Tag: interview

Globetrotters- Earth’s Magical Places

This week’s wonderous Globetrotter is Rachel from Earth’s Magical Places.

I always love finding blogs with interesting names and Earth’s Magical Places is no different. You can just tell there is a story behind it. Anyone that has the goal to journey to see the magical and beautiful places on this planet we call home gets a big high five from me.

Reading Rachel words, finding out more about her travels and seeing her photographs you wouldn’t expect that she is only a 19-year-old traveller. Not that age matters but it’s great to read about someone wise over their years and isn’t expecting the world to give her a favour but is instead going out and working hard to achieve her goals. #slaygirl

I loved this postpost from Rachel about if we should be letting terror stop us travelling. I wrote a similar one around the same time and both of us have the same view point. We can’t let terror stop us from going to new places or stop us from our living our lives. Rachel discusses it so eloquently and respectfully with her words.

I also am always in awe of anyone that can travel solo as it takes a lot of guts to set off on an adventure on your own. Rachel has a great post here about how to meet people when you are travelling solo.
The two links above are just two of my favourite of Rachel’s posts but you can also find a whole host of information on her site including accommodation and flight reviews, destination guides, travel information advice posts, lust worthy snaps and a true and honest voice. I’ll include links to her blog and social below so you can check them out for yourself.

So with my absolute please here is Rachel from the Earth’s Magical Places.


Hi, I’m Rachel, a 19-year-old student and part time adventurer with an ambition to see as many of our planets ‘magical places’ as possible!

Whether that be a whole country, city, mountain range, beach or isolated village, I believe our world is full of beauty and wonder that I’m just dying to see…

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
I’d say that what I enjoy the most about travelling is stepping off a plane and instantly being greeted by the smells and sights of somewhere new… It helps that every corner of the globe is constantly leaving me speechless, thanks to the beauty of mother nature and each country’s strikingly different architecture and culture!

Why do you think travelling is important?
There’s a cliché that people go travelling to ‘widen their horizons’, but I actually think that this is so important! Travelling to cultures that are different from your own opens your eyes and makes you think twice before prejudging someone.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?
Hmmm, this is a tricky one! But I’d have to say it is this photo taken in LA

It’s the first time I looked back after taking a photo and thought to myself ‘damn that looks pretty cool’. Ever since I’ve fallen in love with photography almost as much as travel itself…

Which is your favourite type of holiday? Sun, Snow, Sea, City, Mountains or Country?
Is ‘all of the above’ an acceptable answer?

If I had to choose though… Sun! The British summer of two hot days whereby everyone in the country freaks out buys a barbecue and gets the inflatable pool out before it clouds over and inevitably rains for the rest of the month, is just not enough sunshine to meet my needs!

Who do you usually travel with?
Having only just turned 19, the majority of my previous travels have been with my family. My parents both share my love for exploration and so growing up I was lucky enough to visit many destinations in Europe over the summer holidays!
Throughout the last year, however, my travelling company has been limited to me, myself and I! I love the freedom of solo travel, being able to go wherever and do whatever you want without having to worry about anyone else is rather liberating. However, I can imagine it gets pretty lonely on longer trips. But, in the short term, a good book and the latest Netflix series are all the company I need!

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Simple, get out there and do it! We spend so much time sitting, planning and procrastinating when we could be out exploring! Trust me, it’s far better taking the world in with your own eyes rather than ‘liking’ it through Instagram.

Tell us a funny story or mishap from one of your adventures?
During a recent trip to Los Angeles after a morning spent in the deceivingly cool fog of its famous hills, I returned to the hotel for a little R&R by the pool… Little did I know that my feet had been sizzling away in the sun and only continued to do so pool side. I’d completely forgot to put sun cream on them!
It was only in the evening that I realised how red they’d become… I resorted to covering them in Aloe-Vera and wearing socks to keep in the moisture (it was a good look). Although not necessarily funny at the time, and still debatable now due to the pain suffered, it was certainly a mishap! Moral of the story? Sun cream is important EVERYWHERE… I am now extra vigilant, not an inch of skin is left uncovered… Or, I just cower in the shade like a true Brit 🙂

What is the favourite place you’ve been to?
Without a doubt, Yosemite National Park (California). I have never been so overcome by beauty in my life! I can’t describe to you how stunning this place is: towering trees create a sea of green, while its rivers are clearer than diamonds! All this is framed by colossal rock formations and pristine meadows.
I’d recommend a visit to anyone, certainly something to make time for if you’re ever in California!! I made a full post on my time on Yosemite here

Where is one place that didn’t live up to expectations?
Before the feet burning incident in LA, I explored Hollywood Boulevard. As a big fan of the series 90210 and film in general, I’ve always romanticised Hollywood. I’d naively assumed that it was the height of glitz and glam…. And that I’d surely bump into Sandra Bullock (other actors are available) walking down the street.
Unfortunately, this was not the case, the streets were dirty, grubby and crammed with tourists, all of whom were pushing and shoving people out the way. Meanwhile, street vendors and people dressed as superheroes tried to sell you tacky souvenirs, or a picture, every five steps.
There’s simply no sense of magic and charm. Whatever this area had back in the 1940’s is sadly long gone… So yeah, not worth going and so over hyped!

Tell us one place or experience on your bucket list?
New York is top of my Wish-List! A love affair with Gossip Girl ignited my desire to visit this iconic city… While this may not be the most accurate portrayal of life in New York since 2010 I’ve fantasised of the day I’ll get to walk the streets of the Upper East Side and Brooklyn or lose myself in central park.

What is one thing you wouldn’t travel without?
My phone! I’m ashamed to admit that I’m a millennial through and through! I would be lost without my phone on my travels…

What can readers find on your blog?
Readers will find stories from my travels along with helpful guides and reviews… Basically, anything to do with my adventures around the globe!
All such posts are of course accompanied by envy inspiring photos, my honest (if sometimes brutal) opinion and a sprinkling of British sarcasm 🙂

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Globetrotters – Gin & Lemonade

This weeks Globetrotter is the hilarious Lorna from Gin & Lemonade.

Like myself, Lorna is an expat. Hailing originally from the U. S of A she is has been residing in bonny Scotland for many years. We’ve bonded over shared expat stories, love of travelling and putting our thoughts and ideas down on a computer screen. She is utterly hilarious with her writing style and it always feels like I’m reading notes written by a friend when I read her words. She is literally loving life and that feeling jumps out of the posts.

