Community Feature: Hannah Henderson
As part of an interview series about our Countdown Plus community, we had the pleasure to interview Hannah Henderson. Hannah is a far-flung Kiwi, currently residing in France (by way of Scotland). A travel blogger, freelance photographer and content creator, she can most often be found either on a road trip with her husband and dog, or enjoying life in the French countryside.
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Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. We know that you are a Kiwi living in France and would love to hear more about this. Why did you decide to live in France?
Well, I moved to Scotland when I was 23, and intended just to stay long enough to do some traveling. But then I met my husband and ended up staying in Scotland for 16 years! But alas, despite its beauty, Edinburgh is cold, and the winters are long. So, we set our sights on France, not only because it is a country full of food, wine and history, but because the weather is warm!
We saw that you have an upcoming trip to Paris and Amsterdam. What are you most looking forward to?
Paris is my ‘soul city’, the place I feel most at home. We are lucky to live just a couple of hours south by train, so we visit regularly. I love the café culture, the people-watching, and the way the layers of the city reveal themselves to you over years of visiting.
Can you share the most interesting or humorous story from your travels?
Probably the most interesting, although not so humorous story is from my time in Naples, Italy, was when I was 19. I was taking a photo up an alleyway and didn’t realize I had taken a photo of a dodgy deal going down in the shadows. Two men emerged from the shadows and came towards me, so I walked quickly away and hid in a bank. When I developed the film (yes, it was way before digital), turns out I hadn’t captured any of the activity and it was just a street scene! Doh!
What is your dream destination and why?
I have a few dream destinations: Cuba – Havana for the music, and Baracoa for the rainforests and relaxation. Mexico City – for the museums. And Vietnam, because I adore the food!
Travel can really shape people. What are 3 core lessons that you have learned from your travels?
My first big RTW trip taught me that I was far more self-sufficient than I realized. It also taught me that hostels were really NOT my thing, and I’d never stay in one again ;-) I think the most important lessons I learned were on solo travels – where you are left with your own thoughts. Being alone isn’t a scary thing, and it’s amazing how many new people you meet when traveling by yourself.
Is there a person in the world with whom you would love to have breakfast or lunch with, and why?
I’m a total geek, so I’d love to have brunch (my favourite meal) with Stephen Fry. He did a road trip tv series around the USA in a London cab, and I was captivated. He has a reverence for the history of a place and why things are the way they are – I appreciate that.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Twitter: @HHLifestyleTrav
Facebook: @HHLifestyleTravel
Instagram: @hhlifestyletravel
Thank you so much for sharing! We look forward to reading your future blog posts about Cuba, Vietnam, and Mexico City!
