Meet the Nomads: Dave Bouskill

Sunday, June 06, 2010 Posted by flipnomad

Dave Bouskill is the better half of Debra Corbeil, they are the author of ThePlanetD, one of the travel blogs that I follow.

Their passion for travelling serves as an inspiration for couples who are thinking of doing the same thing. They love adventures and they want to prove that "Anyone can do it!" (it's also their motto by the way).

Follow their adventure at http://theplanetd.com/.

Below is Flip's short interview with Dave.

How did you discover your passion for travelling?

"It was during my first trip to Europe. When I visited the places that I had studied about in school it was amazing. Visiting locations that actual historical events took place in, made them more important and real. It was also the first trip that I had gone to multiple countries at one time and seeing the diversity between the different places fueled my passion for travel."

What’s the most horrible experience that you’ve had on the road?

"When I got swarmed by fire ants in Honduras. I still have a phobia towards ants! I got off a bus and helped to unload all of the bags. I threw my bag on the ground while people handed theirs out the window. I guess I put my bag on an ant hill because when I put it on, within seconds, my entire body was covered in ants biting me. It was excruciating. My white t-shirt was transformed to black and I couldn’t get them off. Luckily a fellow traveler had some surgical gloves and he swooped them off of me while Deb searched frantically for the bug spray(which didn’t help)."

What’s the most outstanding travel experience that you’ve ever had?

"Going to Mount Everest Base Camp. It had been a goal of mine for several years to visit Everest, and I finally did it during the trip I am on right now. It fulfilled one of my dreams."

What’s the biggest realization that you’ve got out of travelling?

"It doesn’t matter where you go, what you see or what you do, it is the people of a country that make the experience worthwhile. A country could have the most beautiful mountains, the biggest monument, the oldest ruins or most beautiful beaches, but it is the people that you meet along the way that define the experience of travel."

What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?

"This is an easy one, it is Deb that keeps me going. When I get down tired or need a pick me up, having Deb to share feelings, field ideas and sometimes just to give me a pep talk gets me back on track."

This is a silly and hypothetical one. If you would be given a chance to travel with a popular person or a celebrity, who would it be and why?

"George Clooney. It would be cool to be a guest at his Lake Como Villa. Plus, I saw his documentary on Darfur and he is willing to rough it for the story. He stayed in some pretty shoddy accommodations while filming it. It shows he is willing to get down and dirty when it counts."

What could stop you from travelling?

"Death."

Among the places that you’ve been to, which one fascinated you the most?

"The Balancing (Golden) Rock in Burma. It is a giant Golden Rock balancing on the side of a mountain. It actually hangs right over the edge. Legend says, it is balancing on the hair of Buddha. We spent the night there with no other travelers. Only pilgrims and Deb and I stayed over. It was fascinating. When I went up to touch it, I could actually see it teetering on the edge. I have no idea how it has survived earthquakes, erosion and other natural enemies over the centuries. It Burma’s most sacred site and is covered in gold leafs with a pagoda built on top."

What's the best travel advice that you could give for a novice traveler like me?

"Spend time in places. Don’t rush through each country just to tick them off your list and fill up the passport with stamps. You see so much more and your experiences are more meaningful when you slow down. If you take your time, you will make new friends, see some off the beaten path sites and feel the energy of the country. You can actually feel like a part of it rather than simply being an observer."

What do you think about yourself?

"I’m Awesome. (hehe, just kidding). I am very easy going and that can sometimes be good, but also it can sometimes be bad."

"ThePlanetd is a blog about the adventures of Dave and Deb. We love to show people that you don't have to be a world class athlete or extreme explorer to go out and have your own adventure of a lifetime. Dave and I are your average every day people that have decided to some extraordinary things in the eyes of others. But really anyone can do it and we love to share our trials and tribulations with the world. We love sharing our struggles and accomplishments and hope that people enjoy the truth and rawness that we tell our stories." - Deb

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