Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award

Sisterhood of the World..I love the sound of that. Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award is aimed at bloggers who are passionate about traveling. Jessica of the fascinating travel blog, Wondermentary surprised me with this nomination. I am captivated by her photographs and travel stories. Check her posts and be prepared to be smitten by her travels in Europe.  Thanks Jessica for inviting me to be a part of this.  

1. What is the story behind your blog?
I started blogging in 2011 when I was living in Dubai as an expat. I was unhappy in a sales job to the point of crying before leaving the house every morning. The perks of that sales job however were the enormous amount of travels and air miles. Still, I wasn't happy because I felt, I was in a wrong career and at a wrong place. Traveling filled that void while I searched for meaning and purpose in my life trying to find my calling. The drive to visit different countries was to find where my 'home' is, apart from the wanderlust that struck me as early as 4 years old, only to realise that this search for home at a very young age was a result of an unhappy childhood and my travels helped me confront that. Blogging and writing helped me immensely at this time and traveling gave me all of the answers I was desperately searching for. 



2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
France. In the French countryside. Four-season weather, high cost of living and bureaucratic procedures aside, after countless visits and living here for 5 months, I can see myself happy here in France.  Backyard gardening, cycling, lots of nature walks, coffee at the terrace, and apĂ©ro.  This was the first country I felt the feeling of 'home'.

3. What is the best piece of travel advice you’ve received?
As cliche as it may sound, "Pack light," was the first great advice I got from my adventurous husband. Minimalist travel. This transcended the way we view and live life nowadays, since we sold almost everything we owned and retained only what is necessary when we quit Dubai.  I only have 1 suitcase for 1 year of nomadic life. 

Less is more. Everything I needed in a hand luggage for 4 days in Prague

4. Where was the best meal you ever had?
A five-course meal at Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire in InterContinental Hotel in Dubai. The last luxurious dinner I had before quitting the corporate life. 

5. What is your most memorable vacation/trip?
Peru and Bolivia in 2008 with my husband and father-in-law.  It was memorable because it was my roughest backpacking experience. We stayed in buses most nights instead of hostels to cross the country and I'll never forget the night when I couldn't control my bladder and did my business in a bottle inside a moving bus at 3am while the rest of the passengers were sleeping. Haha, don't ask me how I did it. There were no stopovers because we were in the middle of the salt desert and no toilet in the bus either. 

6. What is the one thing you can’t live without when you travel?
International adapter and umbrella. 

7. Is there one souvenir that you always get from your travels?
Experiences and photographs.  I used to collect ref magnets from each country I went to. I realized how prettier my fridge was without them so I stopped collecting any type of souvenirs since then.  

8. Who’s your go-to travel buddy, or do you prefer solo travel?
It depends on the destination. If it's a nature trip in Cambodia or Seychelles for example, my husband is my go-to-travel buddy.  If it's about art, history and culture, I prefer doing it solo. I will save him from yawning when I watch a classical concert or opera. 


Big Red Dunes in Dubai

9.Are you a spontaneous traveler, or do you have everything planned out for your trips?
I am a spontaneous traveler judging from the majority of travels. 

What we do have are our dates of entry and exit from the country and an idea which places we want to see. My husband and I usually book the hotel only for the first night/day of arrival. We roughly have the number of days we want to spend within a town or city and these can always change.  The rest we do it along the way. I do have a spreadsheet for travel costs based on the number of days upon our research, which helps us in keeping track of our budget. 

10.Where are you traveling to next?
I just arrived last night from Prague. I have 2 to 3 weeks more in France and then we will be in Manila in September. 

So there you have it. It's time for me to nominate the travel bloggers whose blogs I enjoy reading for a long time now:

Marge of Coffeehan
Stephanie of Sartorial Diner
Pam of Glimpses of Pam
Ashley of Have Ashley, Will Travel

Can't wait to read your responses to this.

1. What is the story behind your blog?
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
3. What is the best piece of travel advice you've received?
4. Where was the best meal you ever had?
5. What is your most memorable vacation/trip?
6. What is one thing you can't live without when you travel?
7. Is there one souvenir that you always get from your travels?
8. Who's your go-to travel buddy, or do you prefer solo travel?
9. Are you a spontaneous traveler, or do you have everything planned out for your trips?
10. Where are you traveling to next?


Anyone who wants to share their answers, I would be very happy to hear if you'll participate. You can comment your answers below too.


Wish you all a happy week!
Love & light,
Arni

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14 comments

  1. I found your answers fascinating, especially the one of why you started this blog. Thanks for participating!

    http://blog.jessicapei.com/

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    1. With pleasure, I had a great time writing this post:). Thank you once again Jessica for the nom.

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  2. Thanks for the nomination! That's a nice surprise to wake up to :)

    Great story about the night bus in Peru, I don't think I could've gone sleeping in buses for several nights and not peeing. Life in the French countryside sounds just great the way you tell it.

    I also prefer to go solo when it comes to cultural attractions - my boyfriend doesn't have a deep appreciation for art so he usually gets to rest while I go to some exhibition. Or whenever I'm going to take a hundred photos of the place.

    You look so pretty on your new photo on the side, lovely! xx

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    1. Oh, thank you. :) I think it's a guy thing. :) There's this man sitting next to me with his girlfriend at the theatre during the opera and he had his hands on his forehead and he kept yawning and groaning while his girlfriend was enjoying the show.

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  3. you visited so many magnificent parts of the world! Not many people have the fortune of visiting Southern America and Middle East too

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    1. I am extremely grateful to God for the opportunity to see these places. I hope someday I'll be able to give back to the community and that's my dream.

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  4. I agree. The French countryside is the best! We "lived" there for 3 weeks last summer with our three children and everyone in the family ADORED it. We were in Normandy - the perfect location for lots of history and culture.
    Congrats on your blog award!
    XOXO Bronwyn
    www.queenbcreativeme.blogspot.com

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    1. I can see why they enjoyed it very much. I visited Normandy in 2010 while on a road trip and the landscape is just gorgeous. What I love about France is that every village has something beautiful to offer. The people in the countryside are generally very friendly too.

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  5. Congratulations on your blog award. You definitely deserved the nomination! France is a beautiful place. I can certainly understand why you could consider that home. I'm amazed by how light you travel. I don't think I could ever get away with such minimal clothes and cosmetics!

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    1. Thanks Sherry. Haha, I think the most difficult to trim down for me are toiletries and cosmetics. It took many years to be able to downsize them. I usually use a lot of freebie samples from perfume to lotion to be able to shrink everything to this size.

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  6. I am SO honored you chose me for this, and I absolutely love the title. We are a sisterhood! I truly loved and enjoyed your answers, as I have your blog. I can't wait to work on mine. :)

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    1. HI Ashley, I'm excited to read your responses to these questions. :)

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  7. Very cool award! Love the name! Enjoy your time before heading to Manila! It's almost September soon! Wow!

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    1. It's crazy how time flies. Summer's about to end.

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