Hi friends! After a few years of blogging, I’ve noticed that I get asked a lot of the same questions from friends, family members, coworkers, and strangers alike. Here are some of the top questions that I get asked with a more detailed response that I can come up with on-the-fly!
Why/when did you start blogging?
I’ve had some form of journal since I was a little girl. Growing up, my 4 siblings and I were encouraged to keep a record of our lives, thoughts, and goals. As I got older and technology advanced, I moved from paper and pen to online platforms, such as OpenDiary, Blogger, and now WordPress. I’ve always loved the idea of keeping a record that my posterity would someday be able to read and relate to on some level.
When I was getting ready to move to Germany for a study abroad program in 2014, I started a small travel blog to keep family and friends back home updated with what I was up to. Back then it was more of a travelogue…what I did, where I went, and tons of pictures. Upon my return, I started thinking about creating an actual travel blog. I sat on the idea for a year before I even started making any kind of forward motion towards my goal. Then, in 2016, things got real and I took the plunge. I’d read TONS of other travel blogs for inspiration, read their origin stories, followed them on their journeys, celebrated their personal victories and mourned their setbacks alongside them (in spirit, obvs).
I had another blog until recently, and decided to completely refocus my goals and brand. I wanted to create a site that emphasized that you didn’t have to travel to all of these amazing, albeit expensive and once-in-a-lifetime destinations to have epic adventures.
How are you able to travel so frequently?
There’s no secret formula to being able to travel as frequently as we’d like. I honestly wish I worked for a company that sent me to exotic locations, but alas, it doesn’t. I have fortunately worked with the same company since 2009 and accrue paid time off a little quicker than I used to. I utilize weekends, work/bank holidays, and dedicate a lot of time to explore my own backyard. I like to think that I’m the queen of weekend road trips, as I’ve been known to sleep at truck stops in the middle of the desert to save myself a few hours in a new location. I try to travel locally more than internationally.
I don’t make a bucketload of money and wasn’t born with a silver spoon. I have student loans, car payments, rent, pay 10% tithing, and have other cost-of-living expenses. I put a little money away from each paycheck, save my coins in a piggy bank, and utilize my tax returns for travel-only expenses. Sometimes I have $0 in the bank after bills and have to get creative…but that’s when the best adventures can be had. It’s all about looking at what you have access to, planning ahead, and taking advantage of the freebies.
Where has your favorite place been to travel?
Insert quote from Ever After right here: “I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens!”
While I might not be that dramatic, picking a favorite place is extremely difficult because I love different places for different reasons. I fell in love in Germany. I fell in love with Poland. California will always have a soft spot in my heart. New Orleans was my first. You get it.
But, if I had to pick an overall destination that 1) I can talk about all day, 2) can’t wait to visit, and 3) made a significant impact on my life, it would have to be South Dakota. Bet you weren’t expecting that, were you?
When I graduated from Brigham Young University – Idaho, my parents offered to take me on a graduation trip. I wanted to visit Mount Rushmore, so after graduation in August 2006, we loaded into the car with my siblings and took off for the Black Hills of South Dakota. Not only was I blown away by the sheer beauty and vastness of South Dakota, but I loved how deeply rooted the state is in Native American culture, history, lore, legend, etc. In addition to visiting Mount Rushmore, my sister and I attended church in Sturgis, and my extended family met us in Deadwood. I’ve chosen to not blog about those experiences yet, as I hold them dear to my heart, but someday soon.
Do you prefer solo travel or going with a group?
I prefer to travel solo, but not exclusively. I’ve taken girls trips before, most notably to New Orleans and San Francisco, but had varying experiences. I’ve found that when I travel with other people, I don’t have the freedoms that I’ve grown to love with solo travel. Don’t get me wrong, traveling solo has a set of challenges that aren’t always easy to overcome, but they’re a lot easier to deal with if you don’t have someone looking over your shoulder.
Do you ever get scared?
No. I get frustrated, sad, and annoyed like the rest of the world, but I haven’t actually ever been scared on a trip. Wait, no, that’s a lie. I got scared in St. Thomas during a snorkeling outing and a shark swam by.
Gosh, looking at that answer makes me look like Superwoman or something…which I’m most definitely not. I’ve missed trains, planes, gotten lost, been in tense situations before, but never actually scared. From an early age, I adopted the mindset that every setback, every time something goes wrong or feels out of place, it’s not something to be scared of. Rather, I need to figure out what I need to learn. It becomes a game.
I also believe that when I was baptized at age 8, I was given the Gift of the Holy Ghost and He is my constant companion. If you’d like to know more or have questions, please contact below.
What’s it like to travel as a practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Honestly, I don’t know what it’s like to travel as anything else. I follow a set of standards for dress, morality, and drinks, which helps to keep me out of certain situations.
- Dress – I choose to dress modestly, in a manner which the world would deem “conservative.” I always have my shoulders and back covered, my shorts always reach my knees, and I choose to not wear a bikini. When I visit places that require a modest dress code, I don’t have to bring separate clothes. Sometimes traveling in hot/humid destinations becomes tricky as I tend to have more fabric covering my body, but it’s usually just a brief time.
- Morality – I believe my body is a temple and will only have sexual relations with a husband to whom I am legally and lawfully married. Period.
- Drink – I choose to abstain from alcohol (and let’s throw in drugs here for good measure). Please note that this doesn’t mean that I am naive – I am cautious when out with friends and where my water/soda comes from.
I believe that Sundays are holy and try to attend church while I am traveling, although sometimes I am not able to due to travel/time constraints. The cool thing about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that it is a global church. There are Mormons, meeting houses, missionaries, and temples all over the world, so I know that I am never truly alone. Maybe this is why I appear to be fearless when I travel – I know that there is someone close by that I can reach out to. It’s a pretty cool network.
Have any other questions that I haven’t answered? Curious about another part of my life? Ask away!