Hello World! Introducing Your New Favorite Travel Blogger

My name is Christina Ostner and I am that one friend on your feed who is always boarding a plane, roadtripping, or in some faraway country.

I’ve researched in the UK, I’ve toured with Disney on Ice all over Europe, Japan, and North America, and I’ve traveled solo, with family, and with friends over the past twelve years—always the planner, of course.

My background is in design and technical theatre: there is no better inspiration than traveling abroad, experiencing art and architecture, breathtaking landscapes, and meeting amazing new friends all over the globe. On my first solo trip in London in 2012, I met an Australian boy who perfectly said, “how can you be lonely when there are so many beautiful people in the world?” He wasn’t wrong! I’ve been fending off loneliness ever since ;).

I currently work remotely for Enchant Christmas, which has been such a game-changer for feeding my travel bug. I have the pleasure of visiting all of our event sites to support the local teams: in November last year alone, I flew on 13 planes all over the US! Most recently I have worked remotely from Madrid, Marrakech, and New York City. What’s the craziest place I’ve ever called in to a meeting from? The back of a camel in the Agafay Desert, Morocco!

I’m 32 years young and originally hail from New England in the US. After graduating from the University of Connecticut, I headed south to Florida to participate in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World, maintained a home base in Florida for about ten years, and have been in Louisiana for the last year. In my 10+ years working in the entertainment industry, I have worn a plethora of hats. From working in the Orlando theme parks, to touring with Disney on Ice as an ice technician, to working in Sarasota, FL as an assistant technical director and event coordinator, to teaching stagecraft for three years in Palmetto, FL, I have kept my passion for travel at the core!

My goal is to prove to you that you don’t need to quit your 9 to 5 to go on that trip you’ve been dreaming of (I know you have those videos saved, and it’s about time you do something with them!). The truth is, designing the perfect travel itinerary isn’t far off from designing something physical:

1. Research: for both travel and design, you have to start with the research phase! Where do you want to go? What experiences are available there? What’s the exchange rate like? And of course, how expensive (or cheap?!) are the flights?
2. Assessment: it’s one thing to research, it’s another to figure out what to do with the information. Prioritize and outline your goals for the trip. Start to map out how much time you will need for each activity (this is something I have mastered, and probably my favorite step outside traveling itself!).
3. Design: crafting the perfect itinerary takes practice, but once you figure out the formula, it becomes second nature!
4. Execution: the thrill of seeing a design come to fruition is certainly matched by the thrill of getting dropped off at Departures at the airport and marching up to the TSA PreCheck line (if you aren’t already, I will convince you, just wait).

If you’ve made it this far, I can already tell you have what it takes to be an Adventurer by Design. So take my virtual hand, and let me help you design the perfect itinerary!

Happy planning! Happy travels!

xx Christina