Interview with travel Jeralyn Gerba and Pavia Rosati: “Sicily, Morocco, Mexico City, Paris, the Amalfi Coast, and Australia (all of it!) are the favourites we return to again and again. Sri Lanka was unforgettable for Pavia — for the food (hoppers!), the beaches, the elephants, and the afternoon she spent on Taprobane Island, a speck of land she reached by wading through the sea. If she had to pick one continent to explore for the rest of her life, Jeralyn would pick Africa for the people, the landscapes, the sunsets, the animals, and the music — from off-beat Zambia’s wild bird inhabitants to dance parties in Johannesburg to Tuareg field recordings and Ethiopian tribal fashion.
Pavia Rosati and Jeralyn Gerba.
Top tip for holidaying anywhere
The more connected we are to our devices, the more important it is to disconnect whenever we can. Especially in remote locations! We like to use our phone to take photos — and ignore it for everything else. We want to really be in the places we are, not thinking about the office back at home.
Jeralyn Gerba in a temple in Myanmar.
Something they always pack when they travel
We never travel without a decks of cards (our games are canasta, poker, rummy 500, and Bananagrams), and notebooks we fill with research, notes, and lists of the next things we have to see on our travels.
Jeralyn Gerba and Pavia Rosati on the train, Rome.
A destination on their bucket list, for future travels
Jeralyn would love to get to the Himalayas, Patagonia, Papua New Guinea, and Antarctica — the list goes on (if only she could find a year to explore all of Japan). Pavia is dying to see the northern and southern extremes: the fjords of Norway and British Columbia; Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica. She’ll stop in Botswana along the way.
Pavia Rosati, Lo Scoglio, Amalfi Coast, Italy.
A travel disaster – or near-miss – which stays in mind
We’ve woken up in emergency rooms in the middle of the night in the Caribbean, been robbed a few times in Italy and Spain, and almost arrested for inadvertently interrupting a political procession in Myanmar. But the stories sure are good.
Pavia Rosati pouring wine in Rome.
About Jeralyn Gerba and Pavia Rosati
Jeralyn Gerba and Pavia Rosati are the co-founders of Fathom, the editorially-driven travel website that connects passionate travelers to the world’s best places, people, and products. They celebrate the reasons why we pack our bags and hit the road, making the world as accessible as it is wondrous. They both live in New York City with their families. Pavia travels for the four-hour lunches. Jeralyn travels for the ancient ruins and future discoveries. They are both fascinated by emerging destinations, inspiring creators, and compelling storytellers.
Jeralyn Gerba and Pavia Rosati released “How to Travel Anywhere (and Avoid Being a Tourist)” on 1 April, through Hardie Grant: As thrilling as travel can be, planning a great trip can be intimidating for those hoping for a rewarding and personalised journey. The travel editors at Fathom, Jeralyn Gerba and Pavia Rosati, have spent years curating a treasure trove of recommendations and stories from a network of interesting people who travel well (chefs, novelists, designers, innkeepers, musicians) in places both well-known and off the beaten path. All of this has been beautifully packaged up in “How to Travel Anywhere (and Avoid Being a Tourist)”, a book that will inspire the traveller in you, no matter what kind of experience you’re looking for.
Jeralyn Gerba, Marrakech.
