Pass on the encouragement baton…

Another peer recognition award for 100cobbledroads! Jessica Palmer of TravelwithJess has nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. This award is given to bloggers who are spreading cheer through their inspiring, positive and creative. So thank you, Jessica, for this mid-year, feel-good factor. Your blog on family travel is a great example for all those parents who hesitate to venture beyond tried-and-tested waters.

The rules for the award

1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger(s) asked you.
3. Nominate 11 blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. Inform your nominees through social media or commenting on their blog.
5. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award Logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Answering Jessica’s questions

1. Do you travel full-time or just when you can?
I have four pet reasons why I won’t like to travel full-time (you may enjoy my blog on this subject). But in essence, for me the charm lies in always staying a little untravelled. So yes, time and budget permitting, we travel when we can. It is the breaks between trips that keeps my excitement levels on a high.

2. Where is your favourite place in the whole world?
I am naturally inclined towards historic towns with old-world charm, but also adore coast-cliff landscapes and road trips through the countryside. Europe offers the best blend of all these. But if I were to pick one country, it would have to be Italy…I would go back a dozen times, if I could.

3. Where is one place that really disappointed you?
I can think of dozens of places which transported me to the heights of euphoria and several others that had a less dramatic effect on me, but have to still come across a place that actually disappointed me.

4. Tell me about a time you did something embarrassing when travelling?
We had to take a cable-car gondola ride through the Kuranda rainforest in Cairns, Australia. And my fear of heights prevented me from enjoying the stunning views of the treetops along a 7.5-km ride over the world’s oldest rainforest. Once-in-a-lifetime experience lost. Looking back today, I think that counts as embarrassing.

5. How do you fund your travels?
We have always allocated a separate budget for our travels. That budget is never compromised. Hopefully, with time, my blog will pay for my globetrotting escapades.

6. What keeps you blogging?
Writing about my travels itself is the reward. Every time I’m drained to the core from staring at my screen without a break, I remind myself that is what I always wanted to do. And that, is my intrinsic reward.

7. Have you ever offended anyone in another country by doing something that is totally socially acceptable in your own country?
I may have raised a few eyebrows by turning down some wine-tasting opportunities (since I don’t drink), but never offended anyone, no.  

8. What place have you visited that is fantastic value for money?
We stayed at a fabulous seaside chateau called Bela Vista in Portimao, Portugal with views to kill for, literally. We indulged in an extravagant seven-course meal to celebrate our anniversary at their Michellin star restaurant. Portugal is so easy on the pocket, and such a great country.

9. What do you enjoy doing when you are not travelling?
You mean when I need a breather from endless hoarding of information on more travel destinations? I enjoy trying out new dishes at restaurants, finding photo-worthy spots and hidden gems around town, attending heritage, art, theatre or music events, going for long drives and reading historical fiction.

10. What is your travel style? (luxury, budget, cruising etc)
Neither fancy cruises nor hardship travels cut it for me. Not guilty to admit that I crave lavish breakfast spreads, feathery-soft pillows, luxe bathrooms and good views after crushing my legs out of working order, by walking 12-15 kilometres everyday. Well-deserved luxury? Yes please!

11. How did you come up with your blog name?
Naming my blog was a major project that seemed to take forever…I was sure this was the first part I had to get right. While brainstorming about what I loved most in my travels, ‘cobbled roads’ kept echoing in my head. Nothing else seemed as natural. And I added ‘100’ for an ‘infinity’ effect.

My nominations for the award

From the hundreds of travel blogs that I’m familiar with, these are a few that I have enjoyed reading recently. Do give their link a click and discover what makes them stand out from the crowd. 

1. Archives of Adventure
2. Engineer on Tour
3. Le Long Weekend
4. The Roving Heart
5. The Travelling Fool
6. The Travelling Tom
7. The Wanderlust Pilgrim
8. Travelling Dany
9. Get Up Get Out Get Lost
10. Travel with MK
11. Wandering Wagars

Questions for my nominees

1. What is your earliest memory of travel, maybe as a child?
2. Who has been your ‘travel idol’, someone who instilled the love of travel in you in the first place?
3. What kind of people do you think are really cut out to be travel bloggers?
4. Travel blogging can be exhausting, even thankless at times. How do you recharge your batteries, stay motivated?
5. Share one frustrating moment, when you wanted to pull out your hair because you couldn’t resolve a blogging issue.
6. The one thing cliche about being a traveller you never want to hear again?
7. The one person who always enjoys listening to your travel stories.
8. Describe a time when you were emotionally overwhelmed while on a trip.
9. One element of travel that you wish you could ‘wish away’ entirely?
10. Share how you have evolved as a traveller over the past few years?
11. The biggest travel dream that you have fulfilled?

I would love to read all your answers and get to know you better. Cheers, stay travellous and pass on the encouragement baton on!