Travel Tales: Lisa Perkovic, journalist and photographer
Occupation: My email signature says journalism and photography but on top of that I’m Deputy Editor of Digital Photography Magazine and have a travel blog attached to my website. I’ve contributed to Australian Traveller, Luxury Travel, Get Up and Go, Photoshop Australia and the SMH and Sun Herald travel sections.
Favourite travel destination? Why?: Tough question. Lake Bled in Slovenia is a beautiful place – rowing out to the church on the island in the middle of the lake and hiking to the mountain-top castle on the shore is a great way to spend the day.
Worst travel experience? What happened?: My favourite experiences revolve around food but that’s what the bad ones are about too. Food poisoning in Montenegro was not fun, nor the twelve hour bus trip to Croatia the next day.
Best tips for beating jetlag?: I’ve been told I drink water like a camel but that’s how I beat jetlag.
What is the one thing you don’t leave home without?: A big bag of band-aids and bug repellent.
Do you stay in touch with people while you’re travelling?: I used to drop off the face of the planet when I went away because phone cards and I aren’t friends. I try not to spend too much time online because when I’m travelling I prefer to be out in the real world not wrapped up in the web but, if there’s wireless internet, I’ll use my iPhone to Skype home.
Best meal you’ve ever had while travelling?: The Forbidden Broadway Sundae – chocolate cake, hot fudge, ice cream and a mountain of cream – at Serendipity3 in New York. I’ve never felt so satisfied at how good something tasted and so disgusted at how much I’d eaten at the same time.
Best kiss?: On a very memorable birthday in Sorrento, Italy.
Best/scariest/funniest drive?: Probably right after that birthday, driving along the Amalfi Coast down to Positano. My Italian driver nicknamed it the ‘oh Jesus’ road because that’s what everyone says on every hairpin bend.
What has been the big WOW moment of your travelling life?: I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of wow moments but hiking glaciers in Norway did literally take my breath away.
What is your number one travel tip?: Don’t get too caught up with itineraries – sometimes the best experiences are the ones you stumble on. For me, they’re usually when I’m lost looking for something else.