
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Kirsten, a girl in her twenties from London (although I’m half Czech) and currently live in Canada. I love travelling to see beautiful and fascinating places in the world as well as the simple pleasures like a good cup of tea (you can take the girl out of Britain…) I’m a travel and lifestyle blogger, freelance writer and work in website content.
How did Kirstovertheworld.com come to be?
While I was preparing to go and study in Australia during my university degree, my family suggested I start a blog. Back then, I didn’t read any blogs or had any idea how they worked. But I thought it might be fun, so a couple of days before I left, I published my first blog post as KirstendoesOz.wordpress.com of course, since leaving Australia and falling in love with blogging, I had to find a more inclusive name and so Kirstovertheworld.com was born.
What is the most important thing to know about traveling?
There is no right or wrong way to travel, as long as you’re respectful to the destination and its people. It’s also the most eye opening experience you can have: try to travel as much as you can but never take it for granted.
Do you have a special routine before you travel, if so what is it?
Nothing out of the ordinary! Rushing around packing, trying to pack light then realising I’m taking too much, mostly. I’m a stickler for getting through the airport efficiently and having as peaceful time as possible on the plane, so I pre-pack a transparent make-up bag in my carry on (which doubles as the liquid bag security likes to see) where I keep some face wipes, moisturiser, deodorant, toothpaste and lip balm to keep myself feeling fresh.
What has been the most memorable experience thus far?
In Australia where the blog all began. Studying abroad in Melbourne, exploring the country, learning their way of life and making incredible friends (and meeting my boyfriend!) is still the number one experience I’ve ever had. It was the place that changed everything for me.
What is something you wish you knew before starting a traveling blog?
I’m not sure I do wish I knew anything beforehand because part of the immense joy of travel blogging is learning as you go, even if it’s frustrating and it really is at times! If anything, I wish I knew sooner that there are so many amazing people and friends to meet through blogging. I don’t think I was aware of that for a while.
One piece of advice you can offer to solo female travellers?
Do your research and you’ll be fine. If you’re nervous about your first solo trip, start small with a weekend trip somewhere relatively close. I wish I had done that before jumping into my first solo trip around Central America!
What is a destination you haven’t explored yet and are absolutely dying to?
There are so many! I go through phases of being slightly obsessed or enamoured with certain countries and areas at the moment it’s a mix of the Canadian Rockies, Vietnam and the Philippines.
You state that you are not a travelling nomad, more of a girl with a full time job. How do
you manage to balance everything together?
It’s a combination of things, really. I make the most of annual leave, travelling over bank holidays or doing short trips over weekends to nearby destinations. I budget my trips, searching religiously for the cheapest flight being flexible with dates helps. Most of all, I think people get concerned about money and how to travel frequently with that in mind. If your priority is travel, then looking at and adjusting your lifestyle at home is the best way to save money: do free things with your friends, don’t go for the more expensive bottle of wine or the extra drink, bring your own lunches to work, lose the gym membership and work out at home or outside. It really does all add up.
What is to come for Kirstovertheworld.com, in the near future?
While I live in Canada, I’m making the most of being in North America and close to the Caribbean! There’ll be Canadian and US weekend trips, and I tend to fall head over heels for dramatic landscapes, so there’s a road trip or two in the works. Later on, I’ll be heading to the Bahamas for my birthday and the all important next step of where I move next after my visa is up in Canada. On my blog, I love writing not just about my travels but how they effect me personally and the musings and tips I have on living abroad there’ll be no shortage of that in the future.