Jet-setter Jones

Massive thank you to Kate; a Canadian with a serious case of wanderlust who writes My Petite Adventures, for nominating me for the Leibster Award!

Also, an even bigger thank you for your kind words. I’m honoured:

“Blogger Beckie suffers from an anxiety disorder, but she’s not letting that stop her from exploring the world and checking things off her bucket list. Jet-setter Jones is an honest look at traveling – the good, the bad and everything in between. She writes to try and tackle the stigma surrounding mental health, and really is an inspiration to anyone who might think they can’t travel – for whatever reason.”

So, what is the Liebster Award? The Liebster Award is an online award given to new-ish bloggers by more established bloggers, or bloggers who’ve been nominated for the award. It’s a great way to discover new blogs and share a little online love and support. ❤

As with most things in life, there are a few rules and responsibilities that come with this great online honour:

1. Thank the person/blog who nominated you and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2. Display the award on your blog. This can be done by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a widget (note: the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog/post).
3. Answer the 10 questions about yourself that your nominating blogger chooses for you.
4. Nominate blogs that you feel deserve the award. These must be new bloggers (less than two years blogging) who have fewer than 1000 followers.
5. Create a list of questions for your nominated bloggers to answer.
6. List these rules in your post (feel free to cut & paste!)
7. Inform the blogs that you nominated that they have been awarded the award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

So without further ado, it’s time to answer those all important questions!

1. When did you start your blog and why?

Way back when in April 2015 (can’t believe it’s almost been a year!). I always knew I wanted to keep a travel blog, initially as a way for my friends and family back home to keep connected but also as a sort of diary for myself. When a few people started to tell me how brave I was for travelling solo with anxiety I started to think about all the people out there who maybe don’t do it due to their own mental health and the thought of someone missing out for those reasons upset me. I decided to write predominantly from this point of view. The point of view that it’s a struggle but I’m doing it anyway and you can too! If I’ve even inspired one person to do it through my writing then that’s good enough for me.

2. What is your favourite travel destination, and why?

The overnight stay on the lake at Khao Sok National Park is probably the best thing I’ve done so far but destination as a whole, Vietnam. It’s such a long country, transversing so many different climates, that the scenery is ever-changing; each town and city so different from the next. They also say that a place is made by the people you are with and I travelled the whole country with three friends who went from strangers to best friends in three short weeks. Siem Reap is also up there, as much for it’s ruins and trees as for the friendships made there.

3. And, your least favourite?

I’m not a fan of Bangkok or Phuket. Too busy, too touristy and all directed at partying. Don’t get me wrong, this can be really fun some of the time but when the culture of a place is completely gone too, then it’s just not my scene.

4. What is the best food you’ve eaten?

Massaman curry in Khao Sok, Thailand or the 100% vegan food at Hariharalaya Yoga Retreat in Siem Reap ❤

5. What is the best piece of blogging advice you’ve received?

Write regularly but don’t bombard your readers and use large good quality photographs to illustrate and compliment your words.

6. What are your favourite film, colour, and song?

Colour is easy: hands down, green every time. Film and song are wayyy too broad. If I HAD to choose a film it would probably be Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but that’s at a push. If we are talking genre then that’s much easier. I like dystopian fiction; the darker the better. Such as 28 Days Later, Fight Club, Lucky Number Slevin, Ex Machina, Children of Men to name a few. Shaun of the Dead also gets an honourary top spot because nothing is better than zombies and Simon Pegg. Apart from maybe dinosaurs. Alright, Jurassic Park is in there too (told you it was too hard). Song is totally dependent on my mood. My usual pickings are from the rock and metal genre but I can also be caught enjoying dubstep, ghetto funk, break beat or acoustic.

7. What is your proudest travel moment?

Probably getting on that plane in the first place. I very nearly didn’t. The six weeks leading up to my flight; finishing work, buying last minute essentials, organising hotels, money, travel cards etc. and having daily panic attacks at work, nearly sent me running for the hills. I wanted to cling to the beautiful familiarity and friends of home and the comfort and solace that goes with that but I forced myself to do it. Just one step at a time and I’ve never looked back. That’s probably the biggest and most challenging thing I’ve ever done and I’m proud of myself for that.

8. What blog post are you most proud of?

I like my first post,I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane, because it really gives an all encompassing feel for what this blog is about. I’m also proud of 9 Times the Fear Hit Me When Least Expected and How I Did It Anyway, for a frank look at anxiety on the road as well as Goodbye Cambodia, Good Morning Vietnam as that post tells you a lot about me; how quickly I fall in love with people and places and how my soul aches after I move on from them which is what makes solo travel both painful and great.

9. What piece of advice would you give to new/aspiring bloggers?

Write honestly and from the heart; it’s more engaging.

10. If you could have dinner with five people (alive or dead) who would they be?

First of all, great question!
1. Queen Victoria
2. Leonardo Da Vinci
3. Martin Luther King Jr.
4. Charles Darwin
5. Sir Stephen Hawking

11. BONUS: Where can people find you? (share your social media links)

http://www.instagram.com/jetsetter_jones
http://www.twitter.com/jetsetter_jones

MY NOMINATIONS ARE
Take the Leap Travel Lee is a solo traveller who has just left on his first long term solo mission. His blog is full of tips, hints and travel hacks and I’m often caught perusing it myself for logistical help with anything from VISAs to what to pack.

George for a Day George is a traveller who suffers with Crohn’s Disease and blogs about his trials and triumphs on the road from this perspective. He writes in a very personable, humerous and engaging way and it’s a pleasure whenever a new post pops up in my inbox from him.

Questions for my Nominees are :
1. What motivates you to travel?
2. What are your top 3 travel bucket list items?
3. What 3 words describe you best?
4. When did you start blogging and why?
5. Tell me 5 uncommonly known facts about you.
6. What do you miss most when you’re on the road?
7. What do you love most about where you live?
8. What is your favourite quote and why?
9. Knowing what you know now, what would you advise your 13 year old self?
10. What single quality do you most appreciate in people?