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Being the content editor of a budget travel website, Sissi constantly finds inspiration to explore the world. Her travel motto, "you only live once - make the most of it", has taken her to some far-flung places...

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London, Rome, New York. Your tips have come from some of the major metropolises in the world. Are you able to pick a favourite? Why?

It would have to be London, where I have lived for the last couple of years. It's one of the most exciting cities in the world and so diverse. No two streets are the same. I love that you can be walking along surrounded by dive bars and takeaways, then the next minute you're on a quiet Victorian street or among grand Regency architecture.

Do you prefer city trips to getting out in the wilderness?

That's a difficult one to call - anywhere that gets me excited will do. I have had amazing breaks in some of the world's biggest cities, but equally one of the best places I went recently was a tiny island off the north coast of Holland called Texel. I'll have to admit, though, camping was fine when I was a teenager, but now I'll take a bed in a hostel over a tent any day!

What prompts each new trip you take? is it a film you see or simply that a place appeals?

I'm the content editor of a budget travel website and it's very hard not to feel inspired when you're in that environment all day! I don't tend to have too many plans; I find the best trips are usually those booked at the last minute and to a place where I've found a good deal rather than somewhere I've especially been looking to visit.

Would you say you are curious about other people or do you like a break to 'get away from it all?'

Curiosity is a big part of it - I always stay in hostels when travelling because it's a great way to meet people from different backgrounds and from all over the world. I'm certainly not one to head to a resort and never leave the grounds and explore the city or surrounding area!

Having said that, most travelling is about getting away from it all, everyone just does it in different ways. Backpacking has got a bad reputation as rather rough around the edges, but there are so many chic modern hostels that relaxation and adventure don't have to be exclusive.

What has been your greatest lesson from travelling?

You only live once. Make the most of it.

Have you ever lived or worked abroad?

Not yet. I've travelled extensively, but I've never spent more than two or three weeks in one place, and in that way sometimes feel I'm missing out. In a few years time, my boyfriend and I hope to live in Australia for a year, and then go to South Korea after that to teach English.

Where do you plan to go next?

It's my boyfriend's birthday in February so I'm taking him to Andaluc’a in Spain. We both love Tapas so I'm sure it will be a great trip! You can get some great deals in Spain this time of year, and even a bit of sunshine if you're lucky.

Your tips are also quite cultural - museums, art galleries etc. Are you able to pick an exhibition out from the rest as one that has really stuck in your mind?

That's another hard one. I'd like to say something typical like the Louvre, or the Sistine Chapel,§ but both of these places are somewhat ruined by all the visitors being herded around them. They stand out for sheer scale and grandeur, but the small art galleries of Chelsea in New York or London's West End have always offered more intimate and rewarding experiences for me.

Do you have one item that you would never (knowingly) travel without?

Well, two items if that's allowed! A pen and a notebook.

Can you describe your travelling style in three words?

Eclectic, adventurous, independent

Are you able to pinpoint when you felt happiest travelling?

In Mozambique, at a tiny resort called Tofo on the coast just past Inhabame. There are no street lights and hardly any electricity, so you see every star. There's something really magical about the sun setting into the sea and nothing to disturb your view for miles.

Ipod or book?

Book, definitely. You can swap a book at your hostel or with other travellers when you're done, which keeps me entertained for far longer than a few hundred songs. Plus there's no need to find a charger when you're in the middle of nowhere!

Where is your hometown? What do you like about it?

As I mentioned before, I currently live in London. There are so many things I love about it - vibrant markets, clubs open all night (and often into the next day), new exhibitions and bars and cafes starting up every week! It really does have everything you could want. But living in a city that doesn't stop can be stressful too. I grew up in the countryside and I miss this sometimes. Commuting into the center from my flat in Islington is pretty annoying, but I love the peace and quiet this little bit of North London offers when I get home

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