Another thing which you will learn quickly about Lorna is that she always travels on two wheels. Like always. As a wheelchair user, she is rolling her way around this globe. I can imagine that it’s probably not the easiest in all parts of the world but that doesn’t stop her from getting out exploring new places and on the plus side she doesn’t have to carry the suitcases.

One of her recent posts which I loved (and will possibly steal the idea to do a similar post myself) was her top 17 Travel Memories. I don’t think mine could ever match some of hers. Thankfully I didn’t have to learn the hard way that a bidet isn’t a sink for small people.

Lorna’s been blogging for donkey’s years and checking out her blog won’t just give you posts about travelling, you can also find lots of stories about love, life and reading. There is so much to discover and all of it is coated with her fabulous style. Once you’ve had a read you will be hooked.

So let me introduce you all to Lorna.


Hi, I’m Lorna, a 30something American living in Scotland for nearly 25 years. I write, I read and I live quite happily with my husband, our daughter, lots of books, a few fish, and computers called Hemingway, Truman, and Frank. I’m a wheelchair-user fuelled by coffee, humour, and passport stamps. I’ve been blogging at Gin & Lemonade since 2010.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
I love the excitement of going somewhere new, getting lost somewhere new, eating somewhere new, drinking coffee somewhere new. Traveling is an adventure and a clean slate where anything can happen.

Why do you think travelling is important?
I’m a huge fan of shaking up routines and looking at life and all things from different angles. Filling up notebooks with new words. Traveling, anywhere, helps me do that.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?



This is my husband and me on the Barcelona end of our Bruges and Barcelona honeymoon. I love how relaxed we look, after all the wedding shenanigans. I often flip back to this photo when I need peace from other shenanigans.

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
Can I have a little bit of everything? Seriously, I enjoy where ever I go. That said, now that my family and I live in the country, I have a new appreciation for vibrant city trips.

Who do you usually travel with?
I went on some epic journeys with my Dad as a kid. In my twenties, I travelled alone or with at least one friend. These days, my best travel buds are my husband and our three-year-old daughter. And our travel-mascot George Bailey-Penguin.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Be open to anything. Get lost. Look up. Write it down. That’s more than one, but I can’t count!

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
I fell off a toilet in Pisa, Italy. I wasn’t even drunk. And I’ve made all the jokes so you don’t have to.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
I have several. I love Florence and Prague. And Bruges. And Norway. And Edinburgh and Seattle. And New York. I told you, I can’t count.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?
PARIS. Except for Shakespeare & Company Bookshop.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

I’d love to take my husband and daughter to see penguins in New Zealand. Or Antarctica. As for me, I’d like to go to New Orleans. And see more/all of Italy.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?
My wheelchair. My family. My notebook(s).

What can readers find on your blog?
I write about life, love, travel, and books. All on wheels.

What is your favourite post on your site any why?
I’ve been blogging for 7 years in August. My favourite is still A Path of Pebbles,
where Neil and I decided to get hitched. By mutual agreement. Or something. You’ll also find passport stories on my post, Dude, Where’s My Passport?

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Globetrotters- Nomad by Trade

I just love the tag line Kris from Nomad by Trade has –  ‘A travel blog for the kid at heart’. It just draws you in to want to find out more about her blog! We all just want to be a kid at heart, don’t we?

From featuring posts of her interstate travels to international adventures to exploring Disney. There is something for everyone on Nomad by Trade. I really like how everything is categorised on the site- Leisure travel, Evening tourist, Tips, Disney and Michigan Love. Really mixes it up and is a nice change from having everything listed as destinations. It also makes you want to find the gems of information listed in these categories.

I’ve mentioned more times than I can remember that Iceland has long been on my bucket list and it seems every Globetrotter we’ve had recently has been to Iceland. Cue – huge amounts of jealousy!  Kris has recently explored this magical country so has so much Iceland content that I’ve been scouring her blog for lots of insight and planning advice for when I do finally get myself over there. My favourite post (there was sooooo many to choose from), however, was this one as a huge photography lover and someone who would sell her left arm to see the Northern Lights it is such practical advice to make sure you get that dream capture of this beautiful phenomenon.  Her amazing picture of herself, mum and sister is a winner and you’ll get to see it below.

Reading Kris’s answers I love how open she is especially when describing her blog. She knows her voice, what to share and what she wants to say which is so important when creating your own space in the blogosphere.  We can all get a bit bogged down in comparing ourselves to others especially other travel bloggers who seem to have it all travelling the world.   But like Theodore Roosevelt once said  ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’. To know yourself and be true to yourself is what every blogger should do. Kris epitomises this and is something I really respect.

All links to Kris’s blog and social channels will be listed below and I can’t recommend enough that you head on over to check them out.

Let me hand you over to Kris


I’m Kris and as a frequent business traveller, I hop from one city to another throughout the United States. As a lifelong traveller, I’ve been to five continents and 45 US states with a goal to hit them all someday. When I’m not travelling, I’m likely to be on Pinterest planning another trip or cuddling my dog, Artoo.

What do you enjoy most about travelling? 

I love exploring new places more than anything else. There’s no better feeling than stepping out of an airport in a new city full of things to do, foods to try, and sights to see.

Why do you think travelling is important? 

I think travelling is the best way to create positive global relationships. Going out and seeing other countries and meeting their residents firsthand is the best way to eliminate misconceptions and ignorant stereotypes. You learn so much about other cultures as well as your own that it’s hard not to come back wiser.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?  

I love this shot of my mom, sister and me in front of the Northern Lights that I took with a mini tripod and self-timer in Iceland. The Lights were spectacular that night and I got the idea to have us stand really still in front of them. We’re a little blurry because I was using a long exposure, but it was just SO cool.

Do you have a pre travel ritual? If so what?

I’m an obsessive planner. I spend weeks or months researching attractions down to their opening hours, admission fees, and addresses. I also try to learn as much as possible about the place I’m visiting ahead of time. If it’s somewhere where another language is spoken, I’ll learn a few useful phrases (“Do you speak English?” is key), figure out the exchange rate, and research driving laws and road signs if I’m renting a car.

Who  do you usually travel with? 

I travel by myself a lot for work, so I have a lot of adventures on my own. Lately, I’ve been travelling with my mom and sister a bunch because they actually get vacation/break time. I’ve also taken a couple of really fun trips with my boyfriend the last couple of years.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Just do it. Whether you’re going for a weekend trip somewhere close or booking a month abroad, it will be worthwhile. Set a budget for yourself and save if you need to, but make it happen. I promise that the new experiences will be more worthwhile than a new pair of jeans or shoes.

