I have recently been nominated for the Liebster Award. This is a recognition granted to bloggers by other writers in their space, or in this case, other travel bloggers. I was recently nominated by FlyHigh~. Thank you so much for the nomination and I am glad you love my blog, Kirsy!
If you have not heard of this award before, I have outlined the rules below. I think this is an awesome way, not only to connect with other bloggers in your space, but to assist new writers with growing their following. As I am fairly new to the travel blogging space, I was very excited to hear that other people are loving what I am writing. It is an affirmation of my decision to build and maintain B Travels Better.
The Rules:
- Once you are nominated, make a post thanking and linking the person who nominated you.
- Include the Liebster Award sticker in the post too.
- Nominate 5 -10 other bloggers who you feel are worthy of this award. Let them know they have been nominated by commenting on one of their posts. You can also nominate the person who nominated you.
- Answer the eleven questions asked to you by the person who nominated you, and make eleven questions of your own for your nominees or you may use the same questions.
The Questions:
What is the reason behind your blog name or title?
What is the reason behind B Travels Better? Well, I have forever been a fan of the nickname B. I have tried really hard to get everyone to call me that. I introduce myself as B. I refer to myself as B. I have simply always wanted to be, B. When I was thinking about potential names for my blog, I knew B had to play a role in my personal brand. B Travels Better was born because I am slightly cocky and “Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do everything better than you” plays in my head constantly.
Which travel post is your favorite, and why?
I don’t really know how to answer this question, as I am an avid reader of about 100 different travel blogs and I don’t think I could ever choose just one post. I would have to say that Nomadic Matt is my favorite travel writer, though. I have followed his site for a number of years now and obsess over every new post. He has amazing destination guides that help me budget for all my trips, as well as a couple of books that are very insightful.
When taking pictures of your travels, do you prefer a real camera or just your phone camera?
Personally, I use a combination of both. As I am very active on Instagram, it is easier for me to post photos that I take on my phone while I am out and about. However, I prefer the quality of the photos that I take with my Nikon D3100. For my blog, I almost solely use my DSLR photos, but my Instagram is a combination of the two.
What is one of your top travel memories?
All of my favorite travel memories involve the people that I meet on my journeys. One of my favorite memories from my last trip involved a group of people I met in my hostel in Brussels. Four of us went out to try a popular bar in town called the Delirium Cafe. Let me tell you, if you are in Brussels and you don’t visit this bar, you are missing out. It is home to over 3000 beers, and the menu looks like an old school department store catalog, probably 500 pages long. The walls are covered in scribbles from past visitors and the ceiling is covered in bottle caps. We spent a few hours drinking our way through their vast menu, ending the evening with a trip to the corner gyro stand. Nothing particularly special happened on this night, but it was an evening I will never forget.
What are your top 3 destinations & why?
- Budapest, Hungary : Budapest was my first destination as a solo traveler and the hostel I stayed in played a huge role in why I love this city so much. It was the only hostel I stayed in that didn’t have a bar, but because it was so small, only about 12 beds, it was an intimate experience that made my whole stay that much better. Not to mention, the city is beautiful, the people are friendly, and obviously the bath houses.
- Hallstatt, Austria : Straight out of a fairytale. There is really nothing more to say about Hallstatt. It is constantly listed as the best small town in Europe, and after visiting, I will never argue with a listicle that includes it again.
- Brussels, Belgium : Most people are hit or miss when it comes to Brussels. The city is fairly small, there aren’t a ton of tourist attractions to see and Flemish is a very difficult language. However, if you are a beer fan, this is your town. I read a quote once that said “I feel sorry for those travelers who develop a taste for Belgian beer because their wallets will ache for the rest of their lives.” No more accurate words have ever been uttered.
One thing you always carry with you, excluding electronics?
I love that Kirsy opted to exclude electronics with this question. I feel like most of the posts I see that describe someone’s favorite travel accessories always list phones, cameras, and tablets. Duh. Those are everyone’s favorite devices, but what do you use that isn’t an everyday accessory? For me, I would say a deck of cards. As a solo traveler, I always carry a deck in my day pack because it is one of the easiest ways to engage with others. Go sit at a bar and start playing a card game, or approach a stranger and ask if they are interested in a hand of hearts (or whatever your go to game is). You will make friends left and right.
What is your dream destination?
Another difficult question. My list of “dream destinations” is a thousand miles long. I have been researching travel destinations for about 4 years now and the list never stops growing. I guess, if I had to choose, now Patagonia is at the top of my list. Specifically Chilean Patagonia. As an avid outdoors enthusiast, Patagonia is the motherland for me. Filled with amazing hikes, crystal clear lakes, glaciers, and mountains, I don’t think there is anywhere more beautiful on Earth, but please correct me if you think I am wrong.
Any hobbies? Other than traveling.
Of course! I truly believe that travelers are some of the most passionate and adventurous people I have ever met, so obviously we have many interests. I love language, so I adore writing, reading and am actively trying to learn Spanish. If anyone has any tips, tricks or would like to practice with me, I would be very appreciative. Aside from language, I love playing volleyball and tennis, hiking, camping, rafting, kayaking, basically anything outdoors!
What is your goal or mission in life, if any?
My motto in life, as well as the slogan for my blog, is “Live Differently.” I simply want to live a life that is different from what society tells us is right. Anyone can follow the timeline that is laid out for us by society: go to school, get a job, buy a house, get married, start a family. However, if you follow that path, you are missing out on so much more that the world has to offer. So many people look at my life and say that they wish they could do what I am doing. They wish they could leave their boring, routine lives and travel the world, but what few of them realize is that they CAN. Anyone can change absolutely anything about their lives at any time. You must simply decide what your priorities are. If travel is a priority, go. If you hate your corporate job, quit. If you don’t want to get married or have kids, don’t. It really is that simple.
You are having a breakfast at the Hotel… do you prefer Coffee or Tea?
I am from Seattle… That says it all.
Why you started a Blog?
The perfect question to end on. I was listening to a podcast this morning called Smart Passive Income. In the interview, the interviewee asked “what is your value proposition? Why are your writing what you are writing and for whom?” Until this morning, I realized I hadn’t really thought about that. Here is what I came up with:
I am writing a blog about budget adventure travel for millennials. I hope that my writing will help people find interesting destinations, learn my best practices for how to travel longer, less expensively, and more enjoyably. As a solo female traveler, I also hope to encourage more women to follow their dreams of seeing the world, regardless of whether they have a travel companion or not. I want to help people live their lives differently.
Well y’all, that concludes the 11 questions I was asked by Kirsy. Below I have nominated 5 of my favorite travel bloggers. Please check them out, because I know you will love them too.
Liebster Award Nominees
Wwellend - Traveling the World Solo
My Questions for You
- What experience first peaked your interest in travel?
- Have you ever traveled solo? If so, what made you decide to go alone?
- Why did you start a travel blog?
- Have you ever traveled anywhere that scared you?
- What is your personal life motto?
- What location is at the top of your travel list, right now?
- What is the worst thing that has happened to you while traveling?
- What is the biggest misconception about travel, in your opinion?
- Tourist Destinations or Off-The-Beaten-Path? Why?
- What is your favorite dish you have eaten abroad?
- What one piece of advice would you give to a large group of people?
I am excited to see your answers to the questions and would love to get to know all of you better to share stories and ideas. Your blogs have been inspiring to me, and I hope they are equally inspiring to all of my readers!
Happy Travels!
B