Each month we feature an interview with a member of the Superstar Blogging community. These interviews highlight the ups and downs faced on the road to success, illuminating helpful tips and tricks along the way. If you want to get inspired to succeed, then consider these interviews must-read material! This week we are featuring Ed from The Edventures!
Tell us about yourself, Ed!
My name is Ed, I am from England although I live in Dubai in the UAE. I recently quit my teaching job to spend a year travelling.
I spent the first 4 months on a self-created challenge to get from London to Brisbane without using a plane. The journey was an amazing experience and really taught me how big the world is, as well as taking me well off the beaten track on many occasions. I am now travelling in New Zealand before moving onto South America — although I have now allowed myself the luxury of plane travel!
How did you get started traveling?
My Dad and my Granddad before him both had a big passion for travel and adventure which has most definitely rubbed off on me. I loved going off and exploring on family holidays when I was younger and went on my first big trip after university when I backpacked for 8 months. After that, I certainly had ‘the travel bug’ and since then I have used all my holidays from teaching to try and visit different parts of the world.
What are some of your favourite places you’ve been to?
I have visited 54 countries to date, although I love revisiting places that I particularly love such as Vietnam and Thailand — I love the culture, weather and food — and of course how your money stretches so much further than the rest of the world! I also loved travelling China on my current trip — it seems to have it all: fascinating landscapes, cities, people and food!
However, my favourite place has always been the Isles of Scilly just off the English coast. A real hidden gem. Do a Google image search of the islands and you won’t believe it’s the UK — and it really does look like that!
I also like the travel within the countries I visit, outside of the major cities, which is why I decided to do my recent trip overland. It gives you an amazing insight into the ‘real’ country and it’s people rather than just flying in and out of major hubs.
Tell us about your overland journey. How did that come about?
I love documentaries and books by overland explorers like Michael Palin and Charley Boorman, and always wanted to give one a go myself. As well as travel, I love cricket and there was a big game happening in November between Australia and England that I wanted to go and watch. So, the idea was to combine them both! I left from a cricket stadium in London in July and set myself the challenge of reaching the stadium in Brisbane in time for the start of the match some four months later. I got there with 2 days to spare!
The journey certainly had some adventures within it! I rode the Trans Mongolian Railway, I was stranded overnight on an Austrian mountain, was held for ransom in Vietnam, and I was even tricked into eating a pig’s genitals in China!
Needless to say, there were some interesting moments along the way: Bus journeys that lasted over 24 hours, break downs, sharing sleeper cabins with over 60 people, some bug-infested ferries, and even a solo 5-day 3,500km drive through the Australian outback
Overall, I feel that I have learnt that you can always rise through uncertainty and adversities and often there is always a way if you are willing to find it. There were a few instances where I almost had to give up and take a flight but, somehow, I found a way —often just in time.
Let’s talk about your blog. How long have you been blogging?
I have only been blogging around 8 months now having set up my site to initially document my overland challenge.
However, even though I’m done with the challenge I want to maintain it to help record my travels and hopefully inspire others to undertake challenge-based travel. I used this trip to populate the blog and collect experiences that I feel people want to hear about. That will then help me grow the blog when I am back home and have more time to promote the business side of it.
What struggles have you had during your blogging career? How have you overcome them?
The main issue for me is maintaining the site. With travelling full time, it’s hard to produce content regularly. Not for lack of content or stories, but to get them written, edited, uploaded, etc. I had the aim of blogging twice a week but it has been more like once a week, and recently less than that.
It’s also hard to innovate, to freshen up your blog, for those same reasons.
Although my travels have been busy I try to set one admin day a week when I will write, edit and amend the site. I’m lucky to have some good friends who help with the editing for me who have been amazing.
What goals have you set for yourself this year, when it comes to blogging? How do you plan on reaching them?
As I mentioned, I have many tails from my travels that have yet to be told, so to get those out on my blog is something I slowly want to do over the coming months. However, I am very keen to turn the whole trip into a book — mainly for me initially as a record of what has been an amazing trip, but it would be great to offer it also on my blog and something that hopefully others can enjoy!
I want to become a little more interactive and perhaps get some video content, although my experience in this field is low. I also have my first guest blog on my site upcoming and I would also like to develop collaborations with other blogs.
Finally, I want to work towards setting up the blog ready for when I eventually return to work, and hopefully how I can integrate the two together. I have some good ideas, but more on that hopefully next year!
What do you enjoy the most about blogging?
I really enjoy getting feedback from my blog posts. It is amazing to hear from people who have read your work and enjoyed it. I have my blog for myself, but it’s great when others gain from it also and enjoy what you have written.
It’s also nice to connect with other bloggers, and read their stories and share experiences both within the travel and blogging world.
What is one thing you wish you knew before you started blogging?
The time it takes to create and maintain it. It wouldn’t have put me off but it may have given me a better perspective on a timescale for growing the blog, and how best to manage it whilst away and travelling
Why do you keep blogging?
Not only is it a way to keep a permanent record of my travels, but also I like to feel I am helping others. I have read many blogs on the tougher parts of my overland trip which have helped me, but often the paths have clearly not been trodden much so an updated version of my story on those trips I know will provide another explorer with inspiration in the future.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
1) Whats your favorite meal that you’ve had abroad?
Beijing Duck in China can’t be beaten, I lost count of how many times I ate it!!
2) Best hostel/accommodation you’ve stayed at?
Reset Hostel in Krabi, Thailand. You do just that: reset! Great place to relax, meet good friends, and its right by the beach. It has an amazing host who will give you all the mothering you may need, and the place is spotless!
3) What are your top 3 travel websites?
- www.seat61.com I found the Man in Seat 61 an amazing help for train (and some bus) travel for almost any location. It gives so much information on prices, where to book, the difference in the types of tickets and all sorts of other information.
- www.rome2rio.com is another really good resource to see how you can get from A to B. It quickly gives you all the available options of travel and how to book whether it be boat, bus, train, plan or car.
- www.nomadicmatt.com Being on a backpacker’s budget I often found myself on Matt’s blog checking out local guides or travel hacks. Even when I googled my queries I was often directed to the blog anyway!
Last question: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a fellow blogger?
Be yourself! In my early pieces, I found myself trying to imitate other bloggers as I knew that were popular. When I read back on my work now, I don’t like it. I write in my own style now, and the feedback I have received is much better. Plus, why try and be in direct competition with really successful blogs when you can cut out your own style?
And a second piece of advice (although I know it said only one!) is to contact other people and see if they will promote you. I wrote to loads of newspapers about my trip, one then featured me in a national article which was then picked up by the BBC and I was interviewed on national radio through the original article. I did this again once I made it to Australia, and one local newspaper article then lead to national newspapers, podcasts and TV appearances! Obviously, I had a unique aspect of my trip but if you can find one of your own and then pitch to the relevant people it can be a great boost of publicity.
Thanks so much, Ed! Where we can find you on social media?
My blog is www.theedventures.com and I am on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!