I am excited to announce that Wanderlust and Beyond has won its first ever blogging award! A huge thank you to Elisabeth at Pages of My Passport for the nomination. 🙂

The Liebster Award celebrates up-and-coming blogs, awarded to and by fellow bloggers. Following nominations, winners are asked to respond to 11 questions given to them by their nominator. Be sure to also check out my nominations!

My eleven questions from Pages of My Passport are:

(1) What is the first foreign country you ever visited?

• Other than the USA, my first time outside of North America was when I went to Italy with my mom in 2011 on a tour of Europe with Trafalgar Tours. (On that trip we also went to Vatican City, Switzerland, France, and England!)

(2) If you could go back to one place, where would it be?

• Bali 100%!! 

(3) Do you prefer slow travel (taking your time in fewer places) or fast travel (visiting many places but with less time in each one) and why?

• It all depends on the location, but I usually like to spend at least 2-3 days in each place I visit so I will have enough time to explore around.

(4) What is a unique food you have eaten abroad?

• It’s not really a super unique food, but I had my first ever smoothie bowl in Bali, and it was so delicious. If you’re ever in Bali, you should definitely check out Nalu Bowls!

(5) Do you travel alone, with others, or a mix of both?

• A mix of both. I’ve travelled solo before and also have travelled with friends, which in my opinion definitely makes the trip a lot more fun! Although, when solo travelling, it is very easy to meet new people!

(6) What are 3 things that you miss from home when you are traveling?

• When I’m travelling alone- I miss my boyfriend, my family/friends, and my dog. 

(7) What new country would you most like to visit?

• I’d love to go to Peru and see Machu Picchu in person. It has a very high spot on my travel wish list!

(8) Do you have any unique hobbies?

• Photography, Drawing, and DIY Projects. (& of course travelling) 😉

(9) What inspired you to first begin traveling?

• When I turned 20 I decided to be an Au Pair in Europe for a year, which later made me fall in love with travelling!

(10) What is one tip that you would give to a brand-new traveler, that you wish you would have known when you started out?

• Start your own travel blog (or journal) and document everything. It will always be nice to be able to look back on your travel memories in the future. Also make sure to be aware of visa/entry requirements before you book your trip! (In June 2015 when I was about to board my airplane to the Gold Coast in Australia, I didn’t know that I was supposed to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), and they almost didn’t let me board the plane… It was a nightmare… but somehow I was able to sort it out and get the ETA online with literally less than 5 mins to spare. Normally you are supposed to apply weeks in advance, but luckily my application processed online almost instantly!)

(11) What is your favourite form of transportation?

• Whenever it’s a far away destination, I love to travel by airplane! Especially because of the awesome views from the window seat. In Europe, I enjoy travelling by train (especially the super fast ICE trains in Germany).

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• Puzzle Pieces. Cornelia began her Puzzle Pieces creative project with a goal of sharing all of her travel memories with her readers. One of her latest posts includes a list of helpful tips for how to travel and live affordably in Australia. Originally from Western Germany, Cornelia is now based in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa, and looks forward to sharing more of her adventures very soon!

• The Foreign Gal. Darlene began her travel journey in 2013, and has now been to thirteen countries across Europe and North America. One of her latest posts includes a story of her ‘incredible experience’ spontaneously deciding to travel to Mexico for a weekend with a friend. Through her blog, Darlene aims to inspire others to embark on their own adventures and explore the world!

• Her Cup of Tea. In October 2011, Jem began sharing her take on all things food, travel, and lifestyle while journeying across Paris, Rome, the islands of Greece, and more! One of her latest posts highlights her recent holiday to Trinity Beach, “the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.” Currently based in Sydney, Jem enjoys writing and sharing her weekend journal with her readers!

• Alisa Around the Globe. Originally from the Republic of Belarus, Alisa loves to travel and embark on far away adventures. In October 2016, Alisa, along with her mother and sister, began a world trip which is taking them over 10,000 miles across 5 countries! Her latest post describes a recent visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, The Great Wall of China!

My eleven questions for the next nominees!

1. Where did you get your first passport stamp from?
2. What is your favourite travel memory?
3. What country is at the top of your travel wish list?
4. Show us your favourite photo that you’ve taken while travelling!
5. Why did you decide to start travel blogging?
6. Where are you headed next?
7. Describe your travel style in three words!
8. What’s the best food you’ve tried while travelling?
9. Do you have any good travel tips you want to share?
10. What is your favourite part of travelling in general?
11. What are you most looking forward to in 2017?