Traveler Tuesday – Nienke of The Travel Tester

I discovered Nienke while reading posts in a Facebook group. She was looking for people to participate in her interview series on her blog The Travel Tester. I thought the premise behind her series was fun, so I raised my hand to submit a post, which should be appearing sometime in the near future. I then asked Nienke if she would participate in my Traveler Tuesday series as I am new to reading her blog and want to get to know her better!

Now you and I can get to know her together!

[1] When and how did you become a traveler?

I've travelled for as long as I can remember. My granddad wrote travel guides and my dad travelled a lot for his work as an archaeologist, so I got the travel bug early on. We used to camp all over Europe when I was little, I took a couple of trips with friends in High School and I went on my first oversees solo-adventure when I was 23, to Japan and Australia. Since then, I've explored Asia and Oceania a bit more and lived in Sydney as an expat for 2 years. I'll probably never stop travelling!

[2] What is travel to you in 10 words or less?

Travel is my life.

[3] What is your favorite mode of transportation and why?

I always enjoy bus rides. I cannot read or write or do anything really and it forces me to just sit back, relax, get to know the people around me and look at the beautiful views outside.

[4] What do you typically do while traveling by plane?

I try to watch as many movies as my tired eyes let me and I always carry my notebook to jot down any new stories and blog ideas. I love to read, but I never seem to get to it on a plane. I also like to wander around when everyone sleeps, as that is usually the moment they bring out the secret sandwiches, chocolates and crisps.

[5] What is your favorite travel memory involving food?

I love trying new food when I travel. When I lived in Fiji we grew our own fruit, such as mangoes, and learned spear fishing to catch our own fish for dinner; I tried emu, kangaroo and camel meat in Australia and ‘Hangi' in New Zealand; I remember the barbecue ribs in a hut on the beach when I lived on St. Martin as a kid; loved the ‘Cataplana' in Portugal, at a family's home in Japan I got spoiled with tea and home baked goods in a traditional Japanese room with mats on the floor and rice paper sliding doors… I could go on forever. Food really makes me remember a trip so much better.

[6] What is one blogging tip or lesson that you have learned along the way that you can share with my readers?

I've dreamed and thought about my blog for over 8 months before actually hitting the publish button for the first time. It's scary,  but once you've made the step, the fun really starts. Don't think your blog has to be perfect before you start publishing, you will learn much more along the way, and that is perfectly fine!

[7] Where to next?

My boyfriend and I just came back from Sydney to live in Amsterdam for a while. At the moment we're taking it a bit slow. We're looking for jobs, but don't really have a solid plan yet. We'll always stay open for new adventures and will definitely travel again as soon as possible. I'd love to visit the USA, South Africa, China… Anywhere, really, there is still so much I haven't seen!

Thanks Nienke!

You can catch more of Nienke on her blog or Facebook page and check out her chatter on Twitter.  She's also on Pinterest and Instagram. Wherever you catch her, I am sure you will enjoy her adventures!