Go Away With … Margaret Brennan

By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune
July 9, 2019

“Face the Nation” moderator and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan has seen the world. She has reported stories from Havana, Kabul, Beijing, Tehran and throughout the United States. “A lot of the traveling that I have done is for work,” says Brennan, 39. “I’ve been to spots in Afghanistan and Iraq that are lovely, too, but I wouldn’t put those on travel itineraries.” Based out of Washington, D.C., the journalist updates her work and adventures on Twitter.

Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?

A. Sag Harbor, New York. I grew up spending my summers at this small fishing village that has turned into a bustling Hamptons enclave. For me, this is where I feel most at home, doing the same things that I did when I was a kid. I look forward to bringing our son here soon to wander the beaches where my Dad and his siblings also played while growing up. Other favorites: Petra, Jordan; Udaipur, India; Ko Phi Phi, Thailand; Cape Town, South Africa.

Q. What untapped destination should people know about?

A. Most far-flung points I’ve visited (including) Dili (East Timor) and Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei).

Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?

A. Sag Harbor. My first big international trip was to Ireland to study in high school. I loved it and the independence of traveling without my parents for the first time. It was empowering. That was followed by Dhaka, Bangladesh. That trip was eye opening, the sheer volume of people, poverty, sounds, sites, incredible flavors, vibrant scents and colors. If you go, I would recommend heading to the Sundarbans.

Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?

A. That there are a million options in life. America isn’t the center of the world, but we do think that we are.

Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A. Charlottesville, Virginia. My husband and I went to the University of Virginia. There are a number of great restaurants in town and gorgeous hikes to be had. The grounds of the university are breathtaking. It is an UNESCO world heritage site.

Q. Where is the most romantic destination?

A. Any place can be romantic if you’re there with the right person. Being able to travel well with a partner is a great read into whether you can make it as a couple.

Q. If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?

A. Bangkok, Thailand, on New Year’s Eve is great.

Q. Do you speak any foreign languages?

A. I studied Arabic and speak some Spanish. Traveling with my husband is great as he is a sponge for new languages and tries to learn them on our trips. I have to work at it.

Q. What are your five favorite cities?

A. Istanbul, Turkey; Paris, France; Bangkok, Thailand; Lausanne, Switzerland; Hanoi, Vietnam.

Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A. Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Croatia.

Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A. Phone chargers and adapters, travel candles, moisturizer, hand sanitizer and small perfumes for use on the plane.

Q. What is your worst vacation memory?

A. Trying to run away from a charging elephant in the middle of the Bush in Kruger, South Africa. Our guide led us on foot to observe some animals up close and we surprised a family of elephants. The guide was attacked by one of the parents. The other tracker who was with us on safari led us into the bush to get away from the elephants. I could not run well due to a knee problem and my newly minted husband — we’d been married just days at that point — picked me up. I was never so thankful to be married to a Marine! Thankfully, we made it safely back to the vehicle. Our guide survived the attack, but had to have multiple surgeries to repair the damage. It was terrifying.

© 2019 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

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