Name: Sandra Ingerman
Occupation: Teacher of shamanism and author
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Residence: Santa Fe, New Mexico
College: California Institute of Integral Studies
College major: Counseling Psychology
Website: sandraingerman.com & shamanicteachers.com & sandraingermanbooks.com & shamanstv.com
Twitter: @sandraingerman
Facebook: Sandra Ingerman
YouTube: The Shamans Cave
Short bio: Sandra Ingerman, MA, is an award-winning author of twelve books, including “Soul Retrieval,” “Medicine for the Earth,” “Walking in Light,” “The Book of Ceremony: Shamanic Wisdom for Invoking the Sacred Into Everyday Life,” and “The Hidden Worlds” (co-written with Katherine Wood for children). She is the presenter of eight audio programs produced by Sounds True, and created the Transmutation App. For 35 years Sandra has been a world-renowned teacher of shamanism teaching workshops internationally on shamanism and reversing environmental pollution using spiritual methods.
Sandra is devoted to teaching people to work together as a global community to manifest positive change. She is passionate about helping people to reconnect with nature. Since the 1980s thousands of people have healed from past and present traumas through the classic cross cultural shamanic healing method Sandra teaches called Soul Retrieval.
Sandra is a licensed marriage and family therapist and professional mental health counselor and a board-certified expert on traumatic stress.
How often do you fly? Back in my prime I flew every week to teach workshops. Now I fly a few times a year.
How many countries have you been to? 22
How many continents have you been to? 4
Earliest travel memory: My parents taking my brother and I on a trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
Favorite American city: I have so many, but I do love Mt. Shasta, California.
Favorite international city: This is a hard question. So how does one choose? Paris is a city I have such great memories visiting.
Least favorite country: I really disliked my time in Tahiti.
I have no desire to go to: I can’t imagine saying there is not a place I don’t want to visit. But I certainly don’t want to go back to Tahiti!
Friendliest people in the world: I have found the friendliest people in the world to be the Egyptians.
Country with the meanest immigration officers: Many cities in the USA.
Favorite World Heritage Site: I could write such a long list. Some of my favorites are the Galapagos, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Barrier Reef, Olympic National Park.
Favorite airline: I like Alaska, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines.
Favorite aircraft type: Boeing 777.
Aisle or window: Window.
Favorite airport lounge: In Heathrow there is such a wonderful first class lounge that caters to flyers of different airlines.
Favorite U.S. airport: Albuquerque as everyone is so friendly there including all the TSA employees.
Favorite international airport: Switzerland.
Favorite hotel: I have too many favorites!!
Favorite cruise line: Celebrity.
Favorite travel credit card: Citibank.
Favorite island: Maui.
Favorite beach: Mazatlan. I had a near death experience drowning in the ocean there. It was such a beautiful and life-changing experience, love to go back.
Favorite National Park: Joshua Tree.
Favorite fancy restaurant: I eat simply, but occasionally I like to eat at the Coyote Café in Santa Fe.
Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Harry’s Road House.
Favorite bar: Santa Fe Spirits.
Favorite fruit: Watermelon.
Favorite food: Ice cream—any kind!
Least favorite food: I never developed a taste for okra.
Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Anything with vodka. But on the ground I like an occasional martini and wine.
Favorite travel movie(s): Midnight in Paris, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, I Am Legend.
Favorite travel show(s): Anything on the National Geographic channel.
Favorite travel book(s): “Shantaram,” “Take Me With You,” “That Month in Tuscany,” “A Man Called Ove.”
Right now I am reading: “The Woman in the Window.”
Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: I don’t read any.
Favorite travel website(s)—besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! Expedia, TripAdvisor and Cruise Critic.
5 things you bring on a plane: Extra makeup, emergency meds I don’t want to lose, a blanket, a great book, extra contact lenses.
What do you always seem to forget? I don’t forget things to bring with me as I don’t know where I can get certain products that I will need if I don’t carry them with me.
What do you like least about travel? I really dislike delays. I spent so much of my time traveling in airports dealing with 5-6 hour delays. I wish airports rented out beds to lie in during these long delays. I also don’t like turbulent flights.
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? Earrings.
Favorite travel app(s): TripAdvisor.
Most embarrassing travel moment: I was once so tired I just boarded an airplane that was to the wrong destination. No one at the gate picked up my error. When the announcement came welcoming everyone to the flight and sharing where we were flying to I stood up and yelled I am on the wrong plane. So embarrassing!!
I’m embarrassed I haven’t been to: Spain.
Worst travel moment: Trying to get out of Tahiti!
What’s your dream destination? Svalbard in the Arctic.
Favorite travel charity: I was not aware that travel charities existed.
Best travel tip: Make plans but be flexible and go with the flow. Have a sense of humor when traveling.
Yeah! Well, as for me, makeup is every girls’ best friend. I hated it when I forgot my make-ups during travel. But kudos Ms. Sandra Ingerman, I hope I can travel like 22 or more countries as well.