Tag: american blogger

 Isn’t ‘I Dream of Travel’ such an awesome name for a travel blog!! Everyone dreams of travel at one stage in their life so it’s super relatable. Lisa is the dreamer than runs I Dream of Travel and I’ve had so much fun getting to know more about her and her site.

Whilst I Dream of Travel is still a newer site it’s got a great layout and fabulous content. You can also tell from the headings that there is some super exciting content still to come. So get subscribing!

My other half is a huge music fan and has been desperate to get to Memphis for as long as I’ve known him. Lisa’s post has given us some great inspiration and I love the inclusion of bars and restaurants. Defo want to check out that speakeasy!
She has some posts coming soon about Savannah and Chicago two cities I know next to nothing about so can’t wait to read more!

Reading others advice is one of my most loved parts of this series and Lisa’s is one of the best answers we’ve had. I love her insight in how every trip comes in three stages and most importantly you need to pay attention to all three. Usually, we see the planning and post trip as the annoying or sad part but really they are just as important as the physically going away. It really is such an awesome piece of advice for travellers.

Here is the lovely Lisa from I Dream of Travel 

Hi, I’m Lisa! I started out my adulthood as a young, single high school social studies teacher. Therefore, pretty poor. Therefore, pretty rooted at home. Long story short I ended up a wife and a mom, with a job that had me frequently travelling all over the country. While I still find myself a wannabe world traveller, I’ve also come to realise there’s so much to discover right here in my home country. So, for now, I’m making the most of that (with a few international trips sprinkled in here and there)!

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
While I thoroughly enjoy the journey (researching and planning), what I enjoy most about travelling is exploring the unknown. Crazy, since I do a whole lot of research and reading before even the most mundane of trips. Despite all of the planning, I always end up feeling overwhelmed when I travel. But in a good way. No amount of reading, watching, listening or planning can prepare you for what it’s like to actually be somewhere you’ve never been before. How cool.

Why do you think travelling is important?
Travelling is important because of the memories you take home with you. You can keep those for a lifetime. I first thought of this in regards to my children- their material possessions were quickly outgrown or just didn’t last, but they loved to talk about our trips. The same is true for adults. It’s the best money spent.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?

The is one of my favourite travel pictures because it represents travelling with my family and also just having a carefree spirit when it comes to travelling. It’s my son Parker jumping into Lake Ontario. We literally just pulled over so he could jump in!

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
This small beach town girl loves a trip to the city. No, the mountains. Wait, the country…

Who do you usually travel with?
Everyone. Throughout the year I’m fortunate to have the occasion and opportunity to travel with my husband, with my family, with my mom and/or parents, with work colleagues and sometimes I also get to squeeze in a trip with friends- sometimes girlfriends, other times couples.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Every trip has three phases: before, during and after. Pay attention to all three parts. Plan well- learn the history, what do the travel sites say you should do, what to the locals actually do. Travel well- get up early, go all day, eat well, make time to relax and revive, and gather meaningful mementoes and memories. Follow-up well- organise your pictures and mementoes and update your trip notes and your social media accounts (and I don’t mean just sharing pictures- more later in my blog!) all before life gets too crazy again.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
Still not able to laugh at this yet, but here it goes. After an incredible family vacation in Toronto, Canada and the Niagara Falls region, we rushed over the border to the Buffalo airport only to find out we were at the wrong airport. Who knew little Niagara Falls had an airport? The airline advertised their flights out of Niagara/Buffalo (lesson learned). We took a very expensive cab ride to the correct airport. As we threw our licenses on the counter, the lady flipped her sign to “Closed.” She would not check our bags. We had to take them to the checkpoint and then to the gate. Problem is- you can’t take liquids through the checkpoint. So we had to leave our hundreds of dollars worth of wine from Niagara on the Lake area vineyards…and some Canadian maple syrup.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
Today I’d have to say Denver, Colorado, during the late fall. Snow on the mountains, still warm enough to hike. You get a little bit of both worlds- the city and the mountains. Downtown is full of local fun, yet Boulder, Colorado Springs and the mountains are all just within an hour or two drive. Ask me tomorrow and I’m guessing I’d say, Puerto Rico.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?
I almost hate to even mention it, because it really is a sweet place to visit. It’s Amelia Island, FL. It has a reputation for being a great girl’s weekend or romantic weekend getaway. There are plenty of gorgeous Bed and Breakfasts and horse drawn carriage rides, but it’s really a tiny little downtown. Not many restaurants and very little nightlife. We ran out of new things to do, eat and explore very quickly. But great for an overnighter!

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
Paris. Sounds cliché I know. But it’s a bit more personal for me. My mom was a Navy brat and lived there in her mid-teens. I can’t wait to go with her and see all the places I’ve heard about my whole life- the off base apartment she hated (why couldn’t she just live in Military Housing, Petit Beauregard with her friends?), the commissary (Bel Manoir), the site where Paris American High School was, the teen club and all the places she went to when her and her girlfriends snuck out and took the train to downtown Paris.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?
My list. All that research, reading and planning I do- it goes into a list on my phone. I try to sort it in a logical order based on where I will be, when I’ll be there and around reservations, appointments or other scheduled events. I save addresses, phone numbers, operating hours, etc. Don’t want to waste time floundering around unsure of how to get somewhere, or show up too early or too late to a destination.

What can readers find on your blog/Instagram?
I just started a travel blog/site: idreamoftrvl.com. While it includes a blog, my plan is to include so much more- my research secrets, travel tips and destination itineraries. And of course travel photos! I also post travel photos to my Instagram account: idreamoftrvl. I try to include insight to travel experiences and why followers might want to check them out when they find themselves there. I’m also on Twitter @idreamoftrvl sharing articles that align with my travel style and goals.

You can find more from Lisa here.
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