So you’re probably a little confused by the title – an interview by Brooke Saward with Brooke Saward as the subject matter. Hopefully you’re not confused enough to think this is a terrible case of vanity, quite the contrary…
After winning my Skyscanner International Travel Blog of the Year Award this year, my email inbox has been flooded with hundreds of emails a day from bloggers asking for interviews, guests posts, readers asking questions, businesses wanting to advertise through WOW, and so on and so forth. While it is incredibly flattering and I am eternally grateful for the response my travel blog has receieved in the past 18 months since I started blogging, it is also incredibly overwhelming.
It’s overwhelming because my biggest fear is to not please – i.e. the fear of disappointing others.
With my blog gaining a global audience rapidly, I find it incredibly difficult to keep up and answer everyone’s questions adequately. The last thing I want is for readers to feel neglected or think that I don’t have time for them, as at the end of the day – I’m here for you guys! The aim of WOW has always been and always will be to inspire you to travel – it’s about me helping you, and if that means answering your questions – then I will always do my best to do so! But with so many new readers daily I have to find new ways to answer questions rather than replying to messages and emails one on one (if I did this I would never leave my computer and not be a very good travel blogger because I would never actually travel).
So with that in mind, I’m going to ask myself all of the questions you want answers to in one singular blog post and give the best answers I can in short, sharp, Q & A format. These questions are sourced from those most asked by readers and previous interviews I have done in the past with newspapers, online magazines and blogs, as well as some random questions thrown in for good measure.
So, here we go…
The Brooke Saward Interview
1. So Brooke, tell us the basics – what is your age, occupation, country of residence, etc.
Brooke Maree Saward – 22 years of age (circa 1991) – full time travel blogger and globetrotter – born in Australia but live out of a suitcase (travelling full time) – eight year vegetarian – ice cream enthusiast.
2. What is your blog about and when did you start blogging?
My blog is a documentation of my travels and escapades around the world. I travel the world full time and have visited over 40 countries, often being in 2 or more countries per week. I started my blog to help others with travel tips and information, but always maintain the main focus of WOW is to inspire people to travel and live a life less ordinary. I want to see more people travelling the world experiencing all it has to offer, because I believe this is the best way to grow as a person and evolve society to being more integrated at a deeper level. I think it’s important to learn about other people, cultures, languages, values, etc. so that we can broaden our own perspective on life.
I started World of Wanderlust 18 months ago (December 2012). It has taken a lot of hard work and daily dedication for my blog to be what it is today. But this is just the beginning – I always have a new project in the works, fresh ideas, etc. to make WOW as good as I believe it can be!
3. Who reads your blog, where are they from, how many readers are there?
My readers are global but mostly they are located in the USA (40%); Australia (30%); Canada (12%); the UK (10%) and countries throughout Europe and Asia (8%). There are currently over 300,000 pageviews per month and over 130,000 unique visitors per month. This number fluctuates between 110,000-150,000 unique visitors per month.
4. What Camera gear do you use?
These days I rely on my iphone for the greater majority of my photos, as well as my Canon 60D and my gopro.
5. What social media do you use most?
This year I’m focusing mainly on Instagram and Youtube to accompany my blog – because these platforms allow readers to engage in visual content – photos and video. I think it’s the best way for readers/fans to feel like they are travelling the world with me and seeing everything the way I see it, because I understand not everyone can jet set around the world full time!
6. What inspired you to start WoW?
Obviously I love to travel! I first travelled overseas when I was 13 years old in a children’s choir. Since then, I was obsessed. For all my years in highschool, college and university, I saved my money to fund travels overseas instead of buying ‘things’. I have also worked part time since the age of 14 – ranging from 10-60 hours per week as I got older. The hardest time was managing full time university and 60 hour working weeks along with my hobbies like dancing and the gym…. crazy! But I knew what I wanted, so I went after it.
7. What does a ‘full time travel blogger’ actually do?
Glad you asked! First and foremost, I am not on an extended holiday.
A ‘normal day’ can range dramatically because I am travelling full time. Typically in any given day I will wake up, check and respond to emails over breakfast, race off to a hotel property tour, photograph throughout my hotel, the city, locations I have research I want to visit, explore, update fans on social media, write at least one blog post over dinner, take care of business matter in the late evening, and then pass out next to my laptop in bed. Believe me when I say I live, sleep, eat and breathe travel blogging!
8. Is blogging hard work?
Yes and no. When I first started my blog I found it to be extremely hard work – so I recently launched an Ebook on “How to create a successful blog” to help anyone else in my position. In there I have noted a step by step guide to creating a blog, making it successful, gaining a blog audience, and making money from blogging. If I had have had something like this when I started blogging I would have saved A LOT of time and sleepless nights with technical dramas online!