Tell us the funniest story or a miss hap from one of your adventures?

When I was in Iceland a few months ago, my mom made the car rental reservation and I never looked at the booking. She’d rented a small SUV for the week and said it was only about $400. That seemed fairly reasonable since I usually get weekly rates when I’m renting cars for work and they’re a touch under $200. We rented the car, had a blast on the trip, and returned it to the airport before our flight. The problem was that when she made the booking, she somehow only did it for one day. The daily rate was $400. we’d had the car for seven days at that point. I was a little queasy since I was supposed to be sharing the cost. Luckily, they negotiated with us and only wanted an additional $900 on top of the $400 we’d already paid, but it was still staggering. I’m still baffled by the fact that they hadn’t tried to contact us (or the police) when we kept the car for an extra six days, but I guess they figured we couldn’t take it very far on a relatively small island.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

Probably Iceland. Despite the mishap described above, I absolutely adored every corner of the country. I’ve never seen so much natural beauty in such a small area. Every corner seemed to be more beautiful than the last, and our days and nights were filled with incredible sights. If Iceland isn’t on your bucket list already, it should be.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype? 

Nassau, Bahamas was pretty disappointing, as well as the whole cruise we were on. I love exploring new places and learning about the local culture and trying new foods, but Nassau felt just like a run-down American beach town. Our ship docked at the same time as two other huge cruise ships, so just getting off of the dock was an ordeal. We spent the day on the beach right next to the cruise docks with a commercial shipping centre to our left and a scraggly sandbar in front of us. It was far from the picturesque Caribbean scene I had imagined, and we ended up re-boarding the ship way earlier than expected.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list? 

I’ve been wanting to go to New Zealand for the longest time. Every picture I see there seems gorgeous and I love exploring nature. It just seems like the kind of place that I would love.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without? 

Aside from the obvious socks and underwear kind of stuff, my main necessity is my camera. I’ve always taken tonnes of pictures and I love trying to snap unique shots.

What can readers find on your blog? 

Lots of fun stuff! I’m really just an overgrown kid, so I try to write posts for grown-ups who like the same kind of goofy fun stuff that I do. I’m never going to be the picture-perfect travel blogger or Instagram star, but I love writing about things like ridiculous ice creams and posting pictures of my head on a giant Pez dispenser. It took me a while to find my voice, but now that I’ve figured out who I’m writing for (and it helps that my target audience is also myself) it’s a lot more fun.

Do you have a favourite blog post? What is it and why?

It’s hard to pick just one, but I really like my post called “25 Pictures to Put Iceland on Your Winter Bucket List” It was nice to get a chance to show off some of my photography, and it’s one of my most viewed posts. I’m also really fond of a couple of Disney posts that I wrote. One is about visiting the parks solo, which I’ve done on numerous trips, and another about my favourite fireworks show that ended its 13-year run last month.

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Globetrotters- Its All Bee

Would you sit here? Bianca from Its All Bee is one brave adventurer sitting out on that ledge. Even looking at this sends shivers up my spine! But this is one thing I really admire about Bianca she will get out to see the world any way she can- be it climbing mountains, glamming it up in the Greek Islands, discovering hidden waterfalls or just exploring London on her days off. It allows other travellers to relate to her no matter how they travel and in return allows her to have a versatile blog with a huge amount of information to inspire that wanderlust!

I’ve read a lot of blogs recently centred around authenticity and how important is when you travel. Bianca also references this below in her answers and I wholeheartedly agree with everything she says. Her viewpoint on this is so empowering to read and I’m so glad I’ve been able to share this with you all. Travel is what YOU make it for YOU. It doesn’t have to mean a year long trip ticking countries off your list or finding the new ‘must visit’ destination on the other side of the world. It can be discovering something new in your area or even just staying within your own country. Travelling is about broadening your mind, growing, sharing and loving this beautiful planet.

I have long had Iceland on my list of places to visit and Bianca has just taken my wanderlust for Iceland up a gear with this post about a secret waterfall!! How amazing would this experience be? http://www.itsallbee.com/2017/05/sleeping-sound-under-secret-waterfalls-iceland.html Seriously get me on that plane now. There is a whole host of destinations covered on Its All Bee and you need to check out the interactive map. You can also find hotel reviews so you know the best places to stay and travel videos which help bring the experiences to life. Her easy to read layout and gorgeous pictures make this a top blog to get inspiration and practical advice from. I’ve put the links to Its All Bee and her social channels below so make sure you check it out.

Here is Bianca from Its All Bee

I’m a firm believer that travel doesn’t have to be expensive. It also starts right at home, so you will naturally find travel tips from both home and away on my blog. From my birth country in Zambia to my second home in London and as far and wide as Hong Kong, India, Namibia, Egypt and many parts of Europe. I love an off-grid adventure as much as I love getting lost in city alleyways. My blog is a gateway to all those seeking inspiration on exploring the world, whether in heels or hiking boots.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
The ‘newness’ of it all. I love looking forward to new sights, a taste of new food. Aimless wonder through unfamiliar streets. All of this comes with the planning and researching of hidden gems mixed with maples meandering. As much as I would love to go with the flow, I am a planner so I need to find out where the best places for views are, what local delicacies I need to stuff my belly with.

Why do you think travelling is important?
Aside from learning about other cultures, foods and all that travel encompass, travel teaches you so much about yourself. From letting go of fears of solo travels to conquering goals like hiking up mountains, learning about and letting go of our biases to even finding the style of travel that fits you. Each trip is an opportunity to learn not only about a destination and its people but about you. So, yes I think it’s important and I hope I can pass on that message to others through my blog and my further offspring on just how important it is to see the world because you will learn so much more by experience than by reading about places.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?



Oh, I have several favourites. Two contenders that come to mind are sitting on the edge of Victoria Falls(Zambia) and sitting on the edge of Trolltunga(Norway). My favourite between the two probably the most recent when I sat on the edge of the troll’s tongue by myself while my boyfriend sat on the other side waiting for my turn. I guess it might be obvious that I have a thing for heights. I thought I was going to chicken out of sitting on the edge but after telling myself to put my big girl panties on, it was on! After signalling to my boyfriend make sure he took a couple of shots, I shuffled my way to the edge and sat down. Long enough to take in the views and a selfie of course!

