Nominated for the Liebster Award

Thank you Karla from Global ETA for nominating me for the Liebster Award. What is the award? It’s specifically for small bloggers still starting out – given to bloggers by other bloggers. Liebster award was created to recognise and help discover new bloggers and welcome them to the industry.

Below are some questions Karla has asked me:

1. Tell us a bit about your blog and its focus.

My main blog focus is sharing my experience as a solo female living and travelling in a caravan in New Zealand. A very specific niche! I share how a caravan works, my mistakes and my improvements – plus share the beautiful New Zealand destinations I visit. I have the travel bug and have travelled for 8 years to places like South America, United Kingdom, Australia and Iran and can’t help but include these stories in this blog too.

2. What has been your favorite place to travel so far and why?

Iran – I went 5 years ago when it still felt well off the beaten track. I’m from New Zealand, which is a very new country, so love travelling to countries with history, and Iran has plenty of that! I went with Dragoman, an overland truck tour company, where we travelled from Turkmenistan into Iran and out through Turkey. Some of the small towns at the start did not know what to make of our bright orange truck. It was like the circus had arrived in town.

3. What has been your least favorite place to travel so far and why?

Who you travel with makes or breaks a trip. My trip to Portugal was coloured by the tension with my travel companions. I went with my London flatmates and a friend, but quickly realised one of my flatmates didn’t want me there and my friend was no longer my friend! Then there was tension with my ex-friend flirting with my other flatmates boyfriend. Glad when that trip was over and quickly moved flats.

4. What song inspires you most to travel?

I’m honestly struggling with this question. There are a couple of songs I associate with past road trips. ‘World Hold On’ by Bob Sinclair is the designated TopDeck tour song we had on a wirlwind tour of Europe. Then there are Australian songs, like ‘Down Under’ by Men At Work that I associate to memory of messy nights out in London at the Walkabout pubs.

5. What’s been the biggest or best lesson you’ve learned while traveling?

That I can do anything I set my mind to. If you want it bad enough, you will make it happen, no matter how much you need to save or what anyone says about travelling on your own. It’s made me stronger and more self-sufficient.

6. What is the gadget, tool, or accessory that you cannot live without while traveling?

My camera. I love being able to capture that perfect moment while walking through new destinations. I tend to take way too many photos and videos.

I need to also include my smart phone. Travelling on your own can sometimes be lonely and getting a friendly message from home can make a huge difference. Plus it’s saved me getting lost many times.

7. What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done while traveling?

Taking that first leap of faith. Moving to London when I’d never left New Zealand before and only vaguely knew two people. Managing to find a job, move into a flat, make new friends and learn how to live there. I think the lead up to moving is the scary part with fears running through your head. What if I’m lonely? What if I run out of money?

It was the best move I could have made.

8. Which bloggers do you follow?

Rather than bloggers, I have become a huge vlogger fan! A few that I regularly watch are:

Gone with the Wynns – An American couple that lived in an RV for years before changing to living in a sail boat.

Finding Simon – A Canadian guy travelling around in a van and posts a video EVERY SINGLE DAY! I struggle to post once a week!

Bus Life NZ is a new find for me. They are a kiwi family travelling around New Zealand in a bus.

Exploring Alternatives has grown from a couple sharing their van life experience, to branching out to all types of alternative living. I’ve found many interesting channels through them.

9. Which destination is at the top of your must-see list? Where are you off to next? 

I keep finding amazing mobile homes that are made in America, which means I’m seriously considering taking a trip to see them all….one day.

I started planning a trip to South India but decided that I should postpone for now and focus on New Zealand. I have been to North India and loved how colourful and alive it was – a country that stays prominently in your memory.

I’m off to the Coromandel next for a slow paced exploration of the area. Do you have any tips?

10. Any advice for other new bloggers?

Keep going and keep thinking of new ideas. I have a long list of possible post ideas that I keep adding to – I love the freedom to decide for myself.

Social Media is surprisingly important. It’s the main way to be found until you start appearing in Google with good SEO.

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My Nominations

I’m nominating Wayfaring Kiwi, Girl See The World and Rupert on the Road.

Why?

Wayfaring Kiwi grabbed my attention as a fellow kiwi blogger who is currently travelling around Canada in a van. I’ve enjoyed her post about the experience of living in a van and completely get the comment about the scariness of the first night on your own. I really look forward to seeing how her adventure goes.

Girl See The World is an American who has just arrived in New Zealand. I loved her post about camping and travelling around Australia with a bed in the back of the car and a tent. I’m sure there will soon be many posts about New Zealand road trips!

Rupert on the Road is a Scottish girl who was living and travelling in New Zealand when I started following her YouTube channel. She has a very natural style of vlogging and I have been influenced by some of her videos! She’s done a beautiful Milford Sound video that encouraged me to look into Adobe Premier stabilisation in more depth.

Questions for my nominees to answer

1. Tell us a bit about your blog.
2. Why did you start your travel blog and how long have you had it?
3. What country has surprised you the most on your travels and why?
4. For someone travelling to New Zealand for only a week, where do they have to go?
5. What advice would you give someone about to start a road trip and plan to live in a car/van?
6. What has been your least favourite place to travel so far and why?
7. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt while traveling?
8. Which bloggers/vloggers do you follow?
9. What is you favourite social media platform and why?
10. What advice would you give to other new bloggers?

Congratulations on being nominated for the Liebster Award and I look forward to reading your answers!