Each week 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 Nicole from the travel blog Wandering with a Dromomaniac.
Hi Nicole! Tell us about yourself!
Hello, my name is Nicole! I am a Canadian living in the US and I work as a veterinarian. I prefer to spend most of my time in nature, so my travels are centered around searching for new experiences and enjoying the natural things this world has to offer – while also finding ways to give back. I really want to inspire others to go out there and experience new cultures and places and develop an understanding of this world so that we may find a more peaceful existence.
And how did you get started traveling?
I have always had a love for nature and the outdoors and a curiosity for other cultures but it was my first overseas trip to Italy that officially hooked me on travel. It was number one on my bucket list at the time because of the extensive history in cities such as Rome. From that point on, all I wanted to do was explore the rest of the world in different ways, whether through hiking, sightseeing, volunteering, or some other method. I didn’t want to just be a tourist, I wanted to be a part of something bigger than me.
What are some of your favourite places you’ve been to?
My favourite places are all very different from each other and particularly memorable for very different reasons. I feel like an infant in the travel world because my love of travel and what I hope to gain from that travel is continuously evolving. It started with wanting to visit places steeped in history and a desire to learn about other cultures. Now I also want to climb mountains, do long thru-hikes, and volunteer around the world to connect with places on a deeper level. Each of the experiences below have shaped my travel style in different ways.
- Mount Katahdin, Maine: This was my first big hike. I had so many people tell me I would never make it to the top of Mount Katahdin’s 5,267 feet…that I was too much of a princess. But I am the type of person that if you tell me I cannot do something I will go out and prove you wrong. It was the most challenging hike of my life. We started early, leaving before the sun came up, and after the first hour I wasn’t sure if I was going to summit that mountain. But I did it, I made it to the top and it was the most beautiful sight, and it kindled the wanderer in me to start my journey toward other challenging hikes and summiting more mountains.
- Rome, Italy: Rome was at the top of my bucket list early on. I am a history nerd and this ancient city played such a pivotal role in European history and influenced so much that I totally geeked out when I arrived. The moment I stepped out of the subway and saw the Colosseum I think my heart stopped. I did a tour of the Colosseum and just listened in complete wonder and I looked around at where all these events had once taken place. It was the start of my new bucket list to marvel at other wonders on this earth.
- South Africa: I was blessed to be able to visit South Africa for a conference as part of my Master’s degree. This, at the time, felt like a once in a lifetime trip. To see some of the world’s most powerful and majestic animals in person and not at a zoo was powerful, to say the least. It gave me a strong appreciation for nature and its amazing natural beauty. I hope that I don’t have to say that it was a once in a lifetime trip because I hope to make many more trips to Africa in the future!
Now let’s talk about your blog. Why did you get started?
I started my blog in July of this year. I had been trying to think of ways to share my stories to inspire others, to track my journey and bring more travel into my life. The name came about while I was reading a Thru Hiker’s Trilogy by Keith Foskett. He wrote about the 3 thru hikes he completed (the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Camino). He commented on being a dromomaniac in the book and described it and I felt like it described me perfectly. I have a really hard time staying in one spot for too long, I just have this incessant need to wander this world. So, I felt like “wandering with a dromomaniac” was a perfect choice for me. That book also started my dream to hike the Camino and to complete other challenging hikes and climbs. I have been searching for an outlet for my travel desire for a long time and started thinking about trying my hand at article writing. I thought I was a big reader and felt I was a pretty good writer because of it so I thought, why not? While doing my research I stumbled across travel blogging and thought it would be a great way to connect with readers and hopefully inspire them to question life more and become more curious about what is out there. I want readers to feel the travels I have already done and building upon them with bigger adventures, not as a tourist but with a deeper connection to each place. I also want my readers to feel like if I can go out there and do it so can they.
How do you find the time to blog while working a full-time job?
That is an excellent question. Honestly, it is not always easy, but I make it a priority. That’s how you can do anything. If you can spend an hour or two a night working on some aspect of your blog, instead of watching some random television show, you can make it work. I feel like my full-time job certainly provides some challenges and it has made the process even slower but I also think that it will make it better in the long run. I actually consider myself the type of person who is not satisfied living a conventional lifestyle and hope to explore more and have more freedom to do so, using my skills as a veterinarian and my child like curiosity. I want to learn and see and do as much as I can in this life, and that’s the god’s honest truth.