9. Where is your favourite place?
Please know this is my least favourite question. It’s impossible to answer! In no particular order:
Paris, France
New York, USA
Marrakech, Morocco
St Petersburg, Russia
Bruges, Belgium
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Lisbon, Portugal
10. Where do you want to go more than anywhere in the world?
Antarctica.
11. Where are you going in your itinerary that you are excited for this year?
I’m really excited to get to South America, it has been on my list for quite some time. I’m also really excited to spend Christmas in Canada because for the last 22 years I have celebrated Christmas in summer in Australia!
12. Other than travel, what interests you?
I’ve always had a love for acting, singing and dancing. These were my hobbies and talents as a kid growing up. I also played the piano for most of my life and I love being in a good gym routine (of which I am not at current!).
13. What’s your biggest goal?
I’d love to see what WoW can grow into and it is certainly my dream to see where it goes in the coming years. I’d love to publish a book eventually, but at the moment it is much easier for me to publish Ebooks that offer help to my readers. So long as what I’m doing is inspiring at least one person, I will keep doing it. My biggest goal then, I suppose you could say, is to inspire and help others in a meaningful way. There are some people in the world that find their happiness through giving happiness to others – I’m one of those.
14. How many languages do you speak?
One – English (CRINGE!!!!). I would really love to learn a second language and am hoping to do so next year – more updates on that soon!
15. What do your friends and family think of you travelling the world full time? Do you miss them?
My family are really supportive and follow my journey daily. Unfortunately I don’t get to talk to them as much as I would like because of my crazy schedule and time differences, but when I do they are always eager to hear updates and learn about my adventures! My friends are also happy for me but I don’t hear from them much – I think that’s a fact of life though, once you leave school you lose contact with friends – but when you do see them it’s still just the same. I can’t wait to go home and see them all next year! Of course I miss them, but I know I will see them again eventually and when I do it will be amazing!
16. What’s your pet hate?
Wasting time. I’m like an energizer bunny – I always have to feel like what I’m doing is productive! I can never lay in the sun for longer than 5 minutes haha!
17. Do you get lonely travelling solo?
Of course. I’m not going to lie and say it is always a heap of fun and every day is incredible – but 99% of them are. Sometimes you just want to share an experience with someone or spend a day with your girlfriends instead of working all the time! But I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunities I have so I wouldn’t have it any other way.
18. How has travel changed you?
I’ve become a more patient person, that’s for sure. I also think I’m much more selfless, understanding, and of course have a ‘worldly education’. I could list hundreds of ways travel has changed me – perhaps a new blog post!
19. How do you pack your bags for a year of travelling?
Good question! When I left Australia I had 40 kilos of luggage with me – WAY too much for one person to carry around. As I’ve gone along I have thrown away an item of clothing or some kind of item in nearly every hotel I stay at. I also buy new things here and there when I need them and I have sent a few packages home so I don’t have to keep carrying stuff around. My biggest piece of advice is to pack your bags and take out at least half – anything you don’t have you can buy when you are there!
20. What’s the scariest thing you have ever done?
Last year I went skydiving over Las Vegas and this year I went bungy jumping on the world’s highest bungy – they were both probably the typical ‘scariest’ things I have ever done. Call me crazy but I would love to try absolutely anything!
21. What’s one thing you will never do?
Eat meat haha! As an 8 year vegetarian I will never be able to eat meat again – nor do I want to.
22. What has been your most memorable travel experience?
Going on night safari in South Africa was the most incredible thing I have ever done. I got to do it twice this year – how crazy lucky am I!
23. If you were to live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I’m actually planning to have an apartment in a certain European city next year! I will have to wait until it is finalised to make the announcement but you can expect to see a WOW HQ in Europe next year!!!! Aside from that I would love to live in NYC!
24. What is your best travel advice?
JUST. GO. Too often I get questions with concerns about safety or where to go, etc. etc. Don’t over think it! Just go!
25. What are your travel beauty tips?
Less is more! Don’t worry about make up – embrace your natural self. If you’re going to wear make up when you travel, make sure it’s just a little foundation for an even skin tone and some mascara to open your eyes. Always wash your face in the morning and exfoliate in the evenings!
26. What do you spend most $ on when you travel?
Taxi fares! Because I’m always swapping hotels every few nights I need to pay for cab fares to haul my luggage from one place to the next. I’m sure some people might think “take the bus” but it really isn’t as simple as that. I’m working 24/7 and have a very busy schedule so I need to take taxis to save time – but it’s so expensive also!
27. What can’t you live without?
Happiness – from myself and others around me. If someone is making my life unhappy, I don’t think it is worthwhile having them in my life.
More questions? Let me know what you want to see answered in the comments below and I will try to answer in my next ‘ask Brooke’ video on Youtube! Thanks!! 
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