Tag: get inspired

How to Become a Successful Travel Blogger

Post author By Julia Jerg
Post date 2015-10-27
4 Comments on How to Become a Successful Travel Blogger

jeyjetter.com: Blogging Tipps — How to become a successful travel blogger

Jey Jetter Travel Blog — **A successful travel blogger needs to travel, first of all… here I went to Chichen Itza in Mexico.**

Where and how to your travel blog

Ok, let’s face it: in order to become a successful travel blogger, you need to invest some time! But that’s true for everything in life. Good things take time to ripen. Is blogging not your thing? Then check out if teaching English might be your way to become a location-independent digital nomad.

Back to blogging though.

I am writing this post after only three months of blogging. Yep. I know what you’re thinking, she’s a newbie and already gives other people advice!? But, before you start, I think, I did a few things right because I already received two Awards in such a short time! Woohoo!

The first one was in September when I got nominated for the Liebster Award. This award is from bloggers who nominate other bloggers if they think they’re awesome. And the second one was even more surprising: I opened my mailbox and found a message from Tripedia that I was amongst their Top 10: Best New Travel Bloggers! Wow!

And this made me write this post in order to help you to become a successful travel blogger too! So let’s dig into it!

[clear-line]

NO TIME NOW? SAVE THIS PIN TO READ IT LATER!

7 Tips On How to Become a Successful Travel Blogger:

Love what you do!
First of all, if you want to become a successful travel blogger, you should really enjoy writing and love whatever you do. If you are not 100% satisfied with the result, don’t publish it. Better wait for a day or two, then go over it again until you are happy with your result. You should be proud of your blog posts because if YOU are enjoying them it will show in your texts and most likely someone else likes them too!
Go out there and write about it!
I know what you are thinking, this is obvious if you love travelling and want to become a successful travel blogger. But even though this sounds very basic, it is a very important thing to keep in mind: don’t start a blog and then after a while become lazy and stop writing about your adventures. All the initial work you put on your site to get your blog started would be for nothing. So keep your content flowing!
Be extra-super-mega social!
Connect with other bloggers and join groups on Facebook. Like, share, post and comment on other people’s posts. This way you can grow your social network and become known by other bloggers too. Don’t be shy, bloggers are happy to connect and also are very helpful if you have any questions on how to start blogging. I joined the following groups and have connected with a lot of amazing and successful travel bloggers through them: We Travel We blog | Girls who Travel | Girl vs. Globe | Ultimate Travel Group | Travel Bloggers and Readers | Under 1000 Club – Aspiring Travel Writers | Digital Nomads around the World | Ultimate Blog Challenge | Nomads – a life of cheap/free travel (just to name a few!)
Use Social Media
Every successful travel blogger uses social media to support their website. I mainly use Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Twitter to get traffic to my blog. It’s great to connect all your posts and share them on your different social media channels. With services like Hootsuite or Buffer, it is easy to schedule posts and share your content on different platforms at the same time. This is really helpful and saves you a lot of time! If you want to learn how to strategically use social media marketing to drive traffic to your blog, join my Facebook group for support, encouragement and networking!
Read, read, read but produce your own content!
The more you read other peoples’ blogs, you will learn how blogging actually works. It’s a great way to get inspired and apply one of the infinite options out there to your personal style. Just make sure that you never copy and paste someone else’s content. This is not only bad for your Karma, it is also bad for your site’s Google ranking and will not make you a successful travel blogger. Google will only rank pages high if they have original and relevant content! Of course, you can (AND SHOULD!) share also other people’s content, watch this video on how to schedule curated content!
Know your audience!
If you want to become a successful travel blogger, make sure you find a niche and focus on whatever makes you special. I write for people that are sick and tired of their 9-5 work-life routine and want to turn into digital nomads. For my audience, it is obviously interesting to know how to save money while travelling, what helped me to break with the conventional lifestyle and which longterm travel tips I have, so they won’t ever have to go back home (if that’s their aim).
Let other people see the world through your eyes
The best part about blogging is really that you can dedicate your time to what you are passionate about. I love the fact that I found a way to travel the world and it was way overdue for me to put these stories on “paper”. I know that it is not for everyone or my way might seem extreme to most other people, but everyone finds it exciting and I am happy to share what I see out there in the world. When I tell other people about my travels and about all the wonderful places that are on this planet, I feel a special energy! And it is great to hear that my story is for some people an inspiration. This motivates me every day when I get up and it keeps me going with what I am doing right now.

