Interview: Gaston Blanchet of Trunkster

Name: Gaston Blanchet

Profession: Cofounder of Trunkster, Intelligent Zipperless Luggage

Age: 28

Packing Tip? Using Trunkster’s sliding doors instead of zippers to quickly access your packed things

Favorite travel memory? An incredible sailing trip in Burma’s Mergui Archipelago; Not only were we the only tourists there, it seemed like we were the only humans other than the few local fishermen for hundreds of miles.

Bucket List Destination? Bonin Islands, Japan (aka the Galapagos of the East)

© Trunkster

Favorite off-the-beaten-path spot? It’s starting to be more on-the-beaten path, but Cuba was the one of the most interesting off-the-radar places I’ve traveled.

What kind of traveler are you? Adventurous — I’ll almost always look for incredible diving, kitesurfing, flying, sailing or a new fun activity I’ve yet to discover.

Funniest travel story? At dinner with my family on a cruise many years ago, the waiter brought us all out vanilla soufflé. It tasted so good the six of us scarfed it down entirely just as the waiter had come back with the sauce that was supposed to go on top. We couldn’t tell if he was more impressed or disgusted, so we nervously laughed and asked for another!

Best meal you’ve had on your travels? In Israel, I had an unforgettable warm hummus dish with a soft-boiled egg, shawarma and all the right spices.

Craziest thing you’ve done while traveling? Snuck in to Cuba and got detained because they thought I was a journalist

Favorite item collected from your travels? I’m more of an experience collector than a goods collector so I’d say a pilot’s license!

Where next? My next trip is picking up a 1968 Toyota FJ40 SUV I bought in Colombia and driving it to Mexico.