My Travel CV: Adventurous Kate

This week we have the great pleasure of talking with top travel blogger Adventurous Kate.  In 2010, Kate quit her job and gave up her life in Boston to travel the world. 2.5 years and 35 countries later, she’s still traveling and has no plans to stop.  Hear about her being shipwrecked, her best night-life destination,and some practical tips for female solo travelers, as well as her plans for the rest of this year.

Travel Blog

Adventurous Kate specializes in travel for independent women, including solo travel and adventure travel.

Twitter Name

@adventurouskate

Current Location

London, England

Birthplace

Massachusetts, USA

Profession

Full-time travel blogger. Former SEO/SEM manager.

Least favorite travel destination

Luang Prabang, Laos. I know people love it, but it felt like Lao Disneyland to me.

The Interview

What three tips would you offer a young woman, about to start out on her own world trip adventure?

1)People will give you advice, much of it designed to keep you safe. Take it with a grain of salt. Listen to people who have actually been to the destinations you plan to visit — and recently, not a decade ago.

2) Invest in a whistle, a doorstop, a padlock, and a portable safe. While nothing is 100% safe, these devices are really helpful to have and will help protect yourself and your belongings.

3) Forget fancy shoes, especially heels — they take up room in your bag and you’ll never wear them. Stick to sandals, even flip-flops, that can work with a dressier outfit.

What is your biggest vice?

Getting caught up in the rich world inside my head instead of interacting with the real world.

What is your worst travel experience?

I was shipwrecked off the coast of Komodo Island in Indonesia two years ago. Our boat hit a reef at 2:00 AM and the lifeboats weren’t working — we had to jump off and swim to shore. It was a terrifying experience, and to top it off, our crew robbed us as the boat was going down.

We know you like to party, so which destination has offered you the best nightlife experience?

Oh, god — I swear to you I’ve mellowed with age! I actually very rarely party any more. But as far as nightlife goes, you can’t beat Las Vegas. The clubs are mind-blowingly impressive, and everyone’s in a fantastic mood.

Could an aspiring blogger make a living by quitting their job and creating a new travel blog?

It’s possible, but it’s extremely difficult to do so. It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort before you’ll see any money from your blog, so don’t even think of quitting your job to blog full-time! Focus on building a quality blog and using it as a platform in the future.

Is there anything that you can’t travel without, or something you take on journeys to make a trip easier?

I couldn’t live without my iPhone, and I even use it as my primary camera. One thing I’m enjoying lately is the TripAdvisor City Guides app — it shows you where you are on the map even without internet access, and it provides you with lots of tips for nearby restaurants and attractions.

Is there anywhere you’d advise a woman, traveling by herself, not to visit?

Probably Syria at the moment. Or Somalia. But that’s about it.

Please share with us one highlight from your global travels?

Going on safari in South Africa was deeply moving. It was an incredible experience to see such majestic animals in their natural habitat in the wild — and seeing a rare cheetah feasting on its latest kill as vultures circled ahead, planning to attack the carcass, was nothing short of heart-stopping.

Are you in love?

Very much so. 🙂

Tell us one place on the planet you really want to visit?

Japan. I want to dive into it all — sushi, sumo, geishas, bullet trains, cherry blossoms, onsen, anime, J-pop! I’ll be visiting Japan later this year for the first time ever and I’m incredibly excited.

Any travel plans for the rest of this year?

My boyfriend and I will be traveling the world together for one year starting the first week of June. It’s an odyssey that will carry us from Europe to the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and North America — it’s going to be hugely exciting!

Thanks Kate for a great interview, we thoroughly enjoyed reading and sharing your travel experiences.   We especially look forward to following your trip when you start your couples travel adventure.  As always a great resource for those looking for tips and advice about travel and blogging.

Tags: my travel cv, travel, travel blogging