These are just a few blogging tips from a successful travel blogger like me. Make sure to subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already to get more news and updates on how to be able to travel full-time and work remotely. Good luck and happy blogging!

Did you like this post? Let me know down below in the comments if you have other tips on how to become a successful travel blogger? Why and how did you start blogging?

Not done reading yet?

If you are interested in the digital nomad lifestyle, check out this post on the must-have gadgets that I can’t live without!

And if you like to connect with other digital nomads, make sure to grab a ticket to one of these digital nomad events in 2018!

For more tips on how to start and how to maintain a sustainable travel blog and digital nomad lifestyle, visit my resources page!

Tags around the world, Award, digital nomad lifestyle, get inspired, Liebster Award, October, Travel Blog, travel blogger, Tripedia, work and travel

Travel

Maui – Hawaii’s Secret Favourite

Post author By Julia Jerg
Post date 2015-10-18
No Comments on Maui – Hawaii’s Secret Favourite

Maui is wowy!

No, this is not a post about Marihuana! Even though some people might think that when reading the headline… Only AFTER having left Maui though, I learned that people in Hawaii call their dope ‘wowy’. I still thought it’s the perfect way to describe Maui (and it rhymes, which I personally like best about it!)…

I also got high on Maui, but in a different way (no drugs involved, all legal!). On our first day, we drove around with a rental car and decided spontaneously in the afternoon to go up to the top of one of the volcanoes of Hawaii, the Haleakala Crater. We reached 10.000 feet of elevation and watched the sunset from there – up their your body feels actually a bit weird – it’s more difficult to breathe and we felt a slight headache… BUT IT’S SO WORTH IT!!

Oh and don’t be fooled when driving up the long and windy route to the top of the crater, the weather can be completely different once you’ve reached the summit. We were actually a bit hesitant at the entrance gate of the National Park because it was raining and we thought there was no way to see the sunset…

After a night on the campground inside the National Park (on 8000 feet), we got rewarded and even had a clear view all the way down to the ocean.

Next Stop: Road to Hana

So, Haleakala Crater is really a must-do when on Maui! But for all those who think like me, one day is absolutely enough to spend away from the beach! Therefore we left the next morning and returned to sea level in order to drive the famous and very beautiful Road to Hana on Maui’s East Coast.

Maui's famous road to Hana — *View on to the ocean and a sandy bay from the famous Road to Hana.*

We stopped at so many beautiful beaches and waterfalls – one of the most beautiful drives I’ve done so far! This is absolutely the second MUST-DO on Maui: drive down the famous Road to Hana.

=> Check out: Complete Itinerary: Road to Hana

Somewhere on the road, we found the perfect place to park our car and sleep in it right next to the ocean… what else can you wish for!?

At the beach, underneath some trees, the ocean in the background. — *Our view from our minivan… waking up in the mornings was very easy!*

Snorkelling at the Molokini Crater and Turtle Town

Well-rested and ready for new adventures, we drove down to Maui’s South Coast where all the tour agencies leave for water activities. On Hawaii Discount, we found a great deal to snorkel at Molokini Crater and Turtle Town, two of the most famous snorkel spots off Maui’s coast. We chose the Pacific Whale Foundation because our money went directly to the Foundations funds in order to protect the ocean and its marine wildlife.

Best time to visit Maui

It’s really up to everyone’s individual taste, of course, but for us, the best time to visit Hawaii was really when it got cold in Canada, which was in October. That’s when we decided to take a three-month break in the warmth. Even if you are short on time, it’s a great destination though!

HOW TO GET TO MAUI:

What is another plus about visiting Hawaii, it is fairly cheap to get from one island to another…and since island hopping is fun, we were really excited to fly with a little machine over to Maui. From Honolulu Airport we took Island Air to get over in less than an hour for $79 US dollars.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO MAUI:

So, again in a nutshell, here are a few reasons why it’s really worth visiting this beauty amongst the Hawaiian islands:

You get your personal feathered welcoming team on arrival at the airport!
Maui has one of the most beautiful drives, the scenic Hana Road.
Up on top of Haleakala Crater you’ll be breathless…
No photo proof for that but you can actually see HUGE sea turtles while snorkelling only a short distance away from the shores of Maui’s beautiful beaches.