Do you have a pre-travel ritual? If so what?
Yes. I love a mani-pedi just before a trip. I travel for work a lot and it involves being away from home in some countryside location usually, with little to do nearby so when I book my trips I try to work from home the day before. Just enough time to pack and squeeze in a relaxing treat to get my nails done. Sometimes a little spa session for a relaxing massage is thrown in which has become a little habit I have no intention of giving up.

Who do you usually travel with?
I used to travel a lot with my sisters but not so much now these days due to schedules and distances between us. On rear occasions, I travel with friends unless I am travelling to see them as most are now spread across the globe. My partner in crime when it comes to travel is my fiancé who is with my on almost every trip. One of the reasons why my pictures now include me in them as I now have an insta-husband, albeit one resisting his job title and duties. He will grow into it. Resistance is futile! 😀


If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Go! Travel for some is scary and for some, there is an air of the unreachable. If you want to travel that much you will find a way – like with anything else we want badly enough. Whether it’s working in exchange for food and accommodation or whether it means saving slowly and planning to travel someday or a quick and cheap weekend getaway. I am a firm believer that travel is not a privileged few. I work damn hard to find the time and money from a crazy work schedule to be able to get away and have that work-life balance. I have resisted the urge for comped travel for the majority of my travels. For almost every post you will find on my blog is because of hard work to make it happen. Travel is not available to just a small group people or group. It’s available to all. It also doesn’t mean you have to fly to Europe or a popular destination for it to be considered travel. Travel can mean exploring your own cities, countries which not many of us do enough of, as we are led to believe that it’s not travel unless it’s to the beach, or jetting off to some popular place with some insta-staged location. Without going off on a tangent, my advice is to just go. Travel budget or lux. Do it your way because it means being true to you and nothing brings more joy than living authentically.

Tell us the funniest story or a miss hap from one of your adventures?
With all the planning, I do you would think nothing ever goes wrong but there have been plenty of doozies. From missed flights to lost luggage to thinking that someone had already booked the hotel when actually didn’t. One of that comes to mind is doing a 10-hour drive from Botswana to Namibia. Having driven for hours and seen some amazing sights one of which was driving through pitch black roads to Windhoek and witnessing mountains lit up by columns of some 30+ lightning bolts all dangerous swaying in the wind to a tune of their own. It was just a beautiful sight and nothing I have ever seen. We arrived in Windhoek shortly after midnight and after driving around the city trying to locate our hostel for the night we finally stumbled on it. Only to find out that our booking had been re-allocated to someone else and they were now sold out. So there we were tired, in a foreign country passed midnight with nowhere to sleep. With 15% of battery on my phone left, I couldn’t have cared less what my roaming charges were going to be as I just needed a clean room with a shower in addition to getting rooms from my partners in crime before my battery died. After circling around the town and not finding somewhere to stay I managed to pull up my trusted Booking.com up on my mobile book something and with less than 10% left use that to navigate to where our hotel was. Any other time I would have happily slept in the car that night but after a 10-hour drive I was tired and sticky and slowing turning into a crazy irritable lady. All I wanted was a shower and a nice lay in bed before we embarked on another drive from Windhoek to Swakopmund, Namibia’s German inspired town. We finally arrived at the hotel just before my phone died but you can just imagine the stress. Had it been during the day I doubt we would have cared not having a place at a hostel.


Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
This is a tough one so I am going to go with a place that always comes to mind when I think of a list of favourite places. I love Italy and I have been sampling cities and towns for a long time. My favourite place is Lake Garda. I visited with my older sister having seen pictures of it from my friend’s Facebook pictures. We ferry hopped from town to town during our stay in Desenzano, one of the towns on the lake. It’s so beautiful! One of, if not the largest lake in Italy. Clean and clear lake water with cliff side towns that scream Riviera. One of the places many Italians come for summer getaways. Picture warm summer afternoons with jets skis and pedalo boats splashing around as the lake twinkles from sunshine, to tourists licking away at famous Italian gelatos and taking lazy walks around beautiful Italian paths lined with Italy’s famous cypress trees. I haven’t been to Lake Como yet, but I imagine Lake Garda can give it a run for its money. In fact, that reminds me I need to book a return trip.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?
This is a tough one because overall I have great travel experiences. If I had to pick a place I would say Sydney, Australia. It was an event-free trip but the city just didn’t really leave a mark on me. It lacked charm or character in my eyes. I guess from what I have heard and mixed in with what I imagined the city to be I was expecting to be wowed and I wasn’t. Would I go back? Probably not, but that’s not to say that I wouldn’t visit more of Australia. I would love to visit the Gold Coast, Urululu, Great Barrier Reef. I also had a great time in Melbourne.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
We could be here forever if I had to pick one item from my list to tell you about. I have yet to visit the Pyramids even though I have been to Egypt. I would say all-time would have to be visiting Antarctica or climbing Kilimanjaro someday. Adventure seeker at the core I would love to round off visiting all 7 continents with a trip to Antarctica.


What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?
Hmm aside from my passport and camera. I have grown rather fond of not wanting to experience places without my fiancé. I have learnt to let go of wanting to photography everything on a trip. It has taken some getting used to. I don’t know if I am alone in that in that blogging makes you look at everything as a potential blog post. It’s become hard to just experience it without wanting to capture it. So…I guess it’s not a thing but rather a someone I wouldn’t want to travel without.

What can readers find on your blog?
I like to think it’s a multi-faceted collection of travelogues of a gal fighting to find out what it really means to have a work-life balance. We are complex beings and like a variation of things to do so if you love city travel as much as you love off-grid adventures then I am your woman! You will find quick and dirty getaways for you and yours to mountaineering getaways where it’s you, mother nature and a star-studded sky with killer views. Somewhere mixed in are tips and tricks on how to find the places I have captured.

Do you have a favourite blog post? What is it and why?
Another tough one. I am still experimenting with different layouts for my pictures and collages, gifs and video. I guess one that comes to mind might be my Weekend Guide to Warsaw. One of few posts where I actually managed to get the blog post and video published at the same time. I have tonnes of video from travels but just the time it takes to edit images and video. I wish I had a twin to delegate some of the work to. I want to do more experiments with other forms of media like cinemagraphs rather than just have static images. There just isn’t enough time in the day to work and produce the type of content I want on the blog. I guess it’s one of the reasons why I decided to spend more time honing in on that craft but the downside is that you will see fewer posts on the blog than I used to produce in a month a couple of years ago. I just hope my readers will appreciate the effort and enjoy the creative side of my blog as they join me on my travels.

