekers, food lovers, world travellers, adventure finders, misadventure attractors, and a fun loving couple who just wants to explore the world together. We hope to inspire, inform and entertain people through our experiences and stories! Embrace the fun, enjoy the craziness, and let’s take on the world together! Happy travels, J
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