Interviews Archive
Gone Backpacking: Interview with Dave Lee
Dave Lee is the blogger behind Go Backpacking, a website encouraging people to do exactly that. Since late 2007, he has taken his own advice and set out on a 'round the world backpacking trip, which has so far taken him through New Zealand, the Pacific, Australia and Indonesia.
In this interview with TravelBlogs, Dave talks about why he believes it's important for people to travel, as well as some of the highlights of his trip so far.
An Illustrator’s Travel Blog: Interview with Mike Smith
Since TravelBlogs launched in September last year, I've had the opportunity to discover many great travel blogs. Without fail, the bloggers behind these blogs have one key characteristic: they are all excellent storytellers.
Mike Smith is up there with the best, but his approach is unusual. A graphic designer and illustrator by trade, Mike decided the best way for him to share his travel tales was by doing what he does best: drawing. His blog, Blogshank, features illustrations he drew while travelling with his girlfriend from London to Singapore and through to New Zealand late last year.
In this interview with TravelBlogs, Mike shares why he decided to blog through illustrations and what the advantages and disadvantages of this approach are. He also tells us more about travelling overland through Europe, Asia and New Zealand.
Semester Abroad in Mongolia: Interview with Evan Buxbaum
Mongolia isn't the first place that comes to mind for most students thinking about studying overseas for a semester. But for Evan Buxbaum, Mongolia was exactly the kind of place he wanted to spend his semester in 2004.
In the years since his time in Mongolia, Evan has finished university, travelled around the world on his own, and finally returned home to New York, where he works as a writer, actor and director.
TravelBlogs caught up with Evan to hear more about his experiences in Mongolia and the rest of the world.
A Reason to Wander: Interview with Sloan and Amy
In 2006, Sloan and Amy decided to leave the comfort of home and embark on a year-long round the world trip that took them through Asia, Europe and Central America, before they eventually arrived back in the United States in late 2007. Along the way, they shared stories and photographs from their trip on their blog, Reason to Wander.
TravelBlogs caught up with Sloan and Amy to find out why they decided to make this journey, what they learned along the way, and what advice they could offer other people considering leaving home to travel the world.
Notes from the Road: Interview with Erik Gauger
Notes from the Road is a recent addition to TravelBlogs, but it's been around since 1999. The site combines Erik Gauger's stunning photography - shot on a traditional large-format film camera - with his engaging stories about ordinary places.
These days, the site is attracting quite a bit of attention, thanks in part to Erik's detailed coverage of a small Caribbean island's struggle with an American golf course developer.
TravelBlogs caught up with Erik to talk more about travel, photography and the Guana Cay conflict.
Travel and Writing: Interview with Lauren Carter
If interviews on TravelBlogs are anything to go by, it seems that a love for travel is often accompanied by a love for writing. Julie Schwietert, Randall Wood and Scott McNeely are three examples of travellers who love to write about the places they visit.
Lauren Carter is another one to add to the list. She's a professional travel writer living in Canada with her husband. TravelBlogs caught up with her to talk a bit more about her love for travel and writing - and also to see if she had any tips for aspiring travel writers.
Cultural Immersion: Interview with Julie Schwieter Collazo
Like many travellers, Julie Schwieter Collazo loves to immerse herself in foreign cultures - by reading more about the places she's visiting, learning the language, and by meeting the locals. The opportunity to see - and experience - another culture first-hand is one of the main inspirations behind her travels.
Originally from the southern United States, Julie lives back and forth between New York and Mexico City with her husband, Francisco. Until recently, they also lived in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
TravelBlogs caught up with her to talk more about her experiences living in foreign cultures.
The Perpetual Wanderer: Interview with Craig Heimburger
In 2005, Craig Heimburger left his native United States behind to become a "perpetual wanderer". Now on the road for over two years, he has visited over 40 countries in the Americas and Southeast Asia.
He is currently living in Lima, Peru, where his girlfriend, Tatiana, is expecting their first child in the near future.
TravelBlogs caught up with him to talk about leaving the United States, travelling with a pregnant woman in Southeast Asia, and cross-cultural experiences in Peru.
Flightless Round the World: Interview with Ed Gillespie
Ed and Fiona are a couple from the United Kingdom on a year-long trip around the world, with one major twist: they're doing it flightless. Passing up the convenience of flying, they're travelling by bus, train, cargo ship, bicycle, or any other flightless mode of transport.
They're avoiding air travel to keep their environmental footprint to a minimum, but also because they relish the journey. Rather than jetting miles above the earth's crust, they prefer travelling slower, savouring the cultures and landscapes they encounter along the way.
Fearless Independent Travel: Interview with Travel Betty
Travel Betty is a San Francisco-based copywriter with a desire to encourage women to tackle the world of independent travel with boldness.
Her most recent trip was to Bali, a trip she won't soon forget. Besides enjoying a pampering at the local Balinese spas, she also married her boyfriend, aptly nicknamed Travel Boyfriend
Now back in the United States with her newlywed husband, she was happy to talk with TravelBlogs about independent travel and, of course, getting married in Bali.
