TAU Presents: Monthly Travel Bloggers Interview Ep.4
Welcome to the fourth episode of “TAU Presents: Monthly Travel Bloggers Interview”!
Recently, I came up with the idea to feature 3 different Travel Bloggers every month on the TAU blog. I thought it would be fun to meet different members of the travel community and learn more about them and their blogs.
Each person will have to answer 10 questions about their blogging journey and travel experiences.
Here are our three Travel Bloggers for this month’s episode of “TAU Presents: Monthly Travel Bloggers Interview”: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure, Steff from Cruise with Amber, and Amit from Forever Roaming the World.
Teaspoon of Adventure
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hello, my name is Riana. I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada with my fiance and our dog.
I work online in content writing and social media management.
When I’m not travelling or writing about travel, I love to read, hang out by the beach or catch up on terrible reality TV shows.
2. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey?
Sure! So I actually started my blog, Teaspoon of Adventure, way back in 2012, mostly to document my very first solo trip and first trip to Europe.
I thought it would be easier to write a daily blog post rather than have to email my parents and my friends about what I was doing.
I posted infrequently for about six years and then in 2018, I decided to start taking the blog more seriously and began posting weekly.
In 2019, we moved to Prague and I began sharing a lot about our international move and travel throughout Europe.
Now that I’m not travelling as much and we’re back in Vancouver, it’s a mix of travel and book blog posts.
I love to share helpful tips for people who are planning trips and want to have authentic experiences that don’t break the budget, while still ticking the big tourist items off their bucket list.
I also love to tell stories about my past travels and inspire readers with those tales.
3. What is your number one blogging tip you can give new travel bloggers?
Don’t treat your blog like a diary – which is exactly what I did when I started! Think of your audience: What do they want to know?
Learn how to edit and tell a concise story. There’s a way to share your travels, tips, and itineraries without giving a minute-by-minute description of your entire trip.
Always keep your intended audience in mind and that will really help you to write for them, instead of just for your own diary.
But there is a fine balance there; of course, you want to write for yourself too.
I’ve always believed that blogging should be fun and that’s the reason I got into it.
So while I do suggest writing for your audience, you also want to make sure the writing feels authentic to you.
4. What is your number one travel tip?
I always suggest travelling with a scarf. They can be so versatile.
I’ve used my scarf to cover my shoulders so I could enter a temple in Cambodia, to keep myself warm on a chilly night in Australia, as a beach cover-up in Mexico, and as a picnic blanket in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
5. What is your favorite destination so far and why?
I think I’ll go with Tokyo, as it’s the destination I most want to get back to when we can.
Tokyo is so different from my home city and you feel that difference as soon as you land.
I love how Tokyo is a mix of ultra-modern and traditional historic; high-tech vending machines will be found right next to ancient temples.
There are so many incredible neighborhoods to discover, the people are so kind and, of course, the food is incredible.
6. What place is on the top of your Bucketlist and why?
Right now, Greece is at the top of my bucket list (but the top spot changes all the time!).
My partner and I are hoping to honeymoon in Greece later this year and in doing research, I’ve gotten so excited about this trip.
I can’t wait to traipse through white-washed island towns, dip my feet in the Aegean Sea, explore ancient ruins and eat delicious Greek food!
7. What are three unique items you cannot travel without?
As mentioned, a scarf is definitely one of my big travel items. I also love travelling with my e-reader.
It’s so small and lightweight – a perfect way to read tons of books while on long train or plane rides.
And great walking shoes would be my third item.
I’m currently in the market for a new pair and hope to find something stylish, comfortable, and affordable before my next big trip.
8. What is your favorite food that you have tried on your travels?
My mind immediately goes to these incredible pastries I had in Madrid in early 2020 (before the pandemic set in), Napolitana Chocolates from La Mallorquina bakery.
This place was always full with people and I completely understand why.
The Napolitana Chocolate pastries were so rich and delicious; it tasted like someone had melted an entire chocolate bar into a croissant.
We were only in Madrid for a few days but I think we visited La Mallorquina at least five times.
I’m still drooling over those pastries!
9. What is the best souvenir you have ever brought back?
My partner and I collect magnets and postcards.
We got a postcard from every place we visited during the year we lived in Prague and created a huge postcard mural that hangs on our wall.
I love seeing it every time I walk into our living room and I am reminded of our incredible adventures.
10. Do you have any product, course, podcast you want to tell us about?
Nope! But you can follow me on my social media accounts.
Cruise with Amber
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hello! My name is Steph. I’m originally from South Wales, but I now live in The Midlands, UK.
I’m a Chartered Psychologist by day and run my own consultancy business, working with organizations of all sizes to help them hire and develop their employees.
2. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey?
