Q&A With a Travel Editor: Ashley Bowling
We asked our editor-in-chief to share some of her favorite travel memories with us. Here’s what she had to say.
With a vision is to inspire and ignite people to action through powerful storytelling, Ashley is also the co-founder of EASTside Magazine. When not leading the creative and editorial team at EASTside Mag, she can be found playing games with her two 10 year olds, entertaining friends in the backyard, and last but certainly not least, traveling and exploring the world.
What place is at the top of your bucket list?
AB: Peru. In my experience, the people of South America are incredibly humble and kind. And out of all the continents, South America is my favorite because I truly believe the attitudes and friendliness of people make a place more than the destination itself. I cannot wait to one day scale Rainbow Mountain, eat the best ceviche in the world, and bask in the vastness of Machu Picchu covered in low-hanging clouds.
Out of all the places you’ve traveled, what destination has the best food?
AB: Without a doubt—Puerto Rico! After we visited, we also had that confirmed by Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern at the time. Both said the same of Puerto Rican food. Just thinking about it, I may need to go back soon!
What’s the most meaningful trip you’ve ever taken?
AB: I’ve had a handful of meaningful trips from working in a deaf school in Bogota, Colombia, to working at a kids camp in St. Petersburg, to my wedding in Playa del Carmen, to our last trip with my father-in-law to Alaska when he was diagnosed with a disease that eventually took his life. However, my most meaningful trip by far is traveling to China to adopt our daughter. I will never forget lying in a smoky hotel room bed in interior China wondering what the next day would hold: the day we met a precious little one whom we had been waiting to hear her voice and giggles for the last 15 months. Not knowing how much of the entire process she would understand at the tender age of three, desperately praying that I would be able to gather enough on that trip to satisfy her questions later in life. The trip was of epic proportions, impactful in every way, and therefore tops the list as my most meaningful trip to date.
What’s your favorite souvenir from all your travels?
AB: My daughter, of course. Not exactly her—because she is so much more than that. But all of her personal possessions and everything we gathered for her in the three weeks we spent in China were the most valuable things we could ever bring home with us from all of our travels.
Out of all the places you’ve visited, what’s your favorite destination?
AB: This one is hard! The China countryside is beautiful, as well as Ireland’s national parks. Whale watching through the Alaskan fjords with bright blue icebergs, a train ride from St. Petersburg into Finland, kayaking the bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico, mass at the Vatican, swimming with stingrays in Grand Cayman and lemon sharks in USVI, and nurse sharks in Belize were little scary and oh-so-fun, and a helicopter tour of Kawaii’s Napali Coast might all have to top the list.
What’s your best memory/experience from all your travels?
AB: Kayaking to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska. The glacier creates its own ecosystem, and it’s actually harder to kayak on the lake there than it is in the ocean. Only the strongest kayakers completed this excursion due to the wind coming off the glacier. It was pretty humbling kayaking beneath icebergs that towered above our tiny bodies and mini-boat.
Besides that, I’d have to say hitching in Russia and being picked up by a Mercedes with upholstered leopard seats was also unforgettable. Sounds crazy now, but basically the Russians had ride share figured out in the 90s before Lyft existed!
What do you like about group trips?
AB: Group trips are so much fun! My fave group trip to date was my wedding in Mexico. There is nothing like spending four days celebrating with 40 of your all-time favorite people. In fact, so many who were on that epic trip 15 years ago have asked us when we’re going back for a reunion.
In addition to this once-in-a-life-time trip, I’d say growing up going on camping trips with handfuls of close family friends and ski trips are the best group trips with loads of fun memories.
What do you enjoy most about working with EASTside Magazine?
AB: Hands down, it’s the people we have the privilege of working with—from the business owners who partner with us to share stories, to the wildly creative team I work alongside, to the interesting subjects we meet through the art of storytelling. Every single part of the community we interface with on a weekly basis is incredibly special to me.
What destination are you off to next?
AB: A girl’s trip with all my sisters to Sedona is next on the list! This summer we’re off to Ireland, London, and Scotland with our two 10-year-olds. Then fall break will be spent with friends camping on the Frio Rio.
Ashley and Will are amazing and I love that they’ve never been afraid to travel solo but also with their kids. I’ve been inspired to do more of the same!