SISTERHOOD OF THE WORLD BLOGGERS AWARD

Last updated 1 March 2021

THE SISTERHOOD OF THE WORLD BLOGGERS AWARD

Thank-you Sam Walker from Journo and the Joker for nominating me and a few others in the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award, to recognise the role we women play in the blogging stratosphere.  My Travel Blog is relatively new and requires more love and attention. But my blogging philosophy is simple: happy to write / happy to share.

Sam, you conjured up an interesting bunch of questions – here are my responses to them:-

1. What is your most memorable travel experience or destination?

There’s been a few but I love Fiji as a destination – and Navini Island is special: Circle of Paradise

Another memorable travel experience was when I was backpacking around Europe with a friend. Traveling on a train from East Berlin back into West Berlin (yes I was backpacking in the late ’80s!) I took a photo of a border guard with a big German Shepard dog.  Five minutes later, two burly German guards threw open the doors of our train carriage, commanding me to come with them. Apparently, I wasn’t meant to take this “type” of photo.  If you want the full story please read about my German mis-adventure here

2. What is one lesson you have learned from travel?

Be open to what may come your way (and don’t take photos of anything that can be construed as politically sensitive!)

3. Why did you start blogging about travel?

Ahhhh where do I start with this one?  Ever since my first overseas trip as an exchange student to the University of Amherst, near Boston in the US of A, I knew the desire to travel was going to be forever bubbling away just below my surface. It’s the gypsy in my soul. When I returned home and graduated from University – I moved to the Sunshine Coast for work and lived by the beach for a few years. Life was good but I wasn’t settled. I had itchy feet. A few years later I packed up my belongings and returned to the USA. An Aussie friend met me a few weeks later and we toured the northeast coast of America and Canada before heading to London. Here we settled for a few weeks before taking off to Europe for the six-month backpacking stint many young people are inclined (and should) do. My passion for travel was well and truly ignited!

Why write about it?

A few years ago, I decided to follow a dormant passion for writing. I started a lifestyle blog JennJayTales  With the travel bug firmly inside, it was a natural progression to pursue travel writing, so I created this second blog Travel Bug Within. Hopefully one day I will create a small income stream from writing about Travel. One day ………………

4. What is your best packing tip?

LOL – I just wrote a blog about this as an entry into a Travel competition Travel Bug Within Shares 10 Travel Tips

How to pick one best tip?  Sleep is important – so let’s say whatever you need to pack to make that happen – pack it!

5. What is the weirdest thing you have eaten?

When it comes to food – I am just not that adventurous! But I smile at one food tasting memory. Again some time ago, when I was living in London. I was working for the Royal Family of the United Arab Emirates. My friend, who was also my flatmate and I accepted a work invite to a dinner at a Lebanese restaurant. One dish was presented to us with a few smiles from our hosts. When we asked about the dish – we were told it was “sheep’s balls.”

What to do to not offend your host?

Recently I quizzed my friend about her recollection of this evening, as she has a better memory than I do.

“They tasted like brains – which is why I always say men think with the same anatomy.”

Catherine, you are brilliant!

In Hong Kong, I have a wonderful friend who is a local. With many visits to Hong Kong over the years, she’s taken me to some interesting restaurants, always suggesting I try some “weird” dishes. (They are not weird to my friend with Chinese heritage – but are often weird to me! )

5. Which of the blog posts that you have written is your favourite ?

A holiday with my boys in Hawaii Active Boys Heaven 

I hope to return one day.

 

7. How do you juggle your time to manage travel, blogging and other commitments?

The short answer: I don’t! Which is why my posts are more random than regular!

Apart from blogging, I’m also trying to break into the Freelance Writing industry and have been devoting a fair amount of time to writing pitches and knocking on Editor’s doors. That is a whole another story and one that is challenging, disheartening and exciting all at the same time.

I am also a single Mum to three young men who keep me busy. Shared parenting gives me the occasional opportunity to escape to new destinations both with and without my boys!

I’m a firm believer of:

• doing something that gives you joy and
• chasing your dreams.

Writing and travel do this for me. Often late at night is where I find the time – you do what you can, when you can.

8. What is your favourite chill-out activity when you are not travelling?

Swimming laps (preferably in a 50 metre pool.) It’s the perfect activity to clear my head and release the tension in my shoulders from sitting hunched at the computer for too long.

9. What advice do you have for new bloggers?

• Find your authentic voice and enjoy the process
• Start with a platform you will find easy to use
• Talk to any blogging friends and ask them loads of questions
• Follow other blogs and make comments about them
• Interact with the blogging community – join a blogger’s group
• Don’t ever feel silly for asking the questions. We all have to start somewhere.

10. What are the top three places on your bucket list?

• Vietnam (soon to be ticked off my bucket list – watch this space)
• Maldives
• Alaska and Antarctica (ok so that’s four!)

Thank-you Sam for nominating me and “forcing” me to sit down to compose this post!