Traveler Tuesday – Karen of World Wide Writer
I totally geek out on history, love historical fiction, documentary series and visiting locations steeped in history. I'm always curious about the history of things. Turns out, I'm not alone! Karen of World Wide Writer is a history buff as well. In Karen's case, the more obscure the better. Not only is she a reviews editor for the Historical Novel Society (how cool is that?!) but she has also written a book about one of my favorite travelers, Marco Polo called Shadow of the Dome.
Let’s meet Karen!
[1] When and how did you become a traveler?
always dreamt of travelling when I was young, and I turned it into reality as soon as I left school. My first trip was a holiday job in Scotland (about as far as I could go without actually leaving the country), then I went to visit a friend who lived in Gibraltar. When I had a full time job I had to pack travel into vacation time but now I travel as often as possible!
[2] What kind of traveler do you define yourself as?
I’m an independent traveller – I prefer to organise my own travel and activities. And I try to avoid major tourist sights. It’s much more fun to discover local curiosities or places that aren’t so well known.
[3] What do you love most about traveling?
Everything! Food, history, architecture, countryside… But mostly it’s just about discovering new things.
[4] What do you dislike about traveling?
All the hassle of actually getting to a place. I loathe waiting around at airports and flying is a bit boring unless you’ve got a good view from the window. I much prefer to travel overland if possible.
[5] Why should people travel?
Exploring different cultures exposes you to different viewpoints and ways of doing things. If you travel with an open mind you’ll come home with loads of new ideas.
[6] What famous person would you like to travel with?
Dervla Murphy (the amazing Irish travel writer)
[7] Travel essentials – 3 things you always travel with.
Camera, iPhone, Kindle.
[8] If you’re a foodie, what's your favorite food city?
Do you have a restaurant recommendation? London. There’s an enormous variety, from pubs to street food to top class restaurants, and you can find just about any cuisine you want.
[9] What's one location on your bucket list?
I haven’t been anywhere in Central America, so probably Costa Rica.
[10] Do you have a piece of advice for bloggers starting out?
See what other people are doing. Read other travel blogs and join blogger Facebook groups – network and learn as much as possible.
Karen's Lightning Round of Favorites
Mode of Transportation: Train
City or Country: Italy
Travel Gear: Cagoule (for wet weather)
Travel snack: Any street food that I can find
Book: Shadow of the Dome (this is a shameless plug for my own novel!)
Movie: Gone with the Wind (MWA: I love GWTW too!)
Song: Me and Bobby McGee
Thanks Karen!
You can keep up with Karen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and of course on her blog. Wherever you catch her, I am sure you will enjoy her travel adventures!
How about you? What would you like to know about Karen?
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I am an independent traveler too. I am totally jealous that her first trip was a holiday job in Scotland!
I love discovering local spots away from the touristy areas too. And after this I will definitely google what a cagoule is! LOL!
Looks like some fun adventures! I would love to visit these places and I too enjoy taking the train whenever possible
I’d love to know if Karen has any recommendations for travelling Italy by train, I’m thinking about doing that this summer and would love some recommendations!
Hi Nellwyn, travelling by train in Italy is easy and not too expensive. You can buy your tickets in advance or at the station before you go (there are machines at the stations). The most important thing to know is that you MUST validate your ticket before you get on the train (there are yellow machines on the platforms for doing this) – if you don’t you are likely to be fined.
I agree with the hassle of getting somewhere. We often travel as a family, so it’s the hardest part for me. The kids love it, but I guess I worry.
The food and the history are part of my favorite components of travel also. You learn so much when you explore.
I hope to travel more and experience new foods and sights. This is a lovely post, I personally love the added tips here of traveling. I am so clueless as I haven’t left my local area of New England, need to get out more!
I am all about traveling as much as possible this year! Karen’s travels are so impressive, I am loving these inspiring photos!
The places she travels to are awesome! I have been places but not many since having kids 🙂
It was lovely reading about Karen! I’ve always wanted to travel around the world. I think going by train would be my favorite way to go around too!
always dream of travelling when I was young, and I turned it into reality as soon as I left school. My first trip was a holiday job in Scotland