Michaela Trimble is a travel journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. She finds inspiration in the open road and comfort in the unknown.
What motivates and inspires you every day?
I love the idea of movement. Staying on the road fascinates me. I’m constantly inspired and uninhibited from the routine of a traditional day to day schedule, which makes my writing more fluid and insightful. When I’m on the go, I’m meeting countless new people, having new awakenings and experiences in strange new places. I find comfort in this unknown realm, and when I’m in this space, I’m at my most motivated and inspired.
You’ve travelled to so many places for work and leisure. Where did this taste for world wandering come from?
My friends tease me, because when I’m traveling I always say, “I could live here for a while.” And I really do feel that way about so many places. I love the world we live in and find infinite beauty in different cultures and ways of life. I think I get this from my childhood. My mother’s job required us to move around often, and by the time I was leaving for college, I already grew adept to the coming and going, the hellos and goodbyes. It felt natural to continue this into adulthood: I still crave the initial feeling of stepping into a place that I’ve never been.
What are your 5 must-haves when you travel?
Aside from technical items like my computer and camera, the five things I can’t leave for a trip without are my notebook and pen, my sleeping mask, a scarf, a good book and a set of headphones.
I’m constantly asking questions and interviewing new people, and while it may seem easier to jot down my notes in my iPhone, I yield a much more thoughtful detail of the events with my notebook and pen. After traveling so much, I’ve also mastered the art of falling asleep anywhere, anytime, and the sleeping mask really lends to that. I can make it become nighttime at any time of the day. The headphones help, too. They cancel out noise and let me listen to my favorite tunes. A scarf is a helpful item to have: You never know when it can get cold on the run. And I always have a great book. I remember subtle details of trips based on the songs I hear and the books I read.
We are inspired by Michaela’s sense of adventure and travel, and are proud to have her as a Fieldtester, a group of inspiring friends that regularly test MATTER products in their workplace and trails to help us improve durability and design. Michaela wears The Sideswept Dhoti + Trikora, Size 2 and BHALKA GREY: Silk Cotton Handprinted Scarf.