Traveler Tuesday – Mikaela of Voyageur Tripper

Mikaela, like me, has a full-time corporate job but seeks out adventure whenever she can.  I love this mission on her blog, Voyageur Tripper's About page:

So if you’re trying to get outside more or just interested in what exactly goes into a whitewater canoe trip or Arctic base camp, read on. Adventure and wilderness really are accessible to everyone, it just takes a little work to find it.

I love her attitude!

Let’s meet Mikaela!

[1] When and how did you become a traveler?
I don’t think there was an exact moment that I became a traveler. During my final summers before university, I worked at camp, so while this wasn’t exactly traveling, it got me used to be away from my family and in the outdoors for long stretches of time. Eventually, summers at camp evolved into summers of wilderness guiding with periods of international travel. Last year, I spent 8 months in Oceania and Asia and I consider this to be the point where traveling changed from an activity to a desired lifestyle.

At this point, I don’t know if I can necessarily call myself a “traveler”. I currently have a full-time corporate job, which I’ll continue to do until I figure out what it is I want to do next. However even that job has me on a flight twice a week, so maybe I am still a traveler after all!

[2] What kind of traveler do you define yourself as?
First and foremost, I am an Outdoor Adventure traveler. In the past, I’ve done month-long canoe trips in Canada, whitewater rafting in Costa Rica, kayaking on the Arctic Ocean… anything active and outside. However, I am trying to incorporate a little more relaxation into my trips, so while you’ll never find me at a beach resort or on a cruise ship, I’d love to spend time chilling in a surf town in Australia or slowing making my way through southern Europe. I’d also say I’m a slow traveler. I like to take my time exploring. I especially like it if I can live somewhere for a period of time before moving on to the next location. I tried the classic backpacking/city hopping a few times and found it wasn’t for me.

[3] Which country do you come from/call home?
Canada is and always will be home to me. The country has so much more to offer than many travelers give it credit. I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing almost every province and territory and there’s still so much more I want to see and do.

[4] What do you crave from home when you are traveling?
It really depends on the type of trip I’m doing. If I am on a backpacking-style trip, after a while I start to crave my own room where I can leave without locking up my things. When I’m in the wilderness, I crave fresh fruit and good coffee. I often miss my family and friends, and I still bring physical photos of them with me wherever I go.

[5] Tell us about your blog
Voyageur Tripper is a blog dedicated to Outdoor Adventure, with a special focus on camping in Canada and off-the-beaten-path destinations in New Zealand. I want to give readers the knowledge they need to get out hiking or take their first canoe trip, buy a tent or incorporate a little more outdoor adventure into their already busy lives. Oh, and I love writing about all the mistakes and misadventures I’ve experienced in my traveling – I think those are the most entertaining posts and help people feel better about their own mistakes or challenges.

[6] What do you love most about traveling?
I love spending a prolonged amount of time in a place I’m not familiar with and I love any opportunity to get outside. When I’m doing outdoor adventure travel, I love being fully immersed in a new environment. When I’m living somewhere new, I like adapting my daily routine to match the place I’m currently in. It’s amazing how something as basic as getting groceries or going to a café is a completely new experience when you’re traveling.

[7] What do you dislike about traveling?
Living out of a backpack and constantly being on the move (hence why I don’t really backpack anymore). I also dislike that I still get occasional anxiety when I’m traveling alone, but I don’t see that going away anytime soon so it’s something I’ve learned to live with.

[8] How do you prepare for a trip?
Lots and lots of online research. I also tend to book transportation and accommodation ahead of time, so that’s included in my preparation.

[9] You have won the lottery, now tell us where you want to live.
My dream is to have homes in both New Zealand and Canada. I would spend November through March on the South Island of New Zealand (summer) and June through October in northern Canada (also summer). Maybe in April and May, I’ll take an international trip somewhere. This way, I can essentially rid myself of winter and still spend time in my two favourite countries!

[10] Travel essentials – 3 things you always travel with.

· Comfortable shoes (either running shoes or Blundstones)

· Personal drug store (I carry meds for anything from stomach problems to headaches to coughs and colds, plus melatonin)

· Camera and/or journal

[11] What is your favorite article of clothing?
Right now it’s my bright orange, super puffy Arc’teryx down jacket. But generally, I have this pair of On the Fly Lululemon pants which is the most versatile piece of clothing I’ve ever owned. They look nice enough that I can wear them to work as comfortable business casual pants, but they’re stretchy enough that I can wear them to the gym or on a hike. They are my go-to travel pants (and especially good for airplanes).

[12] Your single most treasured personal possession.
I can’t actually think of one. I have a lot of possessions that are important to me, either because of utility or sentimental reasons, but at the end of the day, they’re still just things.

[13] Do you have a piece of advice for bloggers starting out?
There is so much to potentially focus on – content, social media, SEO, DA, page rank, affiliates – it’s easy to get overwhelmed. My first piece of advice is to focus on the content and be patient with traffic. Some established bloggers have told me they didn’t start seeing regular traffic until their second or third year of blogging. Create blog posts you love and include keywords/SEO only if it makes sense.

My second piece of advice is to prioritize Pinterest over Instagram. Create beautiful pins with good keywords and you will drive ongoing traffic to your blog. Instagram is so competitive and constantly changing – it’s a great way to connect with your audience, but not great to build your audience.

[14] What are three other blogs that inspire you?

Young Adventuress – Liz has this natural ability for inserting her personality into any topic she writes about.

The Travel Hack – While Monica and I have completely different travel styles, it was her course that introduced me to blogging and I still think of her as this blogging guardian angel watching over me.

Explore the Backcountry – This one is more of a Vlog, but I aspire to create trip videos the way Brad does. All of his filming is done in total wilderness and I find it so impressive.

[15] Your favorite travel resource on the web?
Honestly, Google Earth. It is especially useful for finding places off-the-beaten-path. I’ll find an area, town or park with a name I don’t recognize and then search it on Google to see if it’s a place that would be worth a visit. It’s especially helpful when you’re already in a specific area and looking for destinations in your vicinity.

Mikaela's Lightning Round of Favorites

Airport: Toronto Pearson (only because I’ve spent so much time there that I know the layout and short cuts and food spots really well)

Mode of Transportation: Canoe (also I like Trains)

Window or aisle: My heart says window, but considering I always have to pee, I usually choose aisle.

City: Vancouver or Copenhagen

Country: Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland

Travel Gear: Carabiners – the most useful thing you’ll add to your packing list

Travel Snack: The chocolate covered Acai berries you find in the airport

Book: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Movie: I’m not much of a movie or TV watcher, but I am a sucker for Game of Thrones

Song: What You’re Thinking by Passenger

Quote: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives” – Annie Dillard

Thanks, Mikaela!

You can keep up with Mikaela on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and of course on her blog. Wherever you catch her, I am sure you will enjoy her adventures!

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