in the kiwifruit industry in te puke.
Traveljunkieindonesia.com – Hi travel junkies, travel is life. And if you miss travel, you miss life.
Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
So, check this out! Travel like a travel blogger Bobbi Lee Hitchon:
Name: Bobbi Lee Hitchon
Hometown: NJ
Travel Blog: heelsandwheelsonline.com
Twitter: @hw_travel
Short Bio: A Jersey girl, born and raised, a few trips in high school and college led me to the life of a traveler. In 2010 I set off for Australia on a working holiday visa.
After three and a half years living in Australia, New Zealand and England and traveling through SE Asia and North America, I recently returned to the USA to start writing my next chapter in travel.
My favorite way to travel is by car. I like to go as local as possible with everything I do on the road. I love markets, art, good coffee, city life, scuba diving and wine. My adventures are laid back and though I started out solo, I now travel with my partner whom I met on the road.
How did you first get into travel blogging: I started my blog before I left for Australia. My dream was to be a travel writer – so the blog was a place I could post things that I couldn’t sell to publications or main stream websites.
What do you love most about being a travel blogger: That I can post things I find important about travel and not just what is trending. I think all travelers have something important to offer people and I’m not sure that main stream publications have answered all the questions future travelers have – so what’s nice about the internet and blogs is that it gives everyone a place to post and search things that are meaningful to them.
What’s the secret to creating a successful travel blog: Writing things that are actually meaningful to you or that you think will be meaningful to your readers. The way blogging has gone and what people have to do to make money in it, I think a lot of times bloggers neglect what’s most important.
Their readers will eventually see though this and might go some place else for their information. Readers are the most important thing about blogging. If they’re not there – you might as well just keep a diary.
How do you get your blog noticed amongst the millions of other blogs out there: I try and create content that I think will resonate with people. You can Tweet and post on Facebook as much as you want, but if people aren’t interested in what you’re writing – they’re not going to read it.
What advice would you give to fledgling travel bloggers: Start it as a passion project. This is not a career for those who want to make big bucks. Sure – some bloggers do in the same way that some writers do, but for most of them, it took a lot of months even years of unpaid work, trying to get noticed to make it to the point where they could live off their blog.
Go into this business because you love writing and you want to help people with the knowledge or stories you have to offer. Once you start to get noticed for that than you can think of turning blogging into a business if you want.
at mu koh ang thong national park.
How do you make money out of travel blogging: In a mix of ways. Some comes from advertising on my site, some from freelancing my writing and services to different publications and website.
I also earn money creating products from my photography and selling that. In all honesty, in four years of blogging, I only lived solely off my blog and freelance work for six months and it was very tough to get by.
As I said – it gets easier that more you establish yourself, but I actually decided that I prefer to do other work on top of blogging/writing.
How do you fit in blogging while on the road: It’s very hard. I try to do it solely when I’m on the road or during designated relax days but I don’t always follow through with that.
What’s your most epic travel story: My friends Bobbi and I got lost in the Outback after Bruce Highway (the only highway to travel Australia’s East Coast) closed because of an accident. We were charged by wild cows and met some interesting people who really didn’t want us on their property when asking for directions. We made it back to Bruce eventually and the accident was all cleared up.
What is your favourite destination so far: That’s impossible to say. I like every place I’ve been for different reasons. However, I am particularly fond of Port Douglas, Australia, because I made a lot of great friends there and met my partner there. It’s a little tropical village in Far North Queensland. Stunning scenery, calm beaches, great restaurants and a backpacker haven at Aussie winter.
What’s been your biggest travel disaster: I’ve been fairly lucky on my travels. The only disastrous thing that comes to mind now is getting bed bugs in Toronto. I was covered in bites that are really annoying and worried about transferring them to some place new.
What are your top gadgets that you always take travelling: My Mac Book, SLR, GoPro and iPod. Honestly, I don’t think I’m that techy with my travel gear but I guess that’s a large chunk of electronics!
What’s your favourite phrase in a foreign language: Phaaeng maak maak. It’s Thai for too much.
Would you ever do any other job: I’d do any job and have done a lot of jobs. I think trying new jobs is one of things I’ve like most about traveling.
What’s next on your bucket list: India has been at the top for a very long time, but I think that will be a while away. Maybe visiting every national park in the USA will be next.
Favorite travel blog/website(s) – besides Traveljunkieindonesia.com, of course!: The Longest Way Home has always been one of my absolute favorites. There are too many to name though!
What has travel taught you: That people are generally good and that putting a little trust in others will make life a whole lot easier and a lot more interesting.
Best travel tip: Stay hydrated.
xxx
Happy Sustainable Travels!
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