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT GO TO MAUI:

Erm…honestly, I can not find any reason why not…

Did you like Part 2 of my Hawaii series? Do you have any other suggestions on things to do while there? How was your trip? Don’t be shy, leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Tags get inspired, hawaii discount review, island air hawaii, October, pacific whale foundation, travel blogger, travel to Maui, visit Hawaii

Travel

Why Sleeping in a Car, a Tsunami Alert and Funky Room Mates Did Not Ruin Our Time on Oahu

Post author By Julia Jerg
Post date 2015-10-04
No Comments on Why Sleeping in a Car, a Tsunami Alert and Funky Room Mates Did Not Ruin Our Time on Oahu

jeyjetter.com: Travel Tipps for Oahu, Hawaii Series

Oahu beach — **Oahu boasts beautiful beaches on all four coastlines.**

We think of Palm Trees, Hula Hula, flower necklaces, the Aloha Spirit, big waves – I mean huge waves – surfing and tropical cocktails, right!? Yes, that’s what you get when visiting Oahu in Hawaii. I could stop right here, you already got the picture…. but there is much more to it if you travel off the beaten track…yep, the following is not the usual travel guide for people who like staying in hotels. I’m not the “typical tourist” and you’ll read nothing about All-inclusive programs on this site! But if you’re interested in learning how to travel pricy Hawaii on a budget, keep on reading! And then there is a bit of travel action to this post too…so let me warn you, this one is not for the faint heart!

How my trip to Oahu turned into an almost life-threatening journey of no return!

Crossing bridges is like stepping over into another world... — ***When travelling becomes your lifestyle your trips turn into little adventures…***

DON’T COPY THIS, YOUR MOM WON’T APPRECIATE IT!

“Mom, this might be my last call EVER….!” I love drama and I sometimes add a little to it. But this time, I did not need to pimp my story. Fair enough, I could have been a bit more thoughtful with the opening line of my phone call to my mother at 9 pm German time. But her reply showed me that it was not even good enough: “I’m glad you called. What’s up?” Hm…this didn’t have the desired effect. I was about to face my last few hours of life and my Mom was as casual as my sneakers!

This time I added a bit more of drama to my voice, I had to make her understand that this was not a joke: “Mom, sit down, I am calling because there is a Tsunami coming my way and I am sitting in my little hut next to the ocean where I will probably gonna die tonight. So, let’s say goodbye!” This time it worked! I had her attention.

Friendly room mate — **Our friendly funky roommate… THE most reliable Tsunami Alert system! If he doesn’t run, there is no need for you to run…you’re fine!**

So, mum and dad were informed. Check! Now, all I had to do is set the alarm to 2:30 am in order to be awake half an hour before the wave was supposed to hit the East Coast of Oahu. Afterwards, it’s always easier, but that night I really did not sleep much. And when the expected wave was supposed to hit, I swear, I was sitting upright in my bed pressing the arm of my sleepy and not so impressed boyfriend.

I even put my running shoes next to the bed and stuffed a bottle of water, muesli bars, my passport, a blanket and a flashlight in my little backpack. I was ready to leave everything else behind… (ok, I would have taken my laptop and credit card too. And then perhaps a few more shirts and underwear, maybe my favourite dress…but that’s not the point. I was prepared to run, you know!).

Good news though, you can relax now! It was a false alarm! All we ever experienced that night was the rise of the water at the coast for an inch. But of course, I did not know that during the night and sat therefore upright in my bed for full 2 hours imagining birds fleeing inlands and checking every minute if the Tsunami Alert on Google and Twitter was updated. I also promised to never trust a rooster again, because he made me even sit up tighter: he started to “sing” at 3:30 am – hello! Really?!

Survived an almost-Tsunami — **I love the ocean when it’s calm like this…**

Ok, so we made it through the night, perhaps you guessed this by now! And now we were ready to see a bit more of the relaxing side of this beautiful place…. puh! What a rocky start into a paradise-like vacation!!