We all know blogging can be tough. What struggles have you had during your blogging career?
I am not technologically inclined….at all…not even a little bit. I didn’t get my first cellphone until I became a veterinarian 4 years ago. So, starting my blog has been a huge challenge for me, trying to learn all the ins and outs of WordPress, plugins, SEO, and all the little ways to make my blog beautiful. I know I still have a lot to learn, but nothing easy is ever worth it. I started my blog using the advice from an article by Lauren from Never Ending Footsteps entitled “How to Start a Successful Travel Blog from Scratch.”
As I worked my way through the article, she mentioned the Superstar Blogging Course so I did a little research, saw it was legit, and signed up. It has made a huge difference in my blog and I am learning something new each and every day.
What post of yours has had the most success? Why do you think that is?
My top post was “Barcelona: A City in Tears.” I wrote this post shortly after the bombing at Las Ramblas as a way to pay tribute to those that lost their lives or were injured during this senseless act. I had just been to Barcelona in May and the news of the bombing hit hard and I wanted to do something, even if it was a small something. I think it touched people and that was why it was my most popular post.
What blogging goals have you set for yourself this year? How do you plan on reaching them?
My goal is to write 2 posts a week, interview someone on their travels once per month, and reach 100 shares by the end of the year. A lot of this is on me to continue to work hard to improve my blog and take the time to write quality posts and interviews. I am taking it slow, trying to learn as much as I can and focusing on one thing at a time. My next steps are to incorporate a newsletter and email list, and figure out how to do more on Pinterest. There is just so much to learn that I am just trying to enjoy the journey and take in as much knowledge as I can.
How are you finding social media? Do you have any tips to share?
Social media for me is difficult because I don’t always like being that connected to the rest of the world but so far it has been kind of fun. I had deleted my Facebook app on my phone prior to starting my blog because I felt I wasted too much time on it. Now I constantly check my Facebook and Twitter for updates from other travelers and from my travel blog groups and I love the community I have become a part of. It is nice to find other likeminded people who just want to get out there and spend their lives exploring the world we have been given in all its beauty and grit.
My tips would be: get involved with blogging groups. There is an obscene amount of knowledge available to new bloggers in these groups and they can really make a difference in the success of your blog. I also recommend Twitter because it is a different kind of community. It’s kind of a laid back, relaxed, tweet when you want kind of place that doesn’t expect as much from you as some of the private travel blog groups on Facebook. I have also heard a lot about other’s success with Pinterest but I just haven’t figured that one out yet.
What do you enjoy the most about blogging?
I enjoy reliving my adventures and sharing them with others and I really enjoy learning new skills and doing things I never thought I would be able to do. It is really exciting thinking up new topics and things to write about and thinking about and where my adventures will lead me next.
What is one thing you wish you knew before you started blogging?
That’s a tough question, I guess I wish I knew just how much I would enjoy the process so I could have started sooner!
In addition to this course, what other resources do you rely on for help/information?
I started using the blog post by Never Ending Footsteps. Now I use the Facebook pages for Superstar Blogging and Female Travel Bloggers. I have requested to join a few more Facebook pages but am still waiting for acceptance. I am a big reader so I am hoping to start exploring some of the recommended readings on the course but I just haven’t gotten there yet.
Why do you keep blogging?
Even though this is something completely new to me, and sometimes I get very overwhelmed, my love of travel and desire to share my stories and inspire others to go out and learn about other cultures and countries keeps me going. I think that we can use travel to understand other cultures creating more peace in the world and inspire us to be kinder to one another and to tread a little more lightly on this earth.
What are some of your fav travel blogs?
One of my favorite travel blogs is Never Ending Footsteps. I can really relate to Lauren, and I really enjoy reading about her hiking adventures; it’s really inspiring to me.
I have just begun reading other blogs and am enjoying learning from them but I know I need to spend more time reading and commenting on other blogs. It is something I hope to focus more on in what I call my next phase of blogging.
What one piece of advice you’d give to a fellow blogger?
It’s not an easy thing to do, because there are so many unforeseen elements to blogging. But even though you might get frustrated and overwhelmed in the beginning, don’t give up. It’s a wonderful learning process and you should enjoy the journey, no matter how difficult it gets.
Tell us about your blog and where we can find you on social media!
My blog is wanderingwithadromomaniac.com and I write to inspire others to see travel in a pure and natural way, a way that will change their life forever. You can also find me on Twitter!