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Globetrotters – Fill My Passport

Cupcakes for breakfast – um yes, please!! This is something this week’s Globetrotter Janine from Fill My Passport loves and seriously what a way to celebrate the most important meal of the day. I’m sold!

Janine has an awesome blog Fill My Passport- which includes Fly Away Friday link ups (every other Friday), alternative guides of what to do that is a little different to the standard destination guides, Disney Guides, traveller stories, honeymoon planner and travel shop. It’s a one-stop shop for everything from inspiration through to booking. Also how cute is the name!!

We both share a passion for finding and telling untold stories from across the globe so I love that I’ve been able to include her within this series. We learn so much from each other and reading her answers below I love her take on her favourite place in that she has to do it by continents. I’ve not ever had anyone answer it like before and it’s an awesome way, to sum up your favourite places. Every continent is so different so it makes complete sense!

I’ve always wanted to go to Niagra Falls and loved this post with highlights of things to see and do. I always hear the discussion of which side is best to view the falls and from this post, the Canadian side sounds like a winner to me. https://www.fillmypassport.net/love-weekends-niagara-falls-ontario-reasons/ . It just looks like the most amazing place to see nature at its finest.

Let me hand over to Janine from Fill My Passport and all links to the blog and social channels can be found below.


Hi, I’m Janine and I am an active traveller who enjoys writing about my travels, uncovering untold stories worldwide, and eating cupcakes for breakfast. After being to 40 countries, this travel journalist felt it was time to put her adventures in writing to educate and assist fellow travellers. I currently live in Toronto Canada with my Aussie husband whom I met along the Seine in Paris while travelling, busily planning my next epic holiday in California this November.

Fill My Passport is a one-stop resource for travel guides, tips, tricks, Disney planning advice, and inspiration. We are currently morphing our niche further into a romantic getaway platform combined with alternative honeymoon destinations for that adventurous couple wishing more than an all-inclusive resort to celebrate their sacred commitment.
We hope our forum will inspire, appeal and encourage you to stretch your palate, book a ticket, sport the Mickey ears, and Fill YOUR Passport with as many stamps as possible.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
I love uncovering untold stories and having life experiences unlike anything else. Every country has a story to tell; built history to learn; mysteries to discover. This is the joy of being on the go. Not to mention the sense of freedom away from the drudge of reality.

Why do you think travelling is important?
I think it is important for people to look and think outside the box/their community bubble to learn and become educated on the outside world. Cultures and people bring a variety of thoughts, rituals, fears, emotions to the world table and in order to understand the planet to which you live, you must immerse yourself with others different from yourself to truly understand differences from you and your life.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels.



This photo is of me walking across the death-defying rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede Northern Ireland. I was scared out of my wits, especially when the dorks on the bridge thought it was fun to shake the sides or ignore the safety precautions of 15 MAX individuals at a time, but in the end, I did it, and have the experience under my belt to prove it!

Who do you usually travel with?
I travel mostly with my hubby. He is the best travel companion as he is so much fun, hilarious, and my safety blanket when I cry through rough turbulence.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Be open-minded to everywhere and everyone you meet on the journey. They were placed on this path for a reason. When you must sleep on a dirty overnight train, think of it as a part of the adventure. When you see that woman at the café sipping a latte looking gorgeous and perfect for that inner photographer in you, take a chance and ask her to pose. Life is so short. Take the chances as if it were your last day.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
For some reason, luggage does not like me. I seem to go through it like dirty socks. The latest incident took place in Istanbul. My husband being a gentleman offered to carry my suitcase up the street across the cobblestones which are terrible for wheeled luggage. The handle snapped making it difficult to manoeuvre from then on. We searched and searched in Istanbul for a new luggage, resulting in dodgy encounters in the Grand Bazaar and terribly overpriced knock-offs. In the end, after a scary incident, I continued my journey with the broken luggage until reaching London where I splurged with a Kipling duffel that endured heavy travel until its demise a year later.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
This is a tough question as I firmly believe that no continent can be compared. I will answer this the way I usually do- by continent J

Asia – China all the way. The Great Wall took my breath away
Europe – Other than England where I lived for 2 years, I adored Vienna. I could eat Sacher Torte for the rest of my life while listening to Mozart’s minuet in the background.
Oceania – tough call, but I have a soft spot for Australia seeing how my hubby is from there.
North America – Ottawa, NYC, and Orlando as I’m a huge Disney nerd.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?
Thailand. I think because I got into a life-threatening accident tubing that it tainted my experience. Everyone raves about Thailand and it being the top nation for travel, but I was on the fence about it and don’t need to return. If I were heading back to Southeast Asia, I would rather seek new adventures in places like Borneo, Laos, and Cambodia.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
Oh boy, what do I choose to divulge? My list is growing every day! I would have to say a trip through South America. I would love to see the Galapagos, the Bolivia Salt Flats, Inca Trail, and Uruguay. That’s my goal for my 40th birthday which is in (cringe…) a year and a half…

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without.
I am a dental hygiene freak! I just cannot travel without floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. I just saw my dad go through hell losing his teeth and I am trying to prevent this fate along with expensive dental bills for as long as possible!
On another note, I CANNOT travel without my Fraggles. Fraggle Rock from the 1980’s was one of my favourite shows created by Jim Henson and they just bring me joy and photobomb many of my pics!

What can readers find on your blog?
Fill My Passport brings city guides, romance tips, and Disney planning help to its readers. We are set to launch a product line soon which we hope will be a helpful resource for travellers and writers alike.

We give truthful accounts from experience and bring fusions of taste, romance and travel to our following. We strive to bring our romantic getaway niche to our forum as well as a detailed top-notch Disney planning section.

Do you have a favourite blog post? What is it and why?
I am very proud of my blog post “15 Reasons You Need to Visit Midland Ontario for Canada 150” as it is my stepdad’s hometown and truly resonated with the locals. It felt like every business shared the post and was passionate about the content! This article was so popular that they even mentioned that I needed to do the second installment so that post is coming soon to the blog J I am proud of it as a small town nearly 2 hours North of Toronto probably has not had much media exposure and responded so highly and passionately about my coverage of their hometown.

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Globetrotters – Sarah Plus Laura

I’ve long been a fan of Sarah and her wife’s blog Sarahpluslaura. Not only are they ridiculously cute and super loved up but they also have been to and blogged about some amazing places! Recently they have been exploring in the US and pictures have been so wanderlust worthy!! The  Grand Canyon is high on my to visit list!

