Traveler Tuesday – Katie of Traveling Spud
I hope you are enjoying the 2017 season of Traveler Tuesday because I love the bloggers that I'm interviewing. Each traveler is so different, shaped by their experiences and the journeys they take, it's fascinating!
Today I'm introducing you to another blogger I met in Indianapolis this past June at BlogHouse. Not only is Katie of Traveling Spud a world traveler, but she's an incredible ambassador for her home state of Idaho (hence the spud in her name!). She just wrote a great post about a girlfriend's weekend getaway to Sun Valley and I am chomping at the bit to visit!
She also lived in San Francisco for awhile and you know how I feel about that place…
Let’s meet travel blogger Katie!
[1] When and how did you become a traveler?
It all started when I studied abroad in London and realized how fascinating the world was outside of my little town in Idaho I grew up in. Then, after going to Ghana my senior year of college for a volunteer project, I was hit with the travel bug. Now I don’t feel complete unless I have a trip planned in my future!
[2] What kind of traveler do you define yourself as?
As of now, I define myself as a solo female backpacker who has been traveling on the road for 10 months straight and loves slow, budget, cultural and adventure travel. I travel slow to really enjoy a country before moving on. It’s also always interested me to find the best deals on flights, tours and accommodation and I enjoy saving up in certain areas so I can splurge in others.
[3] What do you love most about traveling?
The people you meet, the food you get the try, the different scenery and landscapes you get to experience!
[4] What do you dislike about traveling?
There’s not much I dislike about traveling, but I really wish there was better Mexican food in Europe and Asia (haha!). In all seriousness though, I really hate public toilets in almost every country except Japan.
[5] Why should people travel?
To learn more about themselves and other cultures. I’ve realized people really are inherently the same wherever you go, they just do things differently.
[6] What famous person would you like to travel with?
My celeb crush, Ryan Reynolds. 😉
[7] What won’t you travel without?
My apple charger phone case. It gives my phone 2 charges a day and this has saved my life a few times.
[8] Travel essentials – 3 things you always travel with.
Sony a6000 mirrorless camera – It’s the perfect size to fit in my small purse and the quality is killer!
Packing cubes – I don’t know how I would have made it 10 months without having cubes to organize the clothing and other items in my suitcase.
My quatro USB charger – This is perfect for charging multiple devices with a USB at once and also comes with international wall outlets so it can be used easily in every country!
[9] If you’re a foodie, what's your favorite food city? Do you have a restaurant recommendation?
My favorite food cities have got to be Kyoto, Japan and Rome, Italy! My favorite restaurant in Kyoto, Japan is a small Ramen restaurant in the Gion district called Okaru. My favorite restaurant in Rome was a recommendation from my friend who got the rec from a Catholic priest. It’s the best pasta I’ve ever had at Osteria Del Sostegno.
[10] What's one location on your bucket list?
South Africa!
[11] Do you have a piece of advice for bloggers starting out?
Stick with it! I didn’t see much growth at all my first year, but kept with it and things started to really take off after a year. Also, don’t be afraid to market yourself…it’s hard to not be humble, but sometimes you must be assertive to get what you want.
Katie's Lightning Round of Favorites
Airport: Taipei, Taiwan
Mode of Transportation: Plane
City or Country: City: Budapest | Country: Japan, Slovenia
Travel Gear: Osprey Sojourn backpack 60L
Travel snack: Beef Jerky (even though it smells) hee-hee.
Book: You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
Movie: Bridesmaids
Song: Dancing in the Moonlight- King Harvest
Thanks Katie!
You can keep up with Katie on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and of course on her blog. Wherever you catch her, I am sure you will enjoy her global adventures!
How about you? What would you like to know about Katie?
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That was a fun interview to read. Katie sounds like she’s a spunky girl who has been a lot of places. She’d be a blast to travel with.
I love how many times you’ve mentioned Japan. It’s the one place I have never been and would absolutely LOVE to go! Now I feel the need to do so more than ever! I really like that you’ve mentioned, “I’ve realized people really are inherently the same wherever you go, they just do things differently.” because it’s honestly true! Our cultures make us different, but we are mostly all the same.
