Anne Curtis on her love for travel

MANILA, Philippines - Passion is perhaps the common denominator when it comes to interviewing Anne Curtis. Regardless of the topic, the angle, or what she’s endorsing at the moment, you can expect to find a woman who always has something to say and is always very eager to say it. And for the newest brand ambassador of American Tourister, travel certainly does not escape this enthusiasm.

“My favorite thing about traveling is being able to experience different cultures,” Anne said behind the scenes of her photo shoot. “Learning about how they live, their histories, their food, even the goods that they sell. I think these are the things that you have to experience more than shopping. It’s more of how they live and what they have to share that represents their country.”

Hungry to see more

Having a high-profile job that enables her to see the world, it’s easy to dismissively shrug that Anne has been everywhere, and perhaps is even used to being everywhere. But when you ask her about it, you sense the whetted appetite of a woman who has only been made that much more aware of all the territory that has yet to be tapped. “Ang dami pang dapat puntahan! There’s still so much more that I have yet to see and experience.”

Anne filled us in on her recent trip to Machu Picchu for this month’s Mega fashion shoot, which she described as a spiritual experience. “It was so much fun. I think it’s a must-see for everyone. Being in that amazing, amazing place makes you feel closer to whatever higher being you believe in. That’s how I felt.”

She then went on about how she can’t get enough of Europe. “There are still so many cities and countries to discover. I want to see Germany. I want to see all the little quaint towns in the south of France.”

South Africa currently tops her travel bucket list. And while it’s common knowledge that she hails from Australia, even this she admits to not having seen enough of, “because it’s a continent all by itself, so I still want to discover it as well.”

Free spirit

When asked if she has preferences when it comes to the kinds of settings she likes to explore, Anne smiles and says no. “I’m really free-spirited,” she says, being open to pretty much anything that the world has to offer. She also isn’t one to religiously follow travel guides, or even the places and experiences that are raved about in a mainstream way. “That’s what makes it your personal journey, because you discover things your own way. You don’t follow someone else’s vacation plan. And whenever I travel with (boyfriend) Erwan, it’s always something that we choose together. It’s not really planned. We kind of just go with the flow along the way.”

Her favorite thing to discover when it comes to other cultures is the food. “The most daring, I think, are most of the Asian countries. They’re a little more out there when it comes to their local food. You don’t have to go far. You go to China. Even in Thailand there are a lot of insects that I don’t necessarily want to try.”

“So you’ve tried?” we ask.

“Ah, me no. Erwan, yes,” she says with a laugh.

Still, despite all the interesting and sometimes weird experiences she has willingly embraced, Anne finds it impossible to pick a favorite, or even the few that stand out. Every place is distinct and unique, making it a very tall order to decide which to love more than the others. 

“You can’t choose just one. I think every time you go to a different country, it’s a different culture, it’s a different experience. In some places it might be a little harder for you to relate because no one will speak in English. And some places are really touristy, so it’s a lot easier to get by. Every time you go to a different country, it’s a different view, a different kind of people to interact with. Even the weather, sometimes it will be summer, and sometimes there will be snow. You can’t choose just one. And I don’t think anyone can choose their favorite destination until they’ve traveled and seen each country there is to visit.”

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