Recently, our lovely city was featured in Emma Higgins’s blog, Gotta Keep Movin’ – One Woman Voluntourism & Beyond. Emma is a travel writer and self-proclaimed nomad from the UK. She’s been all around the world, blogging along the way.Her latest stint of travel included a stop in Pittsburgh, and it’s no surprise to us that she fell in love!
In her article 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Pittsburgh, Emma explains to her readers why they most definitely need to plan a trip to the Steel City. There’s something for everyone in good ol’ Pittsburgh. Not only had she fallen in love with our bridges and unique neighborhoods, but she also fell in love with us, Maniacs! She fell in love with the locals who proudly call this beautiful city their home.
We were fortunate enough to be able to ask Emma a few questions about her travels!
What was your best Pittsburgh memory?
Emma: During my time in Pittsburgh, I spent a lot of time with the locals. While I didn’t see everything there was to see in the city (that just gives me so many reasons to return!) I did manage to meet enough people to see that the Pittsburgh locals are such a friendly, welcoming, and quite simply cool bunch of people. One night during my few days there, I was invited round to someone’s house for beers and a round of Cards Against Humanity – and for those of you who know the game you’ll be aware of how much of an ice breaker that is! That evening is one of my best memories because I got to meet a handful of really awesome PGH locals. These people and all the other Pittsburghers are what made my time in Pittsburgh totally unforgettable. While I may have seen more of the obvious ‘sights’ in Pittsburgh if I had just wandered around alone, I don’t think it would have captivated me quite as much as it did as with the local people by my side.
What is your #1 travel tip for our Maniacs?
Emma: Go local, whenever you can. This follows on neatly from my favourite memory. You can do all the guidebook reading you want, but the people who truly know your destination the best are the people that you walk past on the streets. I hardly plan anything before I come to a destination, and simply ask any local I can what they think I should see during my time in the city. This leads to more personal, and exceptional, experiences, and experiences that are completely unlike that of anyone else who has visited that place.
What is your go-to travel outfit?
Emma: I’ve been travelling with the same wardrobe for a good while now, and there are a couple of things in there I can’t leave home without. If I’m in a warm destination, my vintage Levi cut-off denim shorts are completely invaluable. Those things fit me like a glove, are comfortable, and because they’re technically men’s shorts, have deep pockets for keeping things handy. I pair them up with plain tees or tanks that pack very easily, throw on some nice jewelry and sandals to style it up a bit, and I’m good to go. I’m not usually all that bothered about looking great every day on the road, but if I do have something special to dress up for, jewelry is the perfect way to make my plain clothes more interesting.
What is the one place you HAVE to visit?
Emma: Torturous question for a long-term traveler. But if I absolutely had to pick, it would be Malaysia. I predominantly travel to cities, so Kuala Lumpur is well up there on a big city that I have to visit one day. However, I also love nature and am a bit of an advocate for eco-tourism, so Malaysia also offer plenty in terms of greenery, wildlife, and incredible scenery to explore. I should be making it there in 2015, and I intend on spending a few months discovering all it has to offer.