Here is how you can travel Hawaii on a budget – PART 1: OAHU

The funny fact before I go into detail:

Did you know that you can actually be welcomed to the United States while still on Canadian ground? At Vancouver Airport it’s possible! It happened so fast that I did not even realize it until I was actually on “American Ground”. The friendly (!!) officer said: ‘Welcome to the United States, Miss!’ even though I hadn’t even left the airport. Hahaha, that was the most laid back US Customs I’ve ever been through!! (Remember, I have a bad experience record with Immigration officers: My last times were not so smooth).

And it gets even funnier: we did not even have a return ticket at that point! We were meant to do a booking right there at the airport while waiting to board the plane… I know I know, super last minute, but we could simply not decide on how long we wanted to stay in Hawaii and kept it open till last minute. All my preachings about how you’ll NEVER be able to enter the US without a return ticket suddenly got washed away by this friendly smiling (no kidding, smiling!!) officer at the airport.

Leaving Canada — ***Good deal and smooth flight from Vancouver to Honolulu***

We flew with Air Canada for CAD 243 (one way) and after a smooth 5 ½ hour flight we landed in busy Honolulu. At the airport we took a taxi to our Couchsurfing place in the Makiki Area. 25 minutes later and 27 US dollars lighter, we knocked on our host’s door who told us with Lyft it would have been a bit cheaper…too late for us, but perhaps for you it might be helpful…

After a warm welcome and a shower we rested in our private double bed room, which was meant to be for free (that’s the whole point of couchsurfing, right!). Our host changed the rules of Couchsurfing a bit and charged us 30 US a night. His place is so popular that he turned it into a little income source and admitted that he is too lazy to open an account with AirBnB. Well, people like us make him go on like this, I guess. But we could not find another couch and it was still WAY cheaper than staying in a hostel in Honolulu (average are around 60-80 bucks per night for a double bedroom)…

New GoPro Shots at Magic Sand Beach in Maui — ***Upside-down is sometimes not so bad!***

Thanks to the jet lag (Hawaii is 3 hours behind Vancouver), we woke up early and decided to hike the “Diamond Head” trail while it was still cool outside. You better leave really early in the morning because it gets very humid on the trail and people on the way back passed us in sweat drunken shirts… These views are worth the very short (35 minutes) but intense hike up the hill, we found!

Panoramic shot from Diamond Head — ***Beautiful view over Honolulu and Waikiki Beach as reward for a sweat provoking 35-minute hike uphill!***

With public transport you can get there in about 30 minutes from Honolulu centre. From our place in Makiki we took the bus #15 and then in Chinatown we changed to #9. It took us a bit over an hour to get to the entrance of the Diamond Head Monument State Park. Make sure you have exact change for the bus, there is no change given! We were lucky, our bus driver had a good day and waved us through because we didn’t have the exact amount of US 2,50 each – yay #Ilovefreebies

We spent the rest of our day exploring Honolulu and Waikiki Beach….for my taste Honolulu feels like a concrete jungle and has nothing to do with the paradise escape we were looking for…busy traffic, loads of shopping malls, Starbucks/McDonalds and high-end hotels everywhere! After one day this was enough and we escaped the busy area to go see the less populated areas of the island…

Waikiki Beach Selfie-stick joy — ***Having fun and fooling around with our new selfie-stick which we found seconds before in the sand on the beach!! 😀***

The next 5 days we spent on the North Shore of Oahu wwoofing on a farm… This was compared to our experiences in Canada really a downer! I won’t mention the farm here because I left a personal feedback with the owner of the farm. All I want to say is, whoever goes to Hawaii in order to participate in the wwoofing program needs to be careful, people there have a different opinion about the concept. Whoever thinks about going there PM me and I am happy to go into further detail…

Definitely worth visiting while you are on the beautiful North Coast of Oahu: Waimea Beach and Sunset Beach! The latter is obviously a great place to see some stunning sunsets but it’s also a nice beach for the day. And Waimea Bay is internationally known for its annual Surf tournament by Quiksilver. While the waves are not big enough, tourists and locals alike hang out at that beach…the brave ones jump off the 10 feet high rock… Here are some of our shots:

WAIMEA BAY, OAHU

SUNSET BEACH, OAHU:

After one week up in the Pupukea area we took the bus from the North Coast down to Honolulu again. But this time we went down the East Coast in order to see a different route. The bus took 3 hours/US 2.50 and we past by an impressive coastline and lush area. Back in Honolulu we rented a car for the rest of the afternoon and the following day. We left immediately the city after picking up our car and headed towards Waimanalo Beach at the South/East corner of Oahu.

