Because our schedules never seemed to align, we ended up meeting twice at the airport: once as she was departing for Papua New Guinea and again on her return from Austria, this time on businessGetting to Papua New Guinea took her 29 hours, but she is more than used to such journeys because travelling is her greatest passion.She tells me about spending time with a tribe that venerates crocodiles and witnessing the initiation ceremony through which men and women enter adulthood. The ritual involves making cuts all over their backs which, once healed, resemble crocodile scales. It is one of the most isolated tribes in the world and was only discovered in the 1930s.I already know about her latest leisure trip, but what was the one before that?
I went trekking in Uganda to visit a gorilla sanctuary and get very, very close to them. They made a huge impression on me, especially the silverbacks, which are enormous. You observe very human behaviours and realise how closely related we are.
How do you travel?
I’ve travelled in every possible way: alone, with a friend, in groups, completely improvised, semi-organised… What I always try to do is immerse myself as much as possible in the local culture. I’m not the typical European who looks for a pizzeria at lunchtime because they don’t understand the local menu or are unsure what animal they might be eating. Never. In China I’ve eaten snake and other creatures I didn’t even know the names of.
Do you buy souvenirs on every trip?
Honestly, not anymore. Years ago I did, but now I’m more practical. I always buy something useful and handmade, and of course jewellery. The handbag I’m carrying is Colombian and made by women artisans. I have earrings and bracelets from all over the world. Although on my last trip I brought back a crocodile jawbone, which I’m unlikely ever to use.
So these bracelets…?
Each one comes from a different place: Bhutan, Gambia, Japan, Indonesia, Kenya, China, Yemen, Senegal, Papua, Bolivia, India, Indonesia and many more. And, of course, there’s one with the Spanish flag and another representing El Rocío.
You must have thousands of stories to tell.
In Yemen, a young girl from the street invited us to a hen party. We were amazed to see all the women without veils, smoking and having a wonderful time. Not a single man in sight.In Algeria, travelling across the desert in a 4×4, we spent hours without water. In the end, we had to drink from a goatskin water bag carried by the locals in the jeep. It tasted awful.
In Cusco, the altitude made me faint, and the same happened in La Paz, Bolivia. A local man told me that the cure for altitude sickness was to “eat little, walk slowly and sleep alone.”To climb one of the sanctuaries in Argelia, we had to get up at four in the morning in freezing temperatures.
With the destinations you choose, you must spend your life getting vaccinated.
Not anymore. The first time I travelled to India, I took anti-malaria medication, but the side effects were terrible, so I decided enough was enough. Many years ago, I was vaccinated against yellow fever, but never again.
Have airlines lost your luggage very often?
Considering how much I travel, I’ve been lucky. It has only happened a couple of times, and both times the suitcase was delivered to my hotel within 24 hours.
Do you feel at home in Europe?
Of course, but a three-hour flight to another European country doesn’t excite me much. That said, you can still be impressed by walking through the cobbled streets of Bratislava, as happened to me just a few weeks ago.
You speak English very well, I imagine.
Not really. My father sent me to England and the United States when I was young, but you lose a lot over time. There came a point in England when I had more Spanish friends than English ones. Still, I manage perfectly well when travelling. At work, however, after any conversation, I always put everything in writing.
I’ve seen you dancing non-stop at some end-of-fair parties.
I love dancing. I can dance anything, from sevillanas to pop, rock and roll and even African dances. For the past twenty years I’ve spent Christmas in Senegal, so I’ve learned quite a few African dances.A good friend once told me that my parents had guided me in the wrong direction because I should have gone into dancing rather than business.
What was your childhood like?
Very happy, very family-oriented and surrounded by my brothers and cousins. My father was an agronomist, and he managed a tobacco fermentation factory. At that time, it was one of the most prosperous businesses in Extremadura. We used to play hide-and-seek inside the central holes of the tobacco leaf bales.
What did you study?
My father always believed we needed to see the world and leave Don Benito. The obvious place to study was Madrid. I studied Economics, completing my first three years at Cardenal Cisneros before finishing at Complutense University.
With all that travelling, you must have an enviable Instagram account.
Not at all! I’m terrible with social media. I still have my old Facebook account and hardly ever touch it. I used to use it as a photo album, but not even that anymore. I had the same WhatsApp profile picture from the day I got WhatsApp until last year. No, I simply don’t have time for it, and to be honest, it doesn’t particularly interest me.
What does a typical working day look like?
I get up shortly after six. Three days a week I do Pilates at seven in the morning, and on the other two I go swimming. After that, it’s work, work and more work. The hours are long, but I enjoy them.
What kind of music do you like?
The 1980s shaped my musical tastes. I love Spanish bands from that era such as Golpes Bajos and Alaska y los Pegamoides, as well as international artists like Queen, Boney M and Dire Straits.
Your next trip?
I haven’t planned it yet because we’re entering the campaign season. Most likely, a business trip will come up before my next personal adventure.
