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Your One-Stop Spot for Insightful Travel Tips & Blogs 

Containing Unexpected Laughable Moments 

 

My name is Megan Zavaglia and I have an absolutely unstoppable passion for travel. I love stepping out of my comfort zone, going to new places and learning new cultures. I know what it’s like to feel an overwhelming sense of adventure and to deep-dive into research. I've certainly gotten myself into trouble, made incorrect choices and even downright embarrassed myself at times. That’s what makes traveling so much fun! Inevitably, you learn who you are at the core, and those not-too-horrible mishaps? They make for the best stories at parties!

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I’ve always been a very confident go-getter. My family affectionately calls me the "Cruise Director". I'm singular in pursuing something that I want  and drive forward until I accomplish it.

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I think I’ve always had the travel bug.

Since I was a small child, I’ve had an affinity for lions and wanted to travel to Africa. During my childhood, my family moved every two years and I loved it. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school when I was able to travel to France with my high school that I really dove in to traveling. Once bitten, the bug was there forever.

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After traveling to France, my only goal  was seeing the world. After college, I saved up from a summer job took my very first solo trip. Scotland was incredible. After that I worked to ensure that I could do an international trip every other year and a trip within the US on the off years. I was fortunate enough to work in an industry that allowed for me to travel throughout the US and to Mexico as well.

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So what makes me an authority on travel? Let me tell you some of the places I've explored! I’ve been to Mexico numerous times (The peninsula as well as the Pacific side), the Caribbean twice, Puerto Rico, Australia, Tanzania, Italy, Germany, Scotland, Canada, France, and the Czech Republic. Each of these trips taught me a lesson about myself, the wonderful cultures of the area and how to be a better world citizen.

 

Travel is a passion and a huge part of my life. I don’t think I could exist without experiencing new cultures and people as often as I do.  My favorite thing about every trip is taking a moment to step away from the tourist attractions and visit a local restaurant, coffee shop, or train station. I like to just be present, to feel like I’m a part of the local way of life, to understand what it's like for people on a day to day level in each culture. I love to strike up conversations and learn the passions of those around me. 

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• In Italy, I was stranded at a train station and found my way to a café. I watched people getting their lives together and head off to work that morning. I sipped my caffe and fell in love with the rhythm of the morning routine of rustling papers and sips from the cup.

• In France, I sat on a curb outside of Versailles munching on a baguette watching the public go by on scooters, with strollers, having arguments, and walking hand in hand envoloped in the beauty surrounding them.

• In Scotland, it was a pub where raucaous and loud conversations were conducted with an accent barely discernable (but more understandable with each pint of cider I had....)

• In Australia, it was the market in Melbourne. Seeing the people rushing through, buying their dinner ingredients, talking to the sales people that they see every day.

• In Africa it was fire side chats with Robbie, Victor and Pius. It was road side conversations that I overhead between Muridy, my safari guide and a friend. It was learning Swahili and being in on the jokes.

 

Being present in life during those small,

impactful moments makes my world go round.  

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The Travelin’ Gal is an expression of myself and the journeys I take in this lifetime. The laughable moments, the unexpected mishaps, and the meaningful encounters are something I want to paint a picture of for you. I provide tangible tips, tricks, and stories so YOU can have the most memorable adventures of your life.

 

A trip back to Italy is next on the list with Ireland closely thereafter. After that? Peru? Belize? Iceland? Papua New Guinea? Who knows, but I'm sure I will need some palm trees and sand along the way!

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