Travel Q&A with Cory Lee Woodard

• Apr 01, 2022

Name… one non-essential item you always travel with.

I always bring playing cards or a board game with me on any trip. It can be a fun way to interact with new people that you meet on the road. Everybody loves games!

…your favorite city if you have just one day in town.

If I only had one day, I would visit Reykjavik, Iceland. I’d start the day by exploring the city center and eating some delicious seafood for lunch. Then, I’d check out a museum or two and end the day by floating in the Blue Lagoon, which is surprisingly accessible and a literal paradise.

…your favorite recent meal.

I recently had a delicious meal at The Beach Club at Bimini, which is Virgin Voyages’ private beach club in the Bahamas. The ribs, jerk chicken, and plantains were mouth-wateringly delicious and not at all what I expected at a cruise ship’s private island. Yum!

…your favorite thing to do when you’re visiting a city, but the weather is bad.

I’m a huge fan of live music or theater, so I’d see what shows are happening and enjoy some indoor live performances. I think that live theater or music can really give you a deeper understanding of that particular culture.

…the friendliest country you’ve visited.

I’ve met friendly people in every destination I’ve visited, but if I had to choose where the absolute friendliest are, I’d probably say Finland. I have been to Finland twice and both times, the Finnish people were incredibly friendly and always willing to lend a helping hand. It’s one of my favorite countries in the world for that reason!

…your favorite airport.

Amsterdam! The staff in the Amsterdam airport are always exceptionally kind, and they are well trained to assist with transfers on and off the plane. As a wheelchair user, I usually dread the transfer process, but not in Amsterdam. They have consistently proven to be a fantastic airport for wheelchair users.

…a travel habit you’ve picked up.

On the first day in any destination, I always ask the locals where to eat and what to order. This has led me to some pretty remarkable restaurants and I’ve been able to try foods such as guinea pig (in Ecuador), reindeer sausage (in Finland), kangaroo steak (in Australia), and even fermented shark (in Iceland). Some were good and some were bad, but it’s all a part of the travel experience.