TravelMates: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure

Riana, seasoned travel writer and world traveller since 2012 shares her stories and tips from her decade of travel

This is part of my TravelMates guest interview series of some of my favourite travel writers and explorers here on Substack, where they share their travel tips, recommendations and mistakes to avoid.

Today’s guest is Riana | Teaspoon of Adventure who shares her family travel adventures on Teaspoon of Adventure.

Riana is a travel blogger who writes about her worldwide adventures from her homebase in Vancouver, Canada. She just returned to Vancouver after nine months away, travelling with her husband, baby and dog through Toronto, France, the UK and Spain.

On her blog, Teaspoon of Adventure, Riana shares firsthand tips and thoughtful itineraries for mid-budget travellers, and on Substack, she’s taking readers behind the scenes of her travels with personal stories, hot takes and lessons learned the hard way.

Now let’s get into it!

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1. When did you first fall in love with travel—and what do you remember most about that first experience?

I went on a few family trips as a kid but the trip that really made me fall in love with travel and, quite honestly, changed my life was in 2012 when I went to Europe. I was 19 years old and this was not only my first trip to Europe but my first solo trip.

I spent about three weeks racing through some of Europe’s biggest cities: London, Paris, Nice, Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon. It was the first and longest time I had ever been by myself, completely in charge of what I wanted to do every day.

I remember feeling both so free and also so small. I was one of millions of people in a city, none of whom knew who I was or cared what I did. That perspective shift really opened up my eyes to how big the world is.

I loved that the Europe I had read about and seen on TV was coming alive before me.

I had the most magical moments going to West End shows, picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower and strolling through Parc Guell. I was well and truly bit by that travel bug!

Of course, there were some disasters too. I missed my overnight bus from Madrid to Lisbon and had a full travel meltdown in the Barcelona subway. But those moments actually showed me that I am a resilient person who can problem solve and that the kindness of strangers is not to be underestimated.

I came back from that trip totally in love with travel and addicted to exploring the world. I’d go on to backpack through Australia, study abroad in Amsterdam and intern in Eswatini, all before graduating from university. Since then I’ve really shaped my life around travel, travelling whenever I get the chance, living abroad twice, and working fulltime as a travel blogger.

2. What’s one destination you’ve been to that completely surprised you—and why?

New Zealand really blew me away when my husband, Colin, and I visited in 2023.

I knew it was going to be beautiful but I was still so gobsmacked by the stunning and diverse landscapes. We saw everything from neon green geothermal pools and caves filled with glowworms to cavernous fiords, snowcapped mountains and rushing waterfalls.

I was also pleasantly surprised by how much nature is respected and incorporated into daily life in New Zealand.

There’s a real dedication to preserving natural environments for future generations, protecting wildlife and honouring the Indigenous caretakers of the land. I loved how much the Maori culture was infused into life in New Zealand, not just tucked away in museums but as a part of dining, language and daily customs.

3. How do you plan and stay organised with your trips?

I love trip planning! It’s one of my favourite hobbies and allows me to get so excited about a trip. I actually look at it as extending how much joy I get out of a trip by spending lots of time planning beforehand.

I usually start by watching some travel vlogs and reading blog posts on the destination to get inspiration for what I want to do, see and eat.

I’ll take notes as I’m watching/reading, jotting down anything that jumps out at me. I’ll then start to do a bit more focused research, looking up specific sites or restaurants, and prioritizing what I want to do.

If I haven’t already booked accommodation, this is usually when I’ll do that. Now that I have a better idea of things I want to do and a better feel for the destination, I’ll know where I want to stay. The type of place we book usually depends on who’s travelling with us and how far the budget can stretch.

My last step is taking all of those research notes and putting together a loose itinerary, including making any advance bookings needed and figuring out local transportation. I’ll have a plan for each day with one or two things we want to do, but I definitely leave space for spontaneity.

I don’t like having every minute of every day scheduled but I do like making use of the research I’ve done and ensuring we have time for the things we really want to see/do/eat.

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4. What’s a travel tip you swear by that most people overlook?

Before you go through airport security, take the time to get yourself and your things ready.