We slept in the car that night with the plan to wake up as early as 5 am in order to climb the forbidden stairs…but our Stairway to Heaven trip turned into a not so successful adventure as it was rainy and slippery and we couldn’t get as far up as we wanted to. So out of safety reasons we turned around and that was smart also because it would have been impossible to see through the clouds that day…at least we tried!

On the way to Heaven — ***At least we tried!! Our experience of climbing the stairways to heaven stopped half way….keep something for when you go back, they say!***

OAHU HIGHLIGHTS:

Kailua, Waimanalo, Sandy beach
Diamond Head
North Coast: Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay
Pali lookout, Pillbox Hike
Moke Islands near Lanikai, Makapu’u lighthouse/tide pools

TO BE CONTINUED >>> Stay tuned for the second part of my Hawaii series: Maui and why I decided to go on a guided tour! <<<

Have you been to Oahu? What were your highlights? Would you go back?

Tags explore, get inspired, Hawaii, Oahu, travel

Digital Nomad

Liebster Award Nomination

A couple of weeks ago, sorry it took me so long, Portia from Migrant Muse nominated me for the Liebster Award. It’s an award for bloggers to recognize other bloggers and to show which ones they think do a great job. Therefore I take it as a compliment and appreciate this recognition from fellow travel blogger Portia at Migrant Muse for the nomination!

I have to be honest, before the nomination I have never heard of the Liebster Award, but I don’t mind to be amongst “favourite” bloggers (which would be a rough translation of the word “Liebster” from German). In the end it is great for new bloggers like me to be discovered and connect with other bloggers. And I feel proud and honored that my blog was already noticed after just a few weeks in the bloggin’ biz 😀

Ok so there are a few rules that are required with the Liebster award and they are as follows:

Write a blog post thanking the blogger who nominated you for the Liebster Award, and link back to his or her blog. In this case to myself aka Jey Jetter at www.jeyjetter.com
Answer the 11 questions that I ask you below
Nominate 10 bloggers of your own, with under 600 followers, who you think are awesome and deserve of this honour
Create 11 questions for your nominees
Display the Liebster Award logo on your page
List these rules in your post
Notify your nominees and provide a link to your post so that they know what to do
Once you’re done, return to this post and comment with the link to your post so I can check out your answers too

So here are my answers to the 11 questions from Portia:

Why did you decide to start a travel blog?

After having travelled around the world for 4 years, I accumulated so many pictures and stories that it’s almost a waste not to share them 😉 Well, seriously speaking I only started recently with my blog because before that I thought no one would care about “just ANOTHER” travel blog. So, I never documented or wrote about my travels until recently. What changed my mind in the end, was the constant messages from friends and family back home that showed a big interest in my newly found lifestyle. Everyone seemed to be impressed that I “just do it” and wanted to know how and why and where…so I figured, perhaps it is finally time to start a blog and write about everything that has happened ever since I left home. I like the idea that some people might get inspired by my stories and lose their fear of taking the first step.

What do you currently do for a living?

Well, a combination of three things: I am a traveller, which keeps my soul alive. I am a wwoofer, which lets me live and eat for free. And I am a freelance PR Consultant and Translator, which help me finance my trips.

What do you love and hate most about blogging?

Honestly, I love sharing what I am experiencing because it is wonderful to write about what you just did. It’s a great way to document your life but also to make it even livelier: you live the moments twice and when I look through my pictures in order to select them for my blog posts, it makes me happy and it shows me over and over again why I am travelling. I hate really nothing about blogging so far – but I have literally started blogging 6 posts ago…so perhaps you ask me next year again 🙂

Have you received any negative reactions from your blog?

Nope! So far I haven’t had enough readers, I guess 🙂

Where do you plan to travel to next and why?

HAWAII: I am really excited about this! In actually exactly one week, I will be going to Hawaii. Why? Because it’s one of the paradise destinations that I have always wanted to visit. And at the moment I am on Vancouver Island, so I figured, I am very close to Hawaii…and flights are cheap: CAD 300 return! I couldn’t resist!

