I’VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR A LIEBSTER AWARD!

I've been nominated for a Liebster Award!!
I've seen a whole host of blogs that I skip to time and time again who have all been nominated, and I figured 'hey, maybe this time next year when I get some more experience' but my pal Hanna at BubuBackpacks nominated me for the award! This award is a way to promote bloggers within the community, a way to show off some of your efforts and friendships while praising those that inspire you or keep you going! How flattering, Hanna! Def visit her page, she's an inspiring lady who not only has smart things to say, but is a trip addiction enabler- her photos and stories of living in Washington DC caused me to book a trip there this coming May! It really is an addiction...


The Rules:
The way the Liebster Award works is that the blog that nominated you gives you a list of questions to answer in a post. You then you get to nominate another few blogs and come up with your own questions to ask them! And finally, link back to the blog who nominated you as a way to spread the love.
1. If you could give one piece of advice to your former self before you started your first trip, what would it be?
Well, my first real tip that wasn't with family or my winterguard team would be when my old boyfriend and I planned a trip to Disneyworld for our one year anniversary in 2008. I had only gone once before om my 18th birthday and it rained the whole time and half of the stops were closed and no characters came out due to the weather. So I was excited to go! We used a travel agent because he pushed for it, and when we went we did have a lot of fun but it was then that I really realized how selfish and pushy he really was. So, looking back at it I would tell myself to be more assertive in what I wanted at the time and not let myself get pushed around into missing things I really wanted to do because he didn't want to. You don't always have to compromise your feelings for someone else, especially if you feel like it's once in a lifetime stuff like the rocket launch we missed because he "didn't feel like it". (We broke up two months later because I stood my ground finally!)

2. What's the first thing you do when you arrive in a new city?
Walk around. Sounds dumb, but I like to get a lay of the land. And food! A lay of the food. I always have my phone or camera in hand, ready to see and capture everything, and check around for desserts. I think trying new desserts is one of my favorite things about new places. And old places.
THIS hot chocolate! Yeah, that's a lava cake.

3. What is your favorite travel memory or experience?
 I can hardly pick just one, but definitely meeting my penpal Suzanne for the first time in Disney, and again in her home country of Holland are top tier. Being in Ireland in general is just about the best feeling, and nearly falling into the gross foam in the North Sea with Suzanne and Chris! Seriously horrendously gross brownish foam, but so fun to run away from!

4. How did you decide to start a blog? And what advice do you have for someone who is thinking of starting a blog of their own?
I started a blog in thrifty travel because I, like most people, brag when great things don't cost a lot! That's me- exciting things on a thrift store budget! Well, people would ask how I booked a trip to such and such place for cheap, or how do I find all of these deals, and so on. So I tell them- hours of painstaking research for every action on the trip! The questions and fandom really began in 2015 when my husband and I flew down to Orlando to meet my penpal of (now) 18 years at Disneyworld. It was one of those THIS IS HAPPENING things that you absolutely cannot pass up no matter the cost (our first time meeting in person after years of friendship and sisterhood). So, as I was running a wedding dress consignment shop for dollars a day, and had no real right to be planning an expensive trip for two, I decided to hunker down on my days off and research the hell out of the best deals I can find. I managed to score a Disney-adjacent hotel during PEAK season (June 1-5) for only $36/night with a free shuttle to the parks and other areas around town! Since it was an absolutely necessary trip to take, we went! Since then I have helped myself and a few others book for less and really broke the habit of saying there's not enough money to travel.

5.What’s on your long-term travel bucket list? Do you have a place or experience that you just HAVE to do at some point in your life?
My bucket list is lengthy! There is an Emerald mine in North Carolina that I would love to go panning in, I'm hoping to get there over Memorial Day weekend, but we'll see! I also am obsessed with Greece (theatre major) but I want to see all of Europe, NYC, Vegas, the Grand Canyon! So many things so see and do.

6. What’s your travel-planning style? Do you book flights spontaneously with no plan, or do you meticulously plan every detail? What do you find most helpful when planning your trips?
I do all of it, really. I am mostly a planner, not every detail to the minute like some people I know but I definitely booked my trip to Dublin on the fly and made the inside plans after booking. It was pretty exciting to find such a great deal on accident, and as it's my first solo trip I'm not overly concerned with planning the day to day stuff other than just getting to Dublin and Holland safely. What I find most helpful is looking for the best deals. Yes, it's work, but I stress less about the tip if I'm not overly freaked out internally about the cost. If I can cover the expenses better then I feel like I can relax more about the whole thing. That's probably normal, and the basis of why I started doing this in the first place!

7. What’s the number one destination on your list for this year?
My 2018 goal was to go back to Dublin and I am doing that in May! I think it's the fastest I have ever achieved a long-term goal. Aside from that, as mentioned above, I am hankering to go to Emerald Hallow Mines in NC all day sluicing. 

Now for my nominations:
1. Shanelle Jerril
2. Shae Pepper Photography
3. Globe Jamun
4. Blooming Brilliant
5. Different Frame of Mind

Your Interview Questions:
1. What is your favorite travel destination and why?
2. What is the best food you have had on the road?
3. Have you ever experienced any culture shock while abroad?
4. What inspires you to keep blogging?
5. How do you feel your blog does in inspiring others to step out of their comfort zones?
6. What is the best new product you've tried, be it traveling or at home?
7. Where do yo see yourself going over the next 12 months?

Thank you again, Hanna, for nominating me and making me feel like I'm reaching someone! It's important to know, even though you tell yourself you blog for you, that someone else cares, too!
I hope we can all empower and educate one another and keep this award sharing up so that others can feel the love as well.
Be kind. Be well. Do good.

Comments

  1. Awesome idea. I enjoyed the 'question and answer' posts, you learn slot about a writer and their inspirations. Excellent post.. xx

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    1. check out hanna's page, i think you're on it, too

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  2. I love the question and answer format, it can really help readers get to know you a bit better in one post compared to readings lots of posts. I love to travel too, there's so much to see in the world!

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  3. Congrats on the Liebster award! It doesn't sound dumb to me that you walk around when you first get to a new place. I like to do a walking tour of a new city when I get there because it helps me get my bearings and find things that I want to go back and explore properly on myself.

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    1. thank you, i agree! but i've heard people say it's weird that i don't want to get settled and unpacked first thing- like, im using a backpack- get unpacked to what? what's to unpack? haha i'd rather eat!

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