They are a cross-national couple with Sarah from Britain and Laura from the US. They have lived and travelled all over the world and as I have learned from the below they were also the first all-female couple to marry at Westminster on the day the gay marriage became legal in the U.K. Yas Girls!!

I love their take on their adventures in that they travel when they can and they just love exploring and seeing the world together.

My favourite post is one from their recent travels and is all about the Neon Museum. This place looks insane! So many huge neon signs. I’d never really wanted to go to Vegas but this post and these pictures have created some serious travel inspo!!  You can find the link here . You’ll find lots on their blog from travel to lifestyle to super cute pictures of their dog Bisbee.

Sarah has said that their blog is a storybook of their lives and I’m so glad that they have allowed us all into their world..

Let me hand over to the lovely Sarah from Sarah Plus Laura.


I’m Sarah and I blog with my wife Laura. We met in 2009, moved to Australia in 2010, we were the first all female couple to marry in Westminster on the day gay marriage became legal in 2014, we then held a wedding celebration in Idaho, USA, Laura’s hometown in June that year. Since being together we have travelled the UK, Europe, Australia and a fair few places in between. Living and loving life.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

Finding something new. It’s inspiring, rejuvenating and makes me feel alive.

Why do you think travelling is important?

Without it, your world view is so limited. Media only tells one side of a story to understand the world, the people, the reality you need to see it for yourself. I love the quote ‘the world is a book, if you never leave your home you will only ever read one page’

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?


Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?

Can I say all? My current order is mountains, sun, country, snow, sea, city but that’s today. Tomorrow it may be something different 🙂

Who do you usually travel with?

My wonderful wife and when we can our cockapoo dog, Bisbee


If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Plan. Maybe not everything but having key things to see helps make sure you don’t miss out. We plan our must see’s by following the hashtag for the place on Instagram. We added the Neon Museum to our must do list for Vegas because of the pictures.


Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?

The mishap was when Laura got bitten by a dog on our 2nd day in Thailand. The whole story is here. The story itself leads to some funny moments among the panic though – me holding on for dear life as some poor Thai child took me on a moped to clear out my bank to pay for the treatment. Or the Jekyll and Hyde character I played in the Thai hospital – swinging between being a dutiful girlfriend checking Laura was okay to have a full on argument with the medical staff who were trying to charge us for everything and the kitchen sink. I managed to argue the bill down from over £4,000 to nearer £1000!

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

New Zealand. I had to think long and hard as Santorini is a close second, but for out of this world experiences, New Zealand has it. We climbed a glacier, helicoptered over a glacier, sailed a fjord, bungee jumped and drove our camper van for days seeing only sheep, the occasional person and no traffic lights. Total escapism.

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?

Singapore. What we were expecting was Asian beauty, what we got was a hot, sticky and overwhelmed in the crowds. I’m sure if you had a local guide it is full of amazing experiences but we won’t rush back.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

I think right now I’ll pick the Florida Keys, or maybe Florida as a whole. I want to do the theme parks and drive the Keys. See the long, beautiful beaches, azure sea and make a road trip to the islands. Laura (my wife) on the other hand is desperate to do a trip to the North Pole on an ice-cutting boat. At a cool $20k for 3 weeks at sea, she’ll need to find another travel buddy for that 😊

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?

My phone, but more for camera and map purposes (I appreciate that Google Maps allows you to see where you are on a map without using WIFi or data – super useful when trying to find which direction you need to go.

What can readers find on your blog?

An interesting mix of travel, lifestyle and opinion pieces, and some LGBT stuff thrown in and if you go back a few years tonnes about our wedding, What we Love Wednesdays and Fun Fact Fridays posts. We started our blog 5 years ago to share our experiences with Laura’s faraway family but since then it has grown into a storybook of our life.

To find more from Sarah get clicking on these links.

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Globetrotters- Northern Aussie Mum

This week’s Globetrotters is another from my beloved homeland.  We’ve had lots of Globetrotters but none like Bryony who travels with her whole family, including the dog! Meeting so many different travellers is my favourite part of this series. It shows there is no cookie cutter shape of what a ‘traveller’ is and that it works differently for everyone.

Bryony and her family are planning to head off around Australia in a bus later this year and this just sounds amazing. I am soooo jealous! Imagine the memories they will not only have but also be able to share together.   I their post about why you should pack up and take your kids travelling and sums up all of the benefits both for the children but also for the whole family. You can find it here  My parents took my sisters and I overseas when we were all under 10 years old  (think they were a little crazy to do so!) and that has always had a such a huge positive impact on our lives. Showing your children a different part of the country or the world is an amazing gift to give and one that will last a long time.

You can find a whole host of information on their blog from great places to visit with kids, the planning stages of their trip, tips to travelling with children and other posts on parenting, craft and product reviews.

I can’t wait to keep up to date with their travels around our Island home and see the amazing adventure they are going to have. Blog and social links will be below so make sure you check them out and get following.

Let me hand you over to Bryony from the Northern Aussie Mum…

My name is Bryony and I started blogging when I first became a full-time stay at home mum this was when our youngest son was about 4 months old. Originally it was a creative outlet however it soon transformed into a family travel blog as our plans to escape the daily grind and travel Australia with our 2 boys – now aged 3 and 2, and our kelpie cross dog – Bobby.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

Everything! And something different every time we do it. Sometimes it is marvelling at the wonders of a natural beauty or a manmade structure, sometimes it is the simple feeling of being free – not having to be anywhere, in particular, speaks wonders to the soul! Sometimes the highlight is finding a brand new red wine to taste, or hearing a great story about a region from a local. Mostly it’s just how lucky it makes me feel.

Why do you think travelling is important?

It helps you realise the important things in life. Not work, or bills, or pressure. It’s about spending time outside, in the moment and amongst your thoughts – where you not only get to hang out with your loved ones but you get to meet yourself a bit more and figure out exactly what it means to relax and enjoy. I think it’s also important to define the word ‘travel’. For me it means exploring – if you don’t get a chance to get overseas then go and explore your own backyard – if you scratch the service you’ll find a hundred things to do and see around you that other people are travelling miles to see!

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?


Impossible to choose just one – not because of any emotions attached to my photos but because I take about 200 photos a day so have an incredibly large database of shots on my computer that I still need to sort out! The one I have chosen is from a bushwalk we did in Cairns. I love it because it was travel in our back yard – and we got to enjoy it with our dog Bobby who is a huge part of our travel team. When travelling with pets you are definitely limited but it takes you off the beaten track and makes you find these amazing spots that are even more enjoyable for the extra effort!