What has been your most memorable or inspirational trip and why?

My around the world trip four years ago. When I started my trip I had no idea that travelling would turn into my lifestyle…that’s why I chose the following subtitle for my blog: “The road of no return…or how I started travelling on serious terms”. It really changed my life, my way of thinking and I guess me as a person too. I learned a lot about myself and about life in general. It was as if I opened the door to a completely new world with new options and suddenly there appeared new perspectives and ways in front of me – I felt my horizon had widened after that solo trip.

Are you involved in any travel blogger networks or groups? If so, which ones?

Yes, I joined a bunch of groups on Facebook: Girls Who Travel, Nomads, Travel Bloggers Network, We Travel We Blog, Awesome Bloggers, Girls vs Globe, The Aspiring Travel Writer, Matadornetwork

Have you gone on any press trips or written any sponsored posts or products?

Not yet, not yet!! Perhaps after this award…anyone? 🙂

How would you describe the way you travel?

I travel with an open mind, always happy to fit in spontaneous changes and I never have too many (if any!) reservations made in advance. I like it that way, because then I can react more freely to upcoming ideas when meeting other people. Mostly I travel to connect with people from the places I travel to. I love learning about their cultures and hearing about their stories and their opinions. That’s why I try to stay out of hostels and prefer to do woofing or couchsurfing. In hostels you meet travellers and tend to hang out with them instead of getting in touch with local people.

What do you think sets you apart from other bloggers?

I haven’t really defined my whole blogging concept yet, but I know I want to inspire people, so every time I post it’s almost as if I am writing for other people. I want to encourage them and hopefully get them out on the road too. Why? Because I know from experience that the only valuable things in life are actually experiences and travelling creates a whole lot of them. Life is too short to not live every day as if it was your last.

What are your goals for your blog and what are you hoping to achieve from blogging?

All I want is make travelling more approachable for other people. Before I started travelling I didn’t know that it would actually be possible the way I am doing it. So, I am hoping to give those who read my blog and are hesitant to change their lives into a nomadic lifestyle a push and motivation so that they can start to create their own awesome journey.

And now it’s your turn! I’d like to nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

Phoebe at The Start and the Bean
Christine Messina at NYC Jet Setter
Erica at Girl Unspotted
Tim O’Callaghan at Flat Tires and Slow Boats
Karla Ramos at Karlaroundtheworld
Revati Victor at Different Doors
Laura Lynch at Savored Journeys
Heather Cole at Conversant Traveller

And these are my questions for the Liebster Award nominees:

What is your biggest challenge while travelling?
How did you find blogging in the beginning and now?
How did you create your website/blog?
What’s the concept of your blog?
Have you thought about or are you already blogging for a living?
What is your favourite country/place you have been to?
What is a must have in your carry on/suitcase?
What was your longest trip that you have taken?
Which places are your top 3 on your bucket list?
Which nationality do you find is the most traveller type?
Where would you never go back to and why?

I am looking forward to reading all of your answers! The Liebster Award is a wonderful way to give and take: you will get a bit of extra attention on your site and can help some fellow blogger to gain the same. Also, it’s a nice way to give your readers some extra information about yourself and your blog. So join the Liebster Award circle!

Thanks again to Portia at Migrant Muse for including me in the Liebster Award nomination and happy blogging everyone!

Tags Award, Blogging, digital nomad lifestyle, get inspired, Guest Posts, Liebster Award, Nomination, september, Travel Blog

Digital Nomad

So you think travelling is fun, huh!?

Post author By Julia Jerg
Post date 2015-07-24
2 Comments on So you think travelling is fun, huh!?

**Travelling to see all those beautiful sunsets….I love love love sunsets! This one was magical on Isla del Sol, Bolivia 2012.**

Qhapiya, Bolivia — near Titikaka Lake, Bolivia

To give it away right from the start, yes, it is! Travelling can be a lot of fun. BUT and yes, there is always a ‘but’, you have to do it right and better start thinking of how you like to do it before you even leave your home. From experience I can tell you that if you leave everything open and up to your spontaneity, then it CAN turn into a stressful experience…if you are not the person who can handle it. So make up your mind first and then chose your way. Who wants to come home after a trip with nothing but the need for more vacation…?

