World of a Wanderer has been nominated for a Liebster Award. An AWARD! Little ol’ me with my little ol’, one-month old, blog has been nominated *cues the dramatics*.

*Ahem* So, first I’d like to give honor to God, who is the head of all our lives…”

Ok ok, I’ll spare you from the long, drawn out, sappy speech…even though, technically, I haven’t won anything, but whatevs this is my moment. Can I bask a bit? Thanks 🙂

A huge thanks to Janni over at Travel Without Ends for the nomination! #onecampertwocatsnodestination sums up this fun and free-spirited blog. But, truthfully, I’d never heard of the Liebster Award prior to 2 days ago. It turns out this award is given to bloggers by bloggers as recognition for a job well done. It specifically caters to newbie bloggers, such as myself. Not only is it a fun way to get to know the blogger behind the blog, it also helps promote new bloggers and expand their reach. How awesome is that?

So how, exactly, does this work, you ask? Here are the rules:

Mention/thank the blogger who nominated you (Thanks again Janni!)

1. Explain the rules.
2. Nominate new bloggers.
3. Answer the 11 questions presented.
4. Pose 11 questions of your own.
5. Post!
6. Notify bloggers that they have been nominated.

Basically, PAY IT FORWARD to other bloggers that you find amazing. Easy enough, right?

Alright, here are my answers:

1. If I die tomorrow, where should I travel today (convince us!)?

Oooo good question. Hmm…I don’t know if I can pinpoint one single place. The world is full with sooo many incredible places. And there’s different strokes for different folks, like do you want city or countryside, oceans or mountains, hot or cold? There are just too many places to decide. So, my suggestion would be to close your eyes, spin a globe, and live the heck out of your last day in some random place #yolo!

2. Can you imagine to travel with a pet?

Yes, if travelling with a goldfish counts. In college I used to take my pet goldfish, Jay Walter Jr., everywhere with me (may his precious soul rest in peace). It was only short road trips, no more than a few hours, but still, he went everywhere. I’m sure travelling with dogs and/or cats require a bit more attentiveness, which I’m not sure I could manage. But kudos to those that do!

3. According to you, what is the one thing we should do or keep in mind when travelling?

I would have to say keeping an open mind. Traveling is about taking chances, experiencing new things, new cultures. You have to be open to trying new possibilities, stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s all a part of the journey.

4. What do you always carry with you when travelling (apart from passport)?

Besides the normal things (i.e. phone, charger, camera) I am guaranteed to have these 3 things on every single trip:

1. A blanket. I am super cold natured. Some people can tolerate the cold. I’m not one of them. I’m that one co-worker that has her space heater on year ‘round. So, having a blanket with me is essential. It comes in handy on planes, buses, and at hostels that think a sheet is sufficient bedding.
2. Shower shoes. This is kind of self-explanatory lol
3. My grandfather’s handkerchief. I’m extremely close to my grandfather, so this is like having him near me even when I’m a gazillion miles away. I acquired this handkerchief May 26, 2003. Why do I remember this day? Because, it was my high school graduation day and also his birthday. He lent it to me after the ceremony when I was a snotty, blubbering fool. And…yeah…I just sorta never returned it. Sorry Granddad! But, almost 13 years later and I still carry it with me at all times.
4. Did you ever regret to go on a journey or travel-related adventure?

I can’t say there is any trip or journey that I regret going on. Sure, there’s been some trips that had its ups and downs, but I consider them lessons learned. I don’t necessarily regret the trip as a whole.

6. Please give me one sentence that describes what travel means to you.

Travel is freedom[.]

7. Where was the best food/drink you tasted ever and where can I find it?

Oh gosh! This is a hard one. I LOVE food! I don’t think I can possibly narrow it down to one dish. But, I can say that Vietnamese food has easily become my favorite international food.

8. Your remedy for feeling lonely on a trip?

Honestly, I’m a bit of a loner. I enjoy my own company lol. But, when travelling for long periods of time I occasionally wish I had somebody to talk to (besides my own voice in my head), and somebody to share the moments with. But, part of the joy of travel is getting to meet so many amazing people along the way. Something as simple as sparking up a conversation with the next table over during breakfast, can lead to you meeting up in another city (or even a different country) later on, or befriending your hostelmates. So when I start feeling lonely, I basically make new friends, whether temporary or lifelong.

9. If you had all the money in the world, how would it change the way you travel?

Well, lets see…if I had all the money in the world, I would no longer need to work a traditional “9-5” to support my travel whims. I would finally be able to slow travel. I’ve come to realize that I hopping around from city to city, country to country in a short amount of time is not ideal for me. I would set up a home base in a country and travel for long periods of time from there.

10. Why do you blog?

There’s a couple reasons why I blog. First, it’s kind of like a travel log for friends and family back home. They get to keep up with my journey and more importantly it paints a visual story for them, through my photographs. Secondly, I hope to be an inspiration to someone. I always hear people say how they wish they could travel more, or how they are too afraid to travel alone, or how someday, maybe, hopefully they’ll get to see the world. Well, I am here to show that all of these things can be done.  I hope to inspire someone to step out of their comfort zone and go for it. My blog is fairly new, but to know that even just a handful of people are interested in what I have to say and message me and tell me that I inspire them, is the most gratifying and humbling feeling. It lets me know that I am doing something right. It makes it all worthwhile. So, I will continue shed light on the world of solo travel and hope to continue to inspire people one post at a time.

11. Can you show me your favourite inspirational quote or picture?

”I have not always chosen the safest path. I’ve made mistakes, plenty of them. I sometimes jump too soon and fail to appreciate the consequences. But I’ve learned something important along the way: I’ve learned to heed the call of my heart. I’ve learned the safest path is not always the best path, and I’ve learned that the voice of fear is not always to be trusted.”

~ Steve Goodier

 

Now, my questions:

1. What is your guilty pleasure?
2. What is your least favorite country you’ve visited?
3. What would you recommend (eat, see, do) to a person visiting the city you’re currently in?
4. Who is your blogging inspiration?
5. What is one thing people will be surprised to learn about you?
6. What are some of your favorite blogger groups/networks?
7. How would you describe the way you travel? Planned to a tee or spontaneous?
8. What do you do when you’re not blogging or traveling (your day job)?
9. Why the name of your blog?
10. Where to next?
11. If you could live anywhere in the world, besides your current location, where would it be?

I hereby nominate:

Kydee at Travel By Ky

Tess at A Life Full of Serendipity

Brittany at The Sweet Wanderlust

Jelisa at Travel For the Low

 

Can’t wait to read your responses!