I blog about cruise travel – in particular, no-fly cruises from the UK.
I’ve been cruising for just under 20 years now but only started to blog about my travels in 2019 – then the pandemic hit – which was the perfect time to start a travel-related blog – right?!
Despite not being able to cruise for the past 18 months, I had plenty of content and cruise tips collected over my previous cruise travels to keep my blog going.
My goal is to help cruisers both new and experienced to get the most value out of their cruise holidays.
It’s not about opting for the cheapest cruise, but about shopping smart and squeezing the most value out of each cruise dollar (or pound or euro).
I put together handy guides from choosing the best cabin on board, to ways to explore the port independently.
3. What is your number one blogging tip you can give new travel bloggers?
Start with what you are passionate and knowledgeable about. Carve out your own style and don’t get fixated on numbers.
The numbers are vanity. Yes, when I hit a milestone on social media or on my blog, it’s nice and affirming but it’s not the main thing for me.
I started my blog to pass on knowledge and information, so the best feedback I receive is when someone has told me a ship guide or cabin tour has really helped them plan their holiday or has saved them some time or money.
4. What is your number one travel tip?
A mantra that I have always stuck by since travelling around the world back in 1999-2000 is “Passport Tickets Money”.
I call it the “The Holy Trinity of Travel”.
You usually need those three things to keep travelling – these days I’d be inclined to add a fourth element – a phone.
My other top tip is to research as much as you can before you go – no matter how brief your visit to any location.
Cruising enables me to see a lot of locations and countries in one holiday, but you usually only have 8-10 hours in each port.
The research will help you to focus on the things you really want to see and not get too overwhelmed by trying to cram too much in.
I tend to approach ports of call on cruise holidays as ‘tasters’ – there have been so many places I’ve discovered on a cruise holiday (and fallen in love with) which I plan to return to for a longer stay.
5. What is your favorite destination so far and why?
There are so many but I have a particular soft spot for Flam, Norway.
In fact, in all the cruise ports I’ve visited over the past 15+ years, it has to be my favourite.
Norway is such a beautiful country and one of the best ways to explore its Fjordland is by cruise ship.
We had a wonderful day here and explored the fjords a bit more via some small eco-cars.
Nestled 200km inland at the end of the Songnefjord, Flam has so much to offer.
It’s one of the friendliest and most welcoming destinations I’ve visited.
On top of that, the scenery is just jaw-dropping. I can’t wait to return.
6. What place is on the top of your Bucketlist and why?
I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited some iconic destinations, both as part of my round the world travels whilst backpacking and on cruise holidays – visiting ports in Europe from Istanbul to St Petersburg.
On my cruise bucket list is Antarctica, the Arctic, and Alaska and I’d also love to sail down the Mississippi on an American Steamboat one day.
7. What are three unique items you cannot travel without?
The first is my Insta360 OneX2 camera – it’s made for creating travel content for my YouTube Channel so much more fun and I can shoot once and edit all the angles and shots from my phone.
Plus, I don’t have to carry around any bulky equipment.
Next, is the Google maps app on my smartphone. It’s a handy resource to have when exploring the ports.
I have lots of useful travel apps on my iPhone, but Google Maps is my essential.
It has helped me explore ports independently at a fraction of the cost of organized shore excursions.
My portable power bank – I need this when exploring ashore or on the ship to keep the first two items on my list juiced up. It’s been a game-changer.
8. What is your favorite food that you have tried on your travels?
It has to be seafood in coastal locations. The top meals I’ve ever had on my travels have all involved seafood.
I had the freshest, tastiest fish and chips ever in Polperro, Cornwall.
In Jersey, Channel Islands, I had a delicious seafood barbeque at Faulkner Fisheries at L’Étacq whilst sat overlooking breath-taking St. Ouen’s bay.
They serve it with fresh Jersey Royal Potatoes and a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
And back in 1999, I can still remember the jumbo prawns and Rock Oysters I had as part of Christmas Dinner when we were living briefly in Sydney.
9. What is the best souvenir you have ever brought back?
I have a slanted mug from the Floyban Funicular in Bergen which I love. Unfortunately, it’s managed to get a hairline crack which means it’s not safe to use anymore, but I can’t bear to part with it.
I just think I’ll have to make a return visit to purchase another.
I’m also quite fond of souvenir patches and started collecting during my round the world travels – they’re all on my backpack and I’ve continued to collect them on my cruise travels.
I’m quickly running out of space. Patches are lightweight souvenirs to carry and are wonderful keepsakes of memories in the places I’ve visited.
10. Do you have any product, course, podcast you want to tell us about?
You can find all my tips including destination guides, ship tours, and cabin reviews over on my blog: Cruise With Amber, and my YouTube Channel.