Travelling really can be a very fulfilling activity from which you get lots of new insights and that can even change your life. You make new friends all over the world, you might come home with an even longer list of places to visit next, you might have a totally different attitude or have changed your thoughts about life in general. Travelling is not only about bringing home tons of megabytes in form of a trillion more pictures. If you do it right, it could bring you a long lasting positive effect.

So, before you start travelling, put on your gear and get ready for your adventure!

Death Road, Bolivia — **Racing down the Bolivia’s famous “Death Road” in 2012…**

You might want to ask yourself some questions, yes, philosophical ones like: how do I like my life? Organised or spontaneously created? Would I be miserable if I didn’t have the same standards or comforts that I have at home? Do I need to be surrounded by friends or do I enjoy being alone? What is important to me when visiting a new place? Would I rather relax at the beach all the time or fill my schedule with sightseeing or sports?

All these questions before you go on a trip will help you to avoid disappointments and stressful situations later on the road. Ask yourself, what makes you happy and try to consider that in your organisation. Take with you all that you really can’t miss on your trip…..

…but be critical with yourself and try to decide to take only REALLY important things…

Once you have decided how your trip should look like, be honest with yourself. Look, I did my first year of travelling with the conviction that my preferred way of travelling would have to follow the motto ‘go with the flow’. And I actually enjoyed it that way and never minded much those long, mostly very hot and chaotic arrivals to a new place without having a plan. It was a great experience from which I learned that I am absolutely open to changes and love considering all those options that are out there….

During that first year I mostly never knew where I would sleep the following night. Sometimes I did not even know where I would go next. All I knew was that I had a rough route to follow and that I had to go into one direction around the world. I purchased my ticket back in 2011 from a German travel agency called “Reiss aus” http://www.aroundtheworldticket.de who gave me the option to change my dates for free any time I wanted.

I called the airline to postpone each and every single one of my 10 flights!

That was great! I loved it….but it was also really tiring! Oh boy did I change my mind a lot! Staying in one place longer than planned obviously affected all the following flight dates and meant that I had less time for those other scheduled places… well, technically that could have been the consequence of my changes. But since I had no rush to go home or keep my initial schedule it just meant that in the end my intended 6 months trip turned into one complete year of travelling.

To Australia I even came back a couple of years later and stayed there for a whole year. But that’s a different story…..

So if you are flexible in time then better go get yourself an open return ticket! You never know before how much you might like the places you go to!!! And leaving everything open is a great way if you have the time to do so. I remember there were many situations when I even got a much better deal than fellow backpackers who booked their rooms in advance. Just because sometimes (not every time of course!) you are lucky enough to get some real insider advice from a local or you get to a place where you can actually negotiate before you check in….

San Pedro de Atacama — We arrived in Chile’s Atacama dessert (hot!) after a long trip through the Salt-flats of Bolivia (cold!!) = gosh, it was hot and I longed for my shorts!

To be fair though, running around with your luggage can be really exhausting. Plus all that time that you are spending on your search for an accommodation reduces your free time that you might use for exploring the place or lay on the beach. Unless of course you do it like I did it that first year and simply adjust your return flight…

Always keep in mind that it all depends on your taste and if you prefer to have things fully planned ahead. So there are two options for you to consider:

book accommodation in advance if you want a hassle free arrival and have more time to stand and stare at the beauty of the places you go to…
OR don’t book anything ahead if you are on a mission to simply go with the flow! In that case, just sit back, relax and be open for spontaneous changes…

After four years on the road, I am still have an open-minded spirit, I guess. And I don’t book everything in advance. But I do appreciate a certain amount of organisation and preparation…now I do more research about the places I go to in order to have a better idea where I want to go and what I want to see. Just because I have come to prefer those luggage-less moments a lot more than the ones where you are you are fully geared up and feel like a donkey.

But perhaps everyone has to grow into travelling and find out their own ideal way of doing it. For whatever style you decide, you have to make sure you and the person who travels with you can enjoy it and you both keep on smiling! 😀

Tags around the world ticket, be happy, Blogging, digital nomad lifestyle, explore, get inspired, July