Liebster Blog Award

A couple weeks ago, Alex and Bell over at Wanderlust Marriage nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award. I must be honest, I had no clue what a Liebster Blog Award was. Thanks to ever-trusty Google, I learned from Sopphey Says that liebster in German means ‘dearest’. If you are nominated, as Alex and Bell have so kindly nominated me, you choose to accept it simply by answering and passing on the award to 11 other new and talented bloggers, and I am thrilled to oblige.

The rules:

• Share 11 random facts about yourself.
• Answer the questions from the person who nominated you.
• Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and ask them 11 questions

11 Random Facts

1.  I’m a dog lover and want to get a dog as soon as I make a home base, at which point I’ll have to research blogs on traveling with pets.  

2.  Despite having lived just four hours from the Grand Canyon, I’ve never been. Shame on me!

3.  My favorite outfit is yoga pants and slippers.

4.  I twitch a lot in my sleep and sometimes wake myself up doing it. I also hum, kind of like snoring. But humming. Usually when I am absolutely exhausted.

5.  I have a rockstar alter ego though my singing ability would say otherwise.

6.  I worship the sun and do a sundance every day, praying that it will be out.

7.  I secretly love the song SouljaBoi and can even do the dance.

8.  Once upon a time pianist.

9.  I must eat regularly or I turn into a monster. It never happens though, because I eat all the time.

10. I’m a bit anal when it comes to Word formatting. A beautifully formatted document is as satisfying for me as finding a $10 bill in my jacket pocket.

11.  Currently, I’m reading two books: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson and I Drink for a Reason by David Cross. They offset each other nicely. When my brain is aching, spilling over with scientific facts from Bill Bryson, I switch to David Cross – also a very talented writer and funny as hell.

11 Questions from Alex and Bell

1. What is your favourite type of food?  Growing up in the southwest United States, it has to be Mexican food. But GOOD Mexican food. Not that Tex-Mex Mexican-food-wannabe. Although I will settle for Tex-Mex while traveling abroad, craving Mexican cuisine. It does fulfill my inherent need for frijoles refritos.

2. Where would you like to be living when you’re 70?  I don’t live a conventional life in the present moment, but when I’m 70, I’d like to be near my family with a stable home. That being said, wherever my family is.

3. Preferred method of travel: Train, plane or automobile?  Train! A train is the only mode of transport I actually find relaxing. However, I do enjoy a good ‘ole road trip.

4. Favourite travel song?  Music depends wholly on my mood. I often feel reflective when traveling and one of my favorite songs to listen to during these times of introspection is Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie.

5. Where is your favorite beach?  I love the beaches of Gili Trawangan in Indonesia.

6. Why did you start your blog?  Because I enjoy writing. I find it therapeutic. And during these years of traveling, I think it will a beautiful thing to be able to look back on and reminisce. It also helped to be unemployed with a lot of time on my hands.

7. If you could have dinner with one person who would it be?  David Attenborough. Except I want to be eating dinner with him in nature. Does that exist? A guided nature dinner tour?

8. Favorite beer, or if you don’t drink beer, favourite drink?  I’m biased. Czech beer is the best. Pilsner Urquell, Velvet, Svijany, Krušovice, Kozel… I love them all.

9. Share with us a funny/unique travel photo!  I had originally asked them to kiss my cheeks, one on either side. They were regrettably too cool. They were, however, kind enough to allow me to kiss them and it made for a fun photo anyway.

Kissing the fuzz

10. What kind of camera do you use to take most of your photos?  Unfortunately I use a point and shoot, a Canon. It has treated me well and been on four different continents in the past couple years, but once I have a steady job and a safe, secure home environment, I will be investing in a DSLR.

11. Most romantic place visited?  Again I’m biased, but I believe Prague is the most romantic city. Cambodia also has a very romantic feel about it. I love the riverside bungalows in Kampot.

For the next 11 Liebster Blogging Award Winners…

I would like to nominate the following bloggers of whom I’m not entirely sure how many followers they possess but who I have particularly enjoyed following:

1.  Jo at The Blond Travels 

2.  Mel at Travel Relish

3.  Pablo at Where’s Pablo?

4.  Julika at Sateless Suitcase

5.  Nicola at Thursday’s Child Has Far to Go

6.  Ryan at Just Chuckin’ It

7.  Zak at Sparkpunk

8.  Eartha at Earth 2 Eartha

9.  Lyn at Polygamous Passions

10. Greg at Adventures of a Goodman

11. Tiana at TianaKai.com

11 Questions for My Nominees

1.  Top 3 destinations on your bucket list?

2.  Favorite foreign food?

3.  Beach or Mountains? Lightning or Thunder? Savory or Sweet?

4.  What is your favorite drink, alcoholic or non-alcoholic depending on your lifestyle?

5.  Post your favorite wildlife photo.

6.  What is one travel item you couldn’t live without?

7.  Would you rather drink snake blood or eat dog in Vietnam?

8.  Tell about the worst problem you have encountered traveling.

9.  If you were stranded on an island, what 3 books would you want to have with you?

10. Ever had a romance abroad? 

11. Have you ever volunteered abroad? If not, would you like to and where?

I look forward to reading all of your answers!