Fellow Idaho small-town girl here! I did an exchange to Germany during high school and it was really eye opening for me as well! I wish I could travel more, but with 3 little ones right now is not my time (I’m excited that in a couple of years it will be, and we can give our kids all sorts of cool experiences!).
This is such a fun idea to interview other bloggers. I can’t wait to read some more of the interviews!
Wow!! What a life of traveling. I am like Katie, I feel off if we do not have a trip planned. Even if it is just a weekend trip that helps me feel great about life. Traveling is so much fun. Thanks for all of your answers. Fun to read these interviews.
I have not been able to travel much since having my triplets, but we are looking forward to traveling with them now that they are older. We have been a few places local, but we would like to travel somewhere far as a family. Your stories are quite inspirational!
So incredible that you’ve been traveling for 10 months straight. I think that traveling is so beneficial for learning and it seems like every trip you take is eye opening and so full of wonder! Good on you for being able to do it solo as well!
As a travel blogger myself, it’s always great to “e-meet” more fellow travel bloggers online! And this was surely a great way to get to know someone else. Much like her too, South Africa is also on my bucket list and I hope to get there soon!
All the best to us, Katie!
I love learning about other bloggers and their experiences, this is really interesting. I am especially interested in travel bloggers because I am getting more and more into traveling myself. I used to be afraid to travel and leave the comfort of my own home but now I enjoy going places and won’t let me my medical issues hold me back any longer. I recently traveled to Colorado and blogged about it, it was a fantastic experience and I hope to have more soon. Thanks for sharing these, I look forward to reading more!
Wow! She’s an amazing woman! Her blog is full of great tips and fantastic photos. A winner!!!
Such a great interview that you have here. And yes the photos are absolutely fantastic of all of the different places that she has been to. Ghana must have been an incredible adventure. And then to have a priest recommending Italian places, that has to be the coolest thing that I have heard.
I’ve been reading some of Katie’s posts on Traveling Posts, which I’ve loved, but it’s so nice to find out more about her. It’s always interesting to find out how someone was drawn into the world of full time travelers. So here’s to Katie! And I hope her dream trip to South Africa is in the cards for her soon.
this is very inspiring
Great interview! I love reading Katie’s blog. Her enthusiasm for exploring the world shines through.
Got a bug in Ghana… Sounds serious. I love the back story. Our daughter just turned 19 and we are trying to get her out into the world. I wonder what she would be like after spending 10 months of travel. I hope she discovers how amazing, diverse and generally accepting the world can be.
I love reading these comments! Thanks Andi for the opportunity and loving all the positivity here 🙂
So great to learn more about Katie! 🙂 I love seeing her solo adventures – they inspire me to get out more. Katie, I’m with ya on the hating public toilets thing — though I guess I finally got used to it after 6 weeks in China. I’m so curious to learn more about your time in Ghana — that sounds fascinating!!
Aw I’m glad her favourite airport is Taipei, Taiwan – so proud of my own country! I’m also trying to get more into slow, cultural travel – instead of counting countries, it is more important to connect more deeply with the places we travel to.
Katie is such an inspirational traveller! I love food in Japan too and I could totally imagine us hanging out in Japan together one day!
YAY for TPE as her fave airport! Im with Katie on Japan and Slovenia as the fave countries too. And those public toilets… especially the squatter ones.. yuck! I always carry a roll of TP with me when we go to less developed places haha
I need to upgrade to a mirrorless camera, and add Kyoto to my list asap! Also great advice for bloggers, sticking with it is half the battle. So inspiring to see females traveling the world and generally being awesome!
Love this feature! I totally agree with Katie – much prefer slow travel. You get to know a place in such a different and deeper way that way. I have the luxury of having good Mexican food since I’ve been traveling slowly through Mexico this year, but I would love to get to these other foodie cities she mentioned, especially Tokyo!
Oh, my! I have the travel bug, too! I can totally relate!!
Good to know more about you katie!