CURRENT MISSION

I'm a travel writer so I get paid to see the world!

ABOUT ME

A personal blog of my travels/red carpet events:
www.camelsandchocolate.com

My professional site:
www.kristinluna.com

The 411: Grew up in small-town Tennessee, five minutes from the Jack Daniels distillery. Will always be a Southern girl at heart (all hail Dixie) and drink JD likes its water, although I'm currently a journalist in Manhattan - Hell's Kitchen to be exact. Have studied at five universities in five years. Have visited 43 of the 50 U.S. states and nearly 40 countries. And most importantly, I hate sharks, speed bumps, and small, confined spaces, and love chocolate, traveling (obviously) and dogs. Monkeys are okay, too.

In the past couple years, I've worked for Harper's, Newsweek, InStyle, Us Weekly, Glamour, In Touch, MTV, Entertainment Weekly and a whole host of other papers and mags. Currently doing the fashion thing at Lucky (when I'm in town) by day, red carpet thing for Entertainment Weekly/InStyle by night, and writing travel pieces for Travel Channel, Forbes Traveler and Newsweek in my "free time". And traveling as much as financially possible. Obviously. Just livin' la vida pura.

PHILOSOPHY

To see the world. Duh. Also to defy stereotypes and set a positive example for a country who could use some substantial ambassadors at the moment...

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I haven't had much time to host this year due to being on the road nonstop for work, but I hope to get back into it one of these days.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Only great experiences (99% of the time). Have met hundreds of CSers in my four-year involvement (the first few months I was using a friend's profile). Was previously a Hospitality Club enthusiast, but once you go CouchSurfing, you'll never go back! =)

Interests

writing, photography, all sports (primarily American football, soccer, tennis, basketball), the beach, reading, magazines

• dogs
• writing
• fashion
• photography
• festivals
• oktoberfest
• chocolate
• drinking
• clubbing
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• skydiving
• sports
• basketball
• american football
• soccer
• tennis
• journalism
• tourism
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite Movies: V for Vendetta, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Constant Gardener, Love Actually, The Princess Bride, Crash, Napoleon Dynamite, anything with Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller. Favorite Books: White Oleandar, The Princess Bride, The Great Gatsby, The Devil Wears Prada, The Constant Gardener, Yes Man, Memoirs of a Geisha. Favorite Music: Counting Crows, Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson, U2, Dave Matthews Band, Guster, Dashboard Confessional, Postal Service, Rascal Flatts, Pat Green and most country, THE FRAY, Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, Blackeyed Peas.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Rode a camel through the Sahara. Helped African-Austrian refugees flee into Italy. Wrote a travel guide for MTV from Spain. Went skydiving in the Pyrenees. Canyoning in Switzerland. Was a rebel and went to Cuba. Oktoberfest in Germany. Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Driving tour of parts of Iceland (w/ CSers James and Hanna).

Teach, Learn, Share

If I told you everything I know, then you wouldn't go out and seek the information yourself!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States

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