Backpacking Diplomacy Andy's Travel Blog: Travel tips, culture, and more
The Liebster Award
Many great things are happening here at BackpackingDiplomacy.com. Outside of writing for my loyal followers and meeting amazing travel bloggers from around the world, I was recently recognized by two separate bloggers for the Liebster Award, and by one for the Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks to Renee(Travelwithrenee – @reneestravels) and Chris and Heather (Tourist Guide Central – @touristguidec), I was afforded the opportunity to be the recipient of the Liebster Award on their blogs. Additionally, I was very excited to hear from a talented blogger named The Guy (Flightsandfrustration – @TheGuy37796972), who chose me as one of his recipients for the Versatile Blogger Award.
In light of these awards, I am supposed to follow a few rules found below. For the Liebster award, I am to answer 11 questions asked by the person who chose me, then chose 11 additional for my nominees. In this case, since I was doubly awarded, I will choose half of the questions from each. With respect to the Versatile Blogger Award, I am to list 8 facts about myself, then pass it on. Well, here it goes…
Rules for the Versatile Blogger Award
- Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their site.
- Share 8 random facts about you
- Add The Versatile Blogger Award picture to your blog post.
- Nominate 8 fellow bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly and include a link to their site.
- Let them know you have nominated them.
Rules of the Liebster Award
- Provide responses to the 11 Questions posted by the blogger that nominated you.
- Select 11 fellow travel bloggers and ensure that you notify them that they have been selected as your recipients of “The Liebster Award”. *note: you can not pick the person that selected you.
- Create 11 questions that you want your nominated bloggers to answer.
- Share your answers on your blog with the questions the questions and answers that you have given.
- Share your list of recipient on your blog as well.
The 11 Questions that I was asked:
1. If you were to win a trip somewhere and you had these options, which one would you pick, where would go and why?
- All inclusive vacation in the Caribbean
- All paid expenses to Europe
- All paid to Asia
- All paid to Middle East
- A Cruise with all expenses paid including excursions
– I’d definitely take 4. There is a lot to see and tons of history.
2. Your favorite means of transportation?
– My favorite means of transportation is actually the most natural. I love to walk, and have no problem walking a couple of miles (kms). I’ll enjoy the things that I see along the way.
3. What is the most unique place you have ever been on your travels?
– Morocco, it changed my perspective on life.
4. The strangest food you have had on your travels?
– Rotten whale shark… gotta love Iceland. That stuff was so disgusting, I couldn’t get it down. The smell engulfed me. Damn vikings, :).
5. What drives your passion for traveling and seeing the world?
– Culture more than anything. I love gaining perspective on how someone else lives their life. It drives me to the ends of the world.
6. When booking flights, do you prefer to book through third parties such as Expedia & Travelocity or directly through the airline?
– Third party sites for me. I am a firm believer in the power of Kayak.com. It hasn’t steered me wrong yet.
7. What is your favorite drink both at home and on your travels?
– My favorite drink… ever drink Bailey’s from a shoe? (Old Gregg). Probably most consistently a tea drinker, thanks to my Eastern friends.
8. What souvenirs do you like to collect from your travels?
– I like to collect coins from foreign countries and shot glasses. My collection of glasses is getting to be pretty big.
9. What are your packing techniques? What are the “necessities” when traveling?
– I roll my clothes like there is no tomorrow. That is the best way to make everything fit. Nothing more than absolutely necessary, the less the better.
10. Where is the one place in the world you would travel to tomorrow if timing, finances and anything else were not an issue?
– A terribly difficult question. Since everywhere isn’t an option, I’d probably say South America.
11. Do you have a favorite image from your travels (please share a link to this page)?
– My favorite image is below. The whole trip still seems surreal to me.
Now on to the 8 facts about me for my Versatile Blogger Award:
1.) I am a night owl, stay up late into the night.
2.) I work out 3-4 times a week.
3.) The most calming things to me are music and/or nature.
4.) I think that technology has almost as many negatives as positives.
5.) I want to become a full-time nomad.
6.) I have a selfish goal to meet someone from every country.
7.) I don’t watch TV.
8.) I like big cities where something is always going on, the more chaotic the better!
Now to my nominees in alphabetical order:
ABackpacker’sTale – Blogging his way to his upcoming South American trip.
EyeandPen – Brandon is a talented and successful blogger.
iBackpackertravel – Slice writes great travel articles from his journies.
JourneytoWilderness – Melanie is on an adventurous mission of freedom.
Motornomadics – Motorhome loving bloggers on an adventure.
RedcatTravel – Stefan has been traveling the world since he was 19.
RunawayJane – A Scot traveling the world for quite some time now.
Quirkster – Kimberly shares the lessons she learns as she travels the world!
TheKayDays – An ambitious student, looking to conquer the world with her blog.
TheTravelBite – Rachelle is a popular travelista and TV host.
TrueTravellers – Andrew’s site is a great resource for volunteers.
*You can have your choice of 8 facts about you or answering the 11 questions below.
11 questions that I ask you:
1.) What is your dream weather location?
2.) If you could travel with anyone from history who would it be?
3.) If you could travel in any time period, which would it be.
4.) What is one food that you are dying to try?
5.) What language have you always wanted to learn?
6.) Knowing what you know now, would you have traveled to a different location in your past travels?
7.) What is the most mysterious wonder of the world? Why?
8.) Do you have a favorite travel TV show?
9.) One piece of advice that you would give to a fellow traveler who is about to start their journey.
10.) One thing you never leave home without.
11.) What is your passion for travel?
Thanks for all the support! Glad to be connected with you all!
Many congratulations Andy. Three separate nominations is fantastic an certainly well deserved. You write so well. I hope you get to achieve your goals and become a full time nomad.
Thanks mate, I appreciate the kind words and the nomination!
Congratulations, Andy! Your blog is both informational and heartfelt. Thanks for the tips, I just booked a flight on kayak at a great price. Going to DC soon, any thoughts?
So awesome! I am happy you are getting to see some stuff. Is this your first time in DC? Outside of the generic see all the museums and government buildings, I enjoy eating the food :). Because it is so multi-cultural, DC has food from everywhere. Also, if you want to go to the White House you need to book like 21 days in advance. There is tons to do in the area, depending on your interests.
Congratulations on all the recognition! By browsing around your site, it is clear that you certainly deserve it. We see a lot of similarities in our perspectives on travel. We are not in it for luxury. We want to see the world, meet new people, and immerse ourselves in other cultures and ways of life. And, like you, we want to go everywhere…if only that weren’t such an overwhelming dream!
We will definitely be keeping up with and browsing your site more. Good luck with everything!
Peace,
The Wandering Soles
Thanks for the congrats! Definitely not in it for the luxury, couldn’t agree more. I am really glad to connect with another like minded traveler! As they always say, “I haven’t been everywhere, but it is on my list.” I don’t think that it is entirely overwhelming because it depends on what you definition of ‘everywhere’ is? 🙂
Thanks for connecting with me and stopping by! I look forward to a continued relationship.
Ciao