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?

Australia! Hopefully all of the above – we have no one ideal that we always head towards – for me the old adage rings true – ‘a change is as good as a rest’.

Who do you usually travel with?

Anyone who is willing! Friends, family, pets, tour groups!

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

We’re still learning so definitely not sure we’re in a place to give advice just yet – but what I have learned so far is to take only half as much as you think you will need. The kids won’t need toys and you’ll find somewhere to wash clothes along the way so don’t need to pack an outfit for every day.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?

We once missed a flight by 24 hours as we thought that a flight at 00.05 on a Saturday was a flight late on Saturday evening! (yep we forgot that as soon as the clock hit 00.00 it was Sunday already!)

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

We will always be looking for it!

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?

Not found anywhere yet – sounds a bit cheesy but I honestly believe you make your own experiences – you can have as good a time on a local park as in Sydney Harbour.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

I’d love to see the Northern Lights one day and do a canal boat around Europe. (probably not at the same time tho – I’m not sure that’s geographically possible!)

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without?

The kids and the dog!

What can readers find on your blog?

A light hearted and informative view on travelling with kids and a dog, plus everyday parenting info – coming soon our guide to healthy family eating on the road.

To find more the Northern Aussie Mum hit them up here

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Globetrotters- Wanderers Hub

Travelling is pretty awesome especially when you get to experience it with the person you love most in the world. Prerna and Harsh from the Wanderers Hub get to do just that. Lucky sods!

I love their answer regarding why travelling is important and how it not only rejuvenates the soul but also makes you more tolerant. If only more people opened their mind to travelling and seeing new cultures, meeting people from different walks of life and seeing the world from a different viewpoint to what they are used to. This is a message we all need to get out there.

One of my favourite posts from them isn’t a destination post as you would expect but a post about interesting wanderlust words. Most of these I’d never heard of! Have a read here and see if you’ve heard of them. I’m going to see how many I can get into conversation this week. Now for the destination link I loved reading about the beautiful Bhutan which has long been on my bucket list. Check out the post here and don’t blame me for the wanderlust that will entail.

So happy Sunday all and let me introduce you to Prerna and Harsh …

Hi we are Prerna and Harsh and we are Indian travel bloggers, who run a travel blog called Wanderers Hub. We met in school, fell in love, dated for years, and then got married in 2015. Despite Harsh having a full-time job and Prerna being an entrepreneur, we both fetch time from our busy lives to travel as much as possible. With our itchy feet we are always on the hunt for offbeat places which we can present with an interesting series of photos. In fact, we focus on making a genuine connection with our audience rather than just cluttering the internet space.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?

Travel helps build and strengthen relationships. A quick sun-and-sand getaway or a week-long beach break helps ignite the spark that lasts long even after we are back home. Then there is this feeling of conquering a new territory. The idea of trying new food, watching the sun set from a different zone and sleeping in a different world – it gives a sense of accomplishment.

Why do you think travelling is important?

Travelling changes our conceptions of conventional. It’s so amazing to see the world from a unique perspective. Simply put, travelling is an eye-opener. Getting a free new take on life by seeing how people in the other part of the world live is simply fascinating. Plus you are able to leave all worries back at home and step out of your comfort zone. Travelling rejuvenates the soul and makes a person more tolerant.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels.

This one kind of makes us nostalgic about encountering the most romantic sunset of our lives together. It gives us warm fuzzies! 🙂

Which is your favourite type of travel/holiday- sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?

We both love beach holidays!

Who do you usually travel with?

We travel with each other and no one else. Rarely, do we go for family trips as our parents themselves are keen on exploring the world at their own pace.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?

Travel often; travel with an open mind and an open heart. That will help you experience different cultures, religions and people in the best manner. Celebrate life and don’t forget to strike conversations with random people you meet on the go.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?

It happened during Tigers Nest trek in Bhutan when the weather got changed drastically and it perhaps started raining. Since the slope was extremely steep, we couldn’t move properly. It got worse when the entire stretch became muddy and we could see so many people slipping here and there. We took our chances and started trekking down slowly, much to our dismay. I slipped really bad the first time and in a fit of rage, threw the bottle I had in my hand, which landed on another person’s head. That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. But I slipped again and again and again! Needless to say, I was a dirt sack by the end of the trek. Now when we think of it, we have a big laugh about the entire episode.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?

So far Bhutan. That country can have a numbing impact on your senses – it’ll leave you awestruck!

Where was one place that didn’t live up to the hype?

Dubai was a bit overhyped, I believe.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?

I have heard a lot about Fiji and it definitely is on our bucket list. We’re looking forward to exploring Varanasi next week and Switzerland in August this year.

What is the one thing you wouldn’t travel without.

Sunscreen, for sure!

What can readers find on your blog?

Readers can find a perfect melange of travel and lifestyle on our blog. We’ll take them through the exciting journey of finding offbeat places, secluded beaches, and all those hidden streets in a country they’d love exploring.

Find more from Wanderers Hub here

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Globetrotters- Tara from Let Passion Unfold

I thought I was brave moving to the other side of the world albeit to an English speaking country but Tara from Let Passion Unfold has taken it up a gear by travelling living and working in Shanghai. What an amazing experience it must be to not only visit a country so different to your own but also to live, work and immerse yourself in the culture. I’m always in awe of people that have the courage to do this.

One of my favourite blog posts from Tara was What Travel has taught me
It covers everything I had felt when I first moved over here and even still now when I venture off on my travels. Travelling is amazing for teaching us lessons about life, about others, about the world and most importantly about ourselves. Reading her answers below I love her answers regarding her top tip for travel advice and you can see how her wonderful outlook on travelling. Reading her posts and her answers below always make me smile both with a knowingness and just feeling uplifted at her view on the world.

You can find more of Tara’s travels, tips, stories and itineraries on her blog (links below) and I strongly recommend you go take a look.

I’ll stop yabbering on and let you hear from Tara herself…


Hi, I’m Tara! I set out on an adventure two years ago to travel while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I thought I could cross off a few bucket list items, find some direction, and go back home. As it turns out, I was wrong. I’ve spent the last couple of years teaching English in Shanghai and travelling during weekends and holidays. Now my bucket list is growing rapidly, and I’m still not sure what I want to do with my life or where I want to spend the rest of it. The only thing I’m sure of is that I want to explore as much of this beautiful world as I can. In the meantime, I’m enjoying life and writing about my adventures at Let Passion Unfold!