I’ve recently started to post more on my YouTube Channel as now I have my Insta360 camera to help me record content and now that we’re back cruising.
I have 6 cruises booked for the remainder of 2021 and 4 for 2022 so there’ll be plenty of new content over the next few months. You are most welcomes to join me on my travels.
Forever Roaming the World
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Heya everyone, I’m Amit, a long-term solo, and budget traveler, blogger, and author, originally from England, UK.
Pre-Covid I had been stumbling from one country to another normally getting chased by monkeys in jungles since 2010.
It’s taken a global pandemic to put my nomadic life on pause, but I’ll be back to it once I can.
I’m an amateur chef, (probably not as good as I think I am) being English, sitting in a pub is ingrained in my DNA and I’m a huge football fan (soccer) and also American football. (Let’s go Raiders!)
2. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey?
My blogging journey started in 2017 with a free WordPress site and no idea what I was doing apart from having a random urge to write.
The thought of starting a blog had never entered my mind beforehand. My initial posts were well received so I kept at it and found a passion for writing.
After a while, I got my own website, and Forever Roaming the World was born.
In 2020 the blog was redesigned, reformatted into more of a long-term solo & budget travel resource website full of tips, advice, and insights.
It’s unfiltered and takes readers behind the façade of traveling always being glamorous.
Later that year it was nominated for best British travel blog.
In 2021, the website has taken its latest evolution, branching into two sides, the travel blog, and an author website.
3. What is your number one blogging tip you can give new travel bloggers?
Be yourself, let your own voice and personality come out, develop your own style, and don’t just copy what’s been written about hundreds of times before.
The travel blogging industry is overly saturated, you need to stand out from the crowd.
Also, remember to have patience, it takes a while to build your own community and to do it right. Oh, and don’t forget to learn about SEO.
4. What is your number one travel tip?
Soak in your experience, no matter how short or long, enjoy it, relax and have fun.
Far too many people are in a rush, feel like they need to tick everything off an itinerary, and end up stressing and putting too much pressure on themselves.
Slow down, breathe, take it in and you’ll have a far better experience.
If things don’t go to plan or work out, don’t worry, it’s all part of the experience. (I have many more tips in my book).
5. What is your favourite destination so far and why?
In recent years Portugal has risen to the top of my list.
Previously, it was a toss-up between New Zealand, Laos, and Mexico.
I love those countries but there is a special energy in Portugal, I’m connected to it in a way I can’t explain.
The country is gorgeous, has everything from stunning coasts (not the Algarve) to rugged national parks, amazing history, the people are some of the most welcoming and friendliest I’ve ever met, and they love to party as much as I do.
6. What place is on the top of your Bucket list and why?
Mongolia has forever been a country I’ve been intrigued with, mainly because it’s still quite underdeveloped, the wilderness, and also because I’m fascinated with Genghis khan.
I’ve heard only great things from travelers who have traveled there.
7. What are three unique items you cannot travel without?
My headphones, I cannot travel without music, creating my own soundtrack to my traveling life.
The 2nd is a picture of my late grandad and myself as a child. He was my wall growing up and he comes on all adventures and misadventures with me.
The third is a lucky coin that isn’t much of a lucky coin. I’ve carried it since I left home in 2010, but there have been many mishaps over the years. I guess it’s turned into a superstition to keep carrying it.
8. What is your favorite food that you have tried on your travels?
Oh, another tough one to narrow down to just one, there has been some amazing cuisine all over the world (and some weird ones) but I would say either the tastiest melt in your mouth lamb ever in Morocco or street food in Thailand.
9. What is the best souvenir you have ever brought back?
As a nomad I don’t really buy souvenirs, I tend to keep mementos like local currency, personal notes from locals I’ve met, tickets, and other odd bits and bobs I can easily fit into my backpack.
10. Do you have any product, course, podcast you want to tell us about?
My debut book ‘You, Yourself & the World’ is available on Amazon worldwide.
The book is a long-term solo travel help book, answering 100+ questions, concerns, and fears many would-be solo travelers have before and during their trips.
It goes into depth answering everything from when solo travel is just a thought, planning, safety, using common sense, to understanding what everyday solo travel is really like behind the façade of adventures and glamorous activities.
You can also check out Forever Roaming the World for tips and advice on long-term solo travel and find out more about my upcoming travel adventures and misadventures book.
This one is a collection of short stories from my nomadic life, highlighting the highs and lows as an overarching story reveals itself.
If you would like to connect Twitter is the best place to catch me, when I’m not getting chased by monkeys in jungles 😀
This was TAU Presents: Monthly Travel Bloggers Interview Ep 4. for this month! I hope you enjoyed it!
Check out the previous interviews:
