Each month, we like to showcase someone from the Wild Bum community. This month, as our Guide Architect of the Month feature, we are introducing you to Elizabeth Fabio! She is a badass female traveler, who has gone on epic hikes all around the world. We are lucky to have her as part of Wild Bum’s community and we can’t wait for you to get to know her.
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Sunny San Diego is where I call home! I have lived here pretty much my whole life and I love it! There’s so much to do in the city that it sometimes feels like a mini-adventure or trip within itself.
I am currently a contract engineer and a graduate student at San Diego State University. In my free time I love to go hiking or roller skating!
What type of traveler are you and what would you say is your travel style?
I’m more of a go-with-the-flow type of traveler. I always have a couple of “go-to” places in mind when visiting an area, but overall I actually like asking the locals their opinions. Also, a lot of my big trips start with the “down and dirty” work where it is pretty much trekking for days with little to no amenities. However, I end the trip with some pampering like a massage or a mani-pedi. Now that I think about it, when I go on vacation I’m doing some sort of physical activity.
Where have you been? Where has been your favorite place?
Up until I was 25, I had never travelled out of the country. My parents were not really global adventurers but they did spark my love for National Parks and the great outdoors. As a kid, I remember road trips to the Grand Canyon and through Utah to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon.
However, once I saved enough money and gathered enough courage, I made the jump to book trips to Machu Picchu and Kilimanjaro all in the same year through WHOA Travel. They are a female-empowered travel company that supports local businesses and the community. I have also in recent years trekked Everest Base Camp, Mt. Whitney, and Half Dome in Yosemite.
Why did you decide to become a Guide Architect for Wild Bum?
Overall, I love planning out trips. I spend my free time looking up possible AirBnBs to places I want to visit and reading travel blogs. So when I came across Wild Bum I thought this is a win-win situation. Do what I love, work on what I love!
What guides have you created? Do you have any upcoming guides we can look forward to?
So far I have created guides about San Diego and Death Valley! I have one upcoming guide about the Eastern Sierras as well. I hope to write more guides outside of California, especially when I finish grad school and take some time to travel around the world next year.
Check out her guides right here!
How have you stayed inspired during this time where travel has not been as accessible?
My most physically and mentally demanding trek was up to Everest Base Camp. Even with my experience with high-altitude hiking and backpacking, I did not acclimatize too well. I was barely eating and my energy level was pretty much non-existent. However, I kept going to the best of my abilities because of the support of my trekking group and many bottles of Coca-Cola. Sometimes the push you need is from a strong community and a sugary soft beverage!
What is one thing you can’t travel without?
Cloud memory (AKA Google Photos)! I realize the importance of all my pictures and memories in my phone after accidentally dropping it in a squatty potty. A lot of the bathrooms are set up that way in Tanzania, and fortunately, someone was able to get my phone out. I recovered all my pictures summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro on my SD card.
What is something you enjoy about being part of the Wild Bum community?
I enjoy that I found my people! Everyone in this community has similar but vastly different experiences. And the fact we are able to share it through our travel guides and blogs is pretty amazing! Now anytime people have questions on places to visit, I am glad I can refer them to Wild Bum! I would highly recommend Wild Bum for first-hand accounts on travel locations and advice.
We are all about inspiring people to get out there and travel, use time-off to explore, and find their wild.
Tell us, when do you feel the most “wild”?
I feel my most wild after a day of backpacking in the mountains and I can wind down with a cup of hot chocolate and look out the night sky. My favorite outdoor moments have always been stargazing with good company!
If you haven’t already, be sure to read this post or this one to meet a couple more awesome Guide Architects that are part of our travel community.