This will not only help you get through security faster but it will also make it less stressful so you’re not hobbling around with one shoe on trying to repack your bags as the bins pile up next to you and fellow passengers shoot daggers your way.

Here are some simple things I’ll do before we get to the front of the security line:

• Have all of my liquids in a clear bag that’s easy to pull out or already out of my suitcase

• Have all of my electronics together and in an outer pocket of my suitcase that’s easy to access

• If I’m wearing anything I’ll have to take off to go through the scanners (e.g. belt, coat), I’ll take it off ahead of time and put it into my bag

• Wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off (and wear socks so I don’t have to be barefoot on the airport floor!)

Above all, pay attention, know the rules and stay alert to the airport staff. Don’t be that person who forgets to take the change out of their pocket or tries to bring a full-size shampoo in their carry-on (though some airports are easing up on their liquid rules!).

I’ve gone through airport security with a dog and a baby and still managed to get through quickly, so you can too!

5. What’s one travel mistake you’ve made that others should avoid?

My biggest travel sin is trying to cram too much into the itinerary and feeling immense FOMO for all of the things we don’t get to. Especially since we’ve been travelling with our daughter, I’ve had to get realistic about what’s feasible when travelling with a baby.

I put together itineraries for our road trip through Normandy and a birthday trip to Malaga that were way too ambitious for our family.

It was disappointing to know we were missing out on seeing more D-Day beaches and going on day trips in Andalusia, but it’s also been a valuable lesson for me in slowing down and appreciating the smaller moments.

I have to remind myself that there’s no award for seeing and doing the most.

And that my family and I will be a lot happier if Baby C can get in a good nap, wiggle around at a playground and go to bed at a reasonable hour. For you that might look like cutting out a tour or museum visit in order to sit at a cafe, stroll through a park or sleep in.

Even if you did fill every minute of your itinerary, there will always be more to see. But the good news is that just means you have a good reason to come back!

6. What’s your go-to strategy for finding great local food?

While I’m not a food blogger, I do talk about food a lot on my travel blog and absolutely love building our trip itineraries around good food. So seeking out the best local food is very important to me!

I usually start by doing research ahead of time—vlogs, blogs, Substack, social media posts, etc. I try to look for restaurant reviews that are written by locals or where the reviewer gives context for their recommendation, not just a star rating.

I’ll save every place that looks delicious on Google Maps, adding a short note in the description about why I want to eat there. I’ll also cross reference the reviews I’ve found through blogs or Substack with a restaurant’s rating on Google Maps, just in case their quality has changed.

Once we get to the destination, I’m still on the lookout for local recommendations.

I’m always interested to hear from tour guides, local friends or people we meet about their favourite spots to eat. Those get added to my Google Maps list too and then whenever we’re hungry, I pull out my map and see what’s nearby!

7. How do you make long flights or travel days more enjoyable?

Long flights/travel days are a whole different ballgame now that we have a toddler! It’s less about enjoying and more about surviving.

That starts with packing. We try to pack lots of snacks and plane-friendly activities, like lightweight books or busy boards. While we want our essentials on hand, we also try to pack light so we have less stuff to deal with through the airport.

We give ourselves lots of time, often showing up early and planning for naps or meals at the airport, rather than feeling rushed. We’ll also plan for breaks. For example, when we were travelling from Toronto, Canada to Orleans, France, we flew into Paris and stayed there for a couple of days before taking the train to Orleans.

Our daughter has done great on the five flights she’s been on so far.

She’s very curious and social, so a plane is just an opportunity for her to meet new friends. In fact, on our flight back to Vancouver from London, a woman in the row in front of us was so charmed by Baby C that she held her three separate times!

8. What’s always in your suitcase no matter where you go?

My e-reader is always packed when we go on a trip. I bought my first one in 2019 right before we moved to Prague and it helped me get so much reading in while we travelled around Europe. E-readers are amazing for travel because they’re lightweight and you can load a ton of books onto them.

I especially love reading books that are set in the destination that I’m travelling to. It gets me so excited reading about a place on the plane ride over. If you love travel novels and memoirs too, check out my list of 50+ of my favourite travel books!

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That’s a wrap!

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