Get ready to dive into Kia's world where she harmonizes between work and wanderlust. Follow her tips and unlock a year filled with worry-free travel experiences and unforgettable adventures!🪂🏔

Hi, Kia! We’d love to know more about you. Can you share a little about yourself?

Hi, I'm Kia, 25 years old. Born in Manila, I later lived seven years in Bangkok before returning to Manila for high school at Assumption College and taking up Environmental Science with a Minor in Sustainability for college in Ateneo. Currently, I work remotely as the Global Environment Coordinator for Cambridge University Press & Assessment in the UK.

While I have a deep love for the outdoors, enjoying activities like traveling, camping, hiking, and diving with friends, I also cherish quiet indoor moments. Like listening to music, cooking, watching movies and documentaries, working out, going on walks, playing board games, reading (which I promised myself I’d make more time for this year), and spending quality time with my dogs and loved ones. When I travel, I'm drawn to museums, creativity-inspiring places, meeting new people, and of course… eating!

What are your top tips on how anyone can travel more this 2024?

• Consider visiting a local destination! There are so many beautiful and underrated places in our country.

• Set a travel budget, and savings goals, and track your daily expenses.

• Travel during off-peak times to save money and for a more relaxed experience with fewer crowds. Research and plan your trips in advance to find the best deals. Take advantage of free activities, places, or events.

How do you juggle work and wanderlust to squeeze every drop of adventure from your calendar?

I feel very fortunate with my remote work setup and flexible hours because it allows me to travel. But I believe that regardless of your job’s demands, setup or position, it's important to set clear boundaries between work and personal time for yourself, the people you work with, and/or the people that work for you. Just as we dedicate ourselves to focus on work during business hours, we should fully immerse ourselves and be present on vacation when we're off-duty. Taking care of our mental and physical well-being ensures you can enjoy your travels to the fullest while returning to work refreshed and ready to give it your all again.

What are your top 3 travel routines for a worry-free escape?

• I’m admittedly a slow packer and I’ve found that packing at least a week before my trip works best for me. I’ll usually just leave my suitcase open in my room. This allows me to throw in any forgotten items leading up to the departure date. Then the night before, I finalize and organize everything.

• I prefer plotting places my friends and I want to go to on the custom ‘My Maps’ feature of Google Maps rather than setting strict hourly itineraries. That way we can decide what areas of the city we want to explore each day and stick to choosing cafes, restaurants, or activities in that specific area. Helps optimize your time and transpo costs too. You may also want to share your location with the people you’re travelling with in case you want to split up with the group and for everyone’s safety.

• I like to schedule laser hair removal treatments with Wink, haircuts, or any errands at least the week before too. Things we do to take care of ourselves and feel our most confident are already the start of the trip/vacation in my opinion!

Why do you trust Wink as your ultimate adventure sidekick in 2024?

As someone who values self-care and stress-free preparation, I find that Wink's treatments fit well into my travel routines. Their professional services, the clean and relaxed ambiance at their branches, and machines that use the latest technology, consistently deliver the results I want. I appreciate how this allows me to focus on enjoying the excitement and experiences of my trips.

Follow Kia's adventures here.