Hi friends,

So the lovely Grainne over at An Irish Girl in Korea was kind enough to nominate little ole’ Weary Wanderer for a Liebster Award — which is an award given and received by bloggers to help grow awareness of all the awesome and amazing people out there who are blogging about awesome and amazing things.

The rules are:

1. Thank and link to the blogger who nominated you (thanks again Grainne!)
2. Nominate 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers who you think deserve this award and link their blogs.
3. Answer 11 questions posted by the blogger who nominated you and also ask 11 new questions for your nominees to answer.
4. Notify your nominees.

So, without further ado, here are my answers to the questions Grainne asked me:

1. If you could choose one country to visit where would you choose and why? Well, I’m lucky enough to be able to say that my husband and I visited my No. 1 bucket list place — the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador — late last year. Since that’s now ticked off, I’d have to say the place I have my sights set on next is New Zealand. Hopefully we’ll be able to make it over there during a trip to see Chris’s family in Australia some time.

2. What is the first thing that you do in the morning? It’s sad but true — I think I’d have to say check my phone for emails! Then gym, meditate, breakfast (for both myself and our pets), coffee and to my desk!

3. Why did you start blogging? I wanted to have an easy way to look back on all the amazing places we were visiting, and then it evolved into something so much more. I started chronicling our lives in New York City, as well, which is something I’ll always cherish now that we no longer live there, and it’s been a great way to keep Chris’s family in Australia up-to-date on what’s going on with us over on the other side of the world, too.

4. How has blogging affected your life in a positive way? It allows me a creative outlet to write whatever I want, whenever I want. I’m a writer by profession, but so much of that is writing to a specific audience or for what an editor wants you to say. This is all mine, forever and always, and I love every second of it!

5. If you could be any animal what would it be? Probably a koala, but more specifically Shawn the Koala, the heroine in the children’s book series I’m trying to get off the ground 😉

6. How would you describe yourself in three words? Passionate. Stubborn. Loyal.

7. Where do you see yourself in ten years time? I’m not sure where we’ll be living, because I hope my life continues to be an amazing adventure. Having said that, I hope we’re still traveling a ton (potentially with a couple kids in tow!), and that Weary Wanderer continues to grow so that I can do less of my day job and focus primarily on this (and Shawn the Koala, of course!).

8. The mountains or the sea, which would you choose? Ooooooph. Toughie. We just left the east coast for the mountains of Colorado, and to be honest, I’d have to say that so far I’d have to pick the sea. The mountains are great — and I love snowboarding — but I don’t know. There’s just something about water …

9. Do you like or dislike meeting new people? Why? Both. I admit that it’s hard for me to approach new people because I can be a bit guarded, but I think once a person opens up to me, I’m more than willing to go that extra mile to stay in touch and/or get closer.

10. What do you value most in life? Love. (aka my friends and family and pets)

11. If you were a character from a movie or a different world (e.g. from Space), who or what would you be, and what would your story be? Well not to give too much away, but again, I would be Shawn the Koala from my (soon to be best selling) children’s book. I can’t tell you the story, though … you’ll just have to read that when it comes out 😉

Okay, so now my nominees are:

1. skyward eyes
2. Deciding Denver
3. Incurable Wanderlust
4. That Dang Farang
5. Julie Journeys
6. Stretching It to Travel
7. 365 Day Explorer
8. More Days Off
9. Amarylio & Eloise
10. Family Boating & Camping
11. To the Capital Region and Beyond!

And here are the questions I’d love to see you guys answer:

1. What is the most frustrating thing to you about blogging?
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
3. What’s the one place you’ve traveled to that you would never go back?
4. Where’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to?
5. What’s the most important thing you bring with you when you pack for a trip?
6. Do you like to fly?
7. Which one: Road trip or plane ride?
8. What’s the longest you’ve traveled for?
9. What do you miss most when you travel?
10. What’s your favorite travel memory?
11. What’s your favorite travel photo?

Looking forward to reading all the responses — bis bald, everyone!