TAU Presents: Monthly Travel Bloggers Interview Ep.7

Welcome to the seventh 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”: Amy from Travelling Tulls, Trevor from Nomadic Backpacker, and Vanessa from Travel the World History. 

 

Travelling Tulls

 

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

After years of working as a technology librarian, I’m now retired and living in a condo on the Massachusetts coast.

Though I’m within driving distance of most of my family, this last year’s travel has been catching up with more distant family and friends.

My people are my priority. But after that comes spending time in nature.

Dave (the other half of the Traveling Tulls) and I enjoy wildlife photography, though we are strictly amateurs.

We also enjoy cycling, walking on the waterfront, and champagne at sunset.

 

2. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey? 

I began writing about my travel in 2012 primarily to reassure our family when we began taking challenging trips.

Then, as I began taking on more web design and social media responsibilities at work, I moved my writing online and used it as a platform to test design and marketing.

I really enjoy the process so, after retirement, I’ve continued writing.

In the last year, I’ve begun refocusing my website to promote conservation and sustainable travel.

 

3. What is your number one blogging tip you can give new travel bloggers?

Write for your audience. Focus on what your unique voice can bring to your readers.

 

 

4. What is your number one travel tip?

Schedule downtime.

It’s tempting to schedule everything you’ve been looking forward to into your days, but you’ll come home exhausted, and probably a little cranky. 

 

5. What is your favorite destination so far and why?

My safaris in Africa have absolutely been my favorite trips, but which African destination? Hmm…Botswana (especially the Okavango Delta) has the most natural beauty.

Tanzania was tops for wildlife viewing and photography.

South Africa has everything – wildlife, vineyards, and a cosmopolitan city.

 

6. What place is on the top of your Bucketlist and why? 

Top of our list is the Galapagos Islands.

I studied Charles Darwin in college and have always wanted to travel to see the extraordinary wildlife he wrote about.

 

 

7. What are three unique items you cannot travel without?

My kindle, I ALWAYS have to have a book going. 

Binoculars – I have a small pair that come on every trip.

Basic first aid stuff & OTC meds.

After one unfortunate night searching for pharmacies in Italy, I bring enough of the basics to hold us over.

 

8. What is your favorite food that you have tried on your travels?

I love to get fresh fruit from a local farm stand.

The strawberries we shared in France were not remotely like the strawberries we get at our grocery at home.

 

9. What is the best souvenir you have ever brought back?

Photographs! We have a wall in our home filled with images from our trips. And love the photo books I create after each adventure.

 

10. Do you have any product, course, podcast you want to tell us about?

No, but thanks for asking!

 

 

The Nomadic Backpacker

 

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi, I am Trevor Warman, former electronic technician, waiter, postman, racing cyclist, mountain runner turned long-term traveller / global nomad, and blogger at https://www.nomadicbackpacker.com.

I grew up north of London, England, started travelling as a backpacker quite late compared to many, at 24 but am still going 29 years later.

I have journeyed through 99 countries. 93 UN listed plus 6 others.

 

2. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey? 

I started my 1st blog in 2011 and had no idea what I was doing but it set a precedent; doing things my way, ignoring the advice of switching to a more widely used platform.

But I proved that I could get on page 1 of Google search results with Weebly.

My current blog, still with Weebly,  was born in April 2019.

Bought my own domain, things started slowly but now I am getting 4200+ page views a month.

I use Weebly as a platform for its ease of use. It uses a drag and drop editor and I can run it from my tablet.

My blog is about my travels. I only write about places I have visited and focus quite heavily on the logistics side of things, getting there and away.

I like to visit lesser-visited countries, like Transnistria, Abkhazia, and places, smaller historical sites known only to locals like Otomí and the Ex Convento de Los Leonnes both here in Mexico.

 

3. What is your number one blogging tip you can give new travel bloggers?

Be patient. There are millions of blogs out there.

 

 

4. What is your number one travel tip?

Trust your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

The eyes are a dead giveaway. If they look everywhere apart from looking at you, bid them goodbye.

 

5. What is your favourite destination so far and why? 

I wrote extensively on my blog about my top 3 favourite countries.

It caused a few raised eyebrows. I picked Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan.

The friendliness and hospitality of the people are what did it for me. You are treated as a guest!

Trying to rip you off just never entered the equation like in many similar yet well-trodden countries. Many times I was thanked for visiting their country.

Singling out 1 country is just too hard. 

 

6. What place is on the top of your Bucket List and why?

I love long overland journeys.

I have travelled from Cairo to Cape Town, absolutely without flying, and also from London to Seoul, Singapore to Islamabad, Hong Kong to the Aral Sea.

My dream overland backpacking trip would be to travel from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra Del Fuego.

Africa was 19,000km. I have no idea how many miles, an All-American trip is but plenty of room for adventure and mishaps.