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
I think I’d have to say getting to know the people and their culture. Sure, the change of scenery is always nice and trying new food is exciting, but I really just enjoy interacting with locals. When you see how hospitable and friendly complete strangers can be to each other, it really makes you wonder how any hate exists in the world.

Why do you think travelling is important?
I think travelling is important because not only do you learn about the place you are visiting, you learn more about your home country as well. You begin to see things from a different perspective and can really appreciate what makes each place truly great.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels?



It’s not easy to pick one, but one of my favourite parts of my trips to the UK last summer was getting to visit the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The formation of the rock columns dates back 60 million years, and there’s a cute story about a giant named Finn McCool to explain the history of it all.

Which is your favourite – sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
My two favourites would be snow and mountains. Living in Shanghai means I don’t see much snow anymore, so when I travel to cold, snowy places, I can’t help but fall head over heels in love. Snow has been my favourite my entire life. However, I did not grow up with mountains. Mountains and hiking are a new love of mine since I’ve started travelling more. It’s great exercise and the scenery never disappoints!

Who do you usually travel with?
Most of the time I travel with coworkers since we all have our holidays at the same time. Every long weekend or break we get, we plan something. Since I won’t be teaching abroad next year, I’m going to try my hand at solo travel. This summer will be my first solo trip and I couldn’t be more excited!!!

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Be flexible and forgiving, especially during your travels. Odds are things will not go perfectly. Don’t let little things ruin your trip. It’s extremely important to be easy-going when you’re completely unfamiliar with a place. Let’s be real, you’re probably somewhere you’ve never been and are away from home to destress and enjoy yourself. You don’t need to make your trip miserable by putting too much pressure on little things. Just laugh when you miss the last bus into town and have to walk 30 minutes instead. Your trip is what you make of it, and if you spend the entire time dwelling about what didn’t go exactly as planned, then you’re going to hate it. And that’s unfortunate for everyone involved.

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
About a year ago, I was in Zhangjiajie, China (better known as the Avatar mountains – yes, as in the movie).  After hiking part way down one of the mountains, my friends and I decided to hike one of the casual paths and take a breather – our legs were jello at this point. We walked around for about 20 minutes and then decided to turn back. The path didn’t loop around, so you had to come back the way you came anyway. On our way back we noticed the path was completely surrounded by rhesus macaques. Like hundreds. And they were ready to fight us for the territory. They came running at us, hissing and screeching. So naturally, we ran away screaming. Realising once again that the only way to get back to civilisation was the way we came, we turned around to head toward the macaques. They were still there and still feisty, chasing us away for a second time. We dawdled for a while, not having a clue what to do. We were surrounded by territorial monkeys with no other route back. Luckily a 9-year-old saved our lives. (So much shame). The kid walked up and basically just showed the monkeys who was the boss. He didn’t back down or go running like we had. He proved he was the alpha. And that was it. All the macaques backed off. We followed the kid back but kept a safe enough distance that we didn’t look as pathetic as we felt. As embarrassed as I was that my 3 guy friends and I couldn’t outsmart these monkeys while a 9-year-old managed to, I can’t help but laugh at the hilarity of the situation. And it was all caught on video (but my friends wouldn’t let me post it).

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
Is everywhere an appropriate answer? I feel like it’s impossible to pick. Each place I’ve visited holds a special place in my heart. New Zealand’s South Island is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and Phuket, Thailand was probably one of my most unforgettable trips. But honestly, every country has something amazing to offer, and each trip is special in its own way. It’s rare that I travel somewhere and am not completely blown away by it.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
Every time I travel, my bucket list gets bigger and bigger. One thing I’ve always wanted to see but haven’t yet is the Aurora Borealis. It’s been a goal of mine since I was a kid. I think it would be super awesome to rent one of the glass igloos at Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland and just enjoy the view!

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Globetrotters- Melody Wanders

Reading Melody’s ‘About Me’ page on her blog was so refreshing to read. She homeschooled for 8 years and her parents used every hint and tip in the book to take the family to far-flung places to see more of the world. I also like her honesty in not knowing what she wanted to do when college didn’t go to plan so saving up and funding her own travel adventures for a year to help working things out. What better way to learn than getting out and involved with the world around you.

I especially love reading her posts about America- the cities,  the hikes, the road trips the views. America isn’t a country I have seen too much of so to read about it through her blog just drives further inspiration to get over the pond and explore.

Her Instagram page has lots of wanderlust worthy pictures of her travels and I especially like that she’s always smiling and her zest for life, fun and travels comes through in each photograph.

So let me hand you over to Melody,


I’m Melody a 21-year-old travel blogger from Florida in love with exotic food and spectacular views and always on the search for more spectacular places to visit.

What do you enjoy most about travelling?
What I enjoy most about travelling is the people I get to meet from all over the world! I’ve made some of my best friends from travelling!

Why do you think travelling is important?
I think traveling is important because it allows minds to grow from seeing other parts of the world and seeing how we as people are not so different from each other. We’re able to unite and grow together when we see other perceptions from other parts of the world.

What is your favourite photograph from your travels.



This one is my favourite picture because I love mountains and being in Austria where the picture was taken in the middle of hiking really captures the beauty of what I saw that day and the fact that my amazing Austrian host mom took it makes it all the more special.

Which is your favourite – sun, snow, sea, city, mountains, country?
I love being able to hike in the mountains because I come from Florida where the land is really flat and it’s not something I see all the time.

Who do you usually travel with?
Usually, I travel with my amazing family including my mom, dad and younger sister.

If you were to give one piece of travel advice what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to get out there and try out new things!

Tell us the funniest story or a mishap from one of your adventures?
I was kayaking in St. Maarten with a friend of mine who swore they could kayak but they didn’t and it took us almost an hour to travel a couple yards away from the beach and my friend who kept jumping out of the boat said he was “helping” by pushing our boat further away from where we suppose to go. At the end, he said I took so long kayaking even though we both knew it was him.

Where is your favourite place that you’ve been to?
Bavaria, Germany because the food and beer are amazing and I have never met more hospitable people in my life there. And the alps are spectacular as well and leave me breathless every time.

Tell us one place/experience on your bucket list?
I would love to go to Bali on a retreat of some sort and just enjoy the place and monkeys!

Check out Melody’s blog and social links here.

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