Meet Alli Ruttger

From Greater Toronto, Canada
Based in Saigon (HCMC), Vietnam
She works as a Third Grade Teacher at Saigon South International School
Alli has been to 26 countries

Instagram: allirtgr | Website: saigonbased.com visit for photo essays and travel videos.

Countries Visited

Americas: Canada, USA, Nicaragua Costa Rica Belize Mexico Honduras Bahamas
Europe: Greece, Germany
Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Taiwan
Middle East: Oman, UAE
Oceania: Australia

Fun Facts

Essential travel item:
My Sony A6500 with a 50mm lens, my Kindle, podcasts, and my husband who is my number one travel companion (he’s an expert planner and human GPS).

Favorite holiday spot:

Laos. It’s Southeast Asia epitomized. I’ve done two motorcycle trips there. One through the northern mountains and one through the southern river delta. I still feel the need to go back.

Favorite holiday activity:

I like to feel connected to the places I visit. I need to come away with at least a small sense of what life is like for the locals, and their history. My favourite introductory activity when I arrive in a new city or country is to grab my camera and explore a busy urban area such as a marketplace. I’m naturally curious, so observing local life fascinates me.

The one place you really want to go visit:
I’m all about the Himalayas right now. I’ve felt drawn to that region all my life, probably because I love big, epic landscapes. Bhutan and Nepal are my next travel spots, but Tibet is my number one. I’ve been hitting the stairmaster pretty hard to prepare.

Best piece of advice for a traveler :
Connect with the locals. Learning a few phrases in their language will break down barriers in a big way and lead you to experiences you never thought possible. I also find that reading books set in the country I’m visiting helps me to feel immersed in that place.