The North American section would be expensive. Flying one way to Prudhoe Bay, and getting through the Darien Gap would be a nightmare.

Going around on a sailboat wouldn’t be an option so getting a guide would be the way to go.

 

 

7. What are three unique items you cannot travel without?

I always pack a sleeping bag, mosquito net, and betadine solution to put on cuts and sterilise water.

 

8. What is your favourite food that you have tried on your travels?

Food-wise, Malaysia has Indian food, Malay food, and Chinese food as staples. The perfect combo.

But anything with rice gets my vote. I was a fish-eating vegetarian for 17 years. And now have reverted again to a meat-free diet, 10 months so far.

 

9. What is the best souvenir you have ever brought back?

I don’t have a place to put things so my memories are my most treasured possessions.

 

10. Do you have any product, course, podcast you want to tell us about?

I don’t run anything other than my blog. I am constantly working on ways to spread the word and finding ways to monetize my blog.

Blog: https://www.nomadicbackpacker.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/nomadicbackpac1/

Twitter @Nomadicbackpac1

 

Chichen Itza

 

Travel the World History

 

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Hi! I am Vanessa.

I live in the United States right outside of Kansas City, Missouri – just about as landlocked as you can get in the US! Haha!

During the day I teach middle school English and History/Social Studies at my district’s alternative school, but after school, I have the best side gig ever – travel agent!

When I am not teaching, traveling, or building my travel business, you can find me reading, hiking, or scrapbooking. 

 

2. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey? 

I had been contemplating starting a travel blog for YEARS, but my blogging journey actually began almost 2 years ago.

In October 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer (Cancer free and all behind me now!), so my traveling days were temporarily over while I received treatment.

I had time on my hands to finally design and set up my blog, AND it was a way to live vicariously through my former travels. 

It scratched my travel itch while I was grounded! Haha!

So, I love history, and I love to travel.

Most of my traveling involves historic locations or delving into the history of the place I am traveling.

So, I decided to combine my two passions and write a blog about history & travel with the goal in mind that my readers would learn something and be inspired to travel. 

 

3. What is your number one blogging tip you can give new travel bloggers?

My number one tip for new bloggers is that blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build an audience.

I am still nowhere close to where I want to be with subscribers.

 

 

4. What is your number one travel tip?

My number one travel tip is to be flexible! Especially now during the pandemic.

Travel is so much more enjoyable if you can just go with the flow.

Having too much of an itinerary that is time-dependent can make for a really stressful trip.

 

5. What is your favorite destination so far and why? 

My very favorite place is the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland because it is just magical.

It is full of history, and it is picture-perfect Ireland – stone walls, shades of green, quaint villages, beautiful beaches, old ruins.

You just have to experience it. It is breathtaking!

 

6. What place is on the top of your Bucketlist and why?

So I have what I like to call a rolling Bucketlist. It is basically a top 10 list, but once I go somewhere, it comes off the list, and somewhere else gets added in its place.

At the top of my list is Israel. It is at the top for a few reasons: It is full of history, to walk where Jesus walked would be the coolest thing ever!

Also on my Rolling Bucketlist are Machu Picchu (which comes in summer 2022!), Alaska and Michigan (the only 2 states I haven’t been to), India, Egypt, Iceland, Antarctica, Australia, Maldives.

I’m not sure what destination will replace Machu Picchu on my list. Maybe China or Vietnam?

 

 

7. What are three unique items you cannot travel without?

I have a small pocket Bible that always travels with me.

I also always take a journal to write a little about each day at the end of the day.

My Yellowstone Forever ball cap – not sure why, but it has become my official travel hat.

 

8. What is your favorite food that you have tried on your travels?

Is wine a food? Haha!

We went to a wine tasting at the Planeta Vineyard in Sicily, and it was amazing!

I am not really a foodie, but we ate in a family-owned restaurant in Enna (Sicily) called Al Rustica. The food was great, and the owners were very friendly.

We didn’t have any bad food in Italy, just saying.

 

9. What is the best souvenir you have ever brought back? 

Here is where I am boring. I am a postcard girl.

I get postcards from everywhere and have done that for years.

Most recently I started purchasing small magnets as well to put on my filing cabinet at school, but it is getting pretty full!

Occasionally, I will buy something from a local that is useful or practical, but I steer clear of the trinkets!

 

10. Do you have any product, course, podcast you want to tell us about?

As I said before, I have a side gig travel business.

You can book your own travel through my site, request a quote, or if you are interested in building your own travel business you can request more information here!

I love helping others travel smarter and earn commission on travel they would be doing anyway!

And of course, please check out and subscribe to my blog!!

 

 

Here is the previous episode: TAU Presents: Monthly Travel Bloggers Interview Ep.6