10 Questions with Erica of Blissful Travel
Blissful Travel is one of the best travel blogs on the internet, a terrific site to find up-to-date travel information, news, and tips on places to go, what to do, and where to stay. With a beautiful yet simple design, stunning images, and great suggestions from a seasoned traveler, a visit there will definitely inspire you to travel to new and exciting destinations across the world. I write about everything related to travels and photography, but my focus is on hotels and my three favorite cities New York, Paris, and London. Blissful Travel also covers a travel miscellany of contests, interviews with travelers, recommended travel blogs, and special offers. Overall, it’s simply a blissful blog.
2.Link us to one post from your blog that best defines who you are.
Happiness Comes From Within
I picked this post because I believe that anyone can choose happiness no matter what your circumstances are or what life throws at you. Before I use to think, if I just can get that job, travel to that place, or buy new clothes, I will be happy. It doesn’t work that way. Of course I became happy at first, but it wasn’t the lasting kind of happiness. I’m glad I finally realized that happiness comes from inside and not as a result of money, materialistic things, or approval from other people. I feel much better when thinking this way and while I know lots of people live by the same mindset, there are many millionaires and successful people who are miserable and don’t understand that money can’t buy them what they want most of all…to be happy.
3. What sets you apart from other bloggers?
First and foremost… the name. I mean, who wouldn’t want to visit a blog with the word ‘blissful’ in it? And I have a really beautiful picture of a mirror border and a burning white candle above the title. I took it during a recent hotel stay in London and think it matches well with the title. I’m always optimistic and positive when blogging, and never complain or whine about things that bugs me. I know bloggers who get good traffic by writing about things that annoy and irritate them, but I prefer to focus on what I love and am passionate about.
I rarely write a blog post without including at least one picture. I find that photographs brighten a blog post and make it more appealing. And rather than just choosing photos at random I make an effort to find pictures that complement the content. I either use my own pictures or upload from stock sites as stock.xhng. Sometimes I skip the text and only upload pictures from different photographers to help them promote their work, ‘Why I Love Skylines’ which has some amazing shots of impressing skylines across the world is a good example.
Also, I’m a Swedish girl who blogs in English. I don’t know any other English travel blogs written by someone from Sweden. If you do, please let me know so I can check it out.
4. When and how did you first discover blogging?
I heard about blogging a few years ago through different Swedish newspapers and magazines, and created my own blog in April 2007. I chose Wordpress.com because I thought they had the best templates and widgets.
5. What is your biggest pet peeve related to blogging or the internet?
I don’t like blogs with a boring or dull look. I think it’s important to make your blog appealing with a good design. The content is obviously more important, but if I don’t like the appearance of a blog I rather go to another site. I do make an exception if the content is great. A few days ago I found Scott H Young’s blog. I don’t like his design at all, but the content is great so of course I had to subscribe.
6. Name one plugin, blogging widget, or service that you can’t live without.
I love the blog stats service. I have a free Wordpress.com blog and apart from page views, they show you top posts and pages, referrers, what search engine terms people use to find your blog, incoming links, and what links visitors click on. It’s interesting to see what posts are most popular and the terms people use to find my blog.
7. If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write a guest post for your blog, who would it be and why?
Since I have a travel blog it would have to be a travel writer. I’d choose Paul Theroux… without a doubt. I love his travelogues, especially ‘The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific’ and ‘The Railway Bazaar’. It would be interesting to see what type of post he would write and if he would let me upload one of his pictures. I hope so.
Paul Theroux… if you by any chance happen to read this, please contact me and you will have the honor to be the first professional travel writer who submits a guest post to Blissful Travel. That’s not too bad, right? Or if anyone who knows Theroux reads this, please give him the link to this page :)
8. How has blogging made you a better person?
I have learnt a lot since I started blogging. Not just about traveling and photography, but about myself and what I love, what I care about the most, and how important it is to do the things you love and go after your dreams… no matter what they are. I love sharing my thoughts by writing and I think that makes me a better person because I put my thoughts, ideas and opinions out there instead of just keeping them to myself. I think as long as we do what we love, learn and aren’t afraid to try new things, we become better persons every day.
9. What are your tips for becoming a better blogger?
Write, write, and write. Blog regularly, if possible once a day or at least a few times a week. You will definitely improve your blogging skills by updating your blog often. That’s self-explanatory, but it never hurts to repeat it. If you want to blog full-time and earn an income from your blog, I’d say three posts a day is the norm.
Write about the things you love. Read other blogs to get inspiration, network with fellow bloggers to exchange ideas, and make an effort to write interesting blog posts that catches the reader’s attention. Whatever you do, don’t be boring. Appealing and fascinating is good, if you’re witty and amusing as well that’s a big plus.
10. Name one great blog that you read on a regular basis. What makes it unique?
I love ‘High Culture on a Low Budget’ by Olivia Giovetti, an L.A. based freelance writer who has lots of experience from traveling in Europe on a budget. I haven’t heard about any other blog that combines traveling and culture in such a good and witty way. The blog has a pretty design, beautiful pictures, and gives an insiders point of view on where to go for high culture on a low budget. This is a perfect example of a great niche.
Aw, thanks for the love Erica! Always a pleasure to check out your site, too.