Before I went on my RTW travels, I could be often found stalking other travel blogs but what really interested me was the travel blogger behind the witticisms of their writing. Who are they? Are they real? Are they fit? So hence, for a long time coming, I wanted to do some travel blogging interviews and crack them open for their rawness inspiration of travel inside. Think Michael Parkinson.

 

This Belgian travel blogger is probably one of the most inspiring and most different I’ve ever met in the travel blogosphere. I was very fortunate to have met him at the World Travel Market 2013 in which he laid out his extremely unique approach to blogging. Heck, I even heard his website talked about at various travel conferences. With a very chilled and funny personality, we absolutely got on great to which he’s invited me to come over and visit him in Germany! Currently he’s in Bulgaria doing quite an interesting ‘social’ challenge. Without further ado, I give you Bjorn of The Social Traveler. 

1. Name: The Social Traveler

2. Twitter: @social_traveler

3. Facebook Fan Page: The Social Traveler

4. Google Plus Page: The Social Traveler

5. Blog URL:  www.thesocialtraveler.net

6. Where are you originally from and where are you now?

I’m Belgian and currently in Bulgaria

7. Describe yourself in 3 words.

Social, Optimistic, Adventure seeker

8. Tell us about your blog. What makes your blog unique from all the other bloggers out there?

My goal is to travel around the world by being social. I don’t use any guidebooks or look for information via search engines. Everything that happens on my journey is connected to people I meet in real life or that connect with me via social media. People shape the adventure as it happens.

9. Why did you start writing a blog? And did you find it easy to set up?

I wanted to explore a connected world and see the world as it is through the eyes of locals.

10. If you had to travel with 3 other travel bloggers who would they be?

Too many to name to be honest. (ED NOTE: Very diplomatic 😉 )

11. What’s the best advice you can give for new bloggers?

Before you start think about how you love to capture your travels, who you’d like to reach and how you want to reach them. Think outside the box and stick to the concept.

12. Other than a job, what’s the easiest way to make money for travels?

Stock trading at first and when you have some audience think about ways to tap into online travel marketing budgets. (ED NOTE: Maybe you should teach me a thing or two about the stock markets)

13. Where have you been in the world? And which was the best, worst, funniest, most random and scariest?

I traveled across Europe, Asia and Oceania just by being social. On my journey I tackled many different challenges and that provided me with lots of unforgettable experiences. I hiked 900 km across Spain, crossed South India on a Royal Enfield, Hitch-hicked around New Zealand, didn’t drink for 40 day in Australia and cycled a tandem bike from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong with 25 random people I connected with along the way. Loads of stories and adventures 🙂

14. Naughtiest experience on your travels?

For me to know and for you to guess 😉 (ED NOTE: Oh aye, I remember you telling me a few of those over a beer 😉 )

15. Luggage or Backpack?

Backpack

16. Top 3 items that you would save from your backpack if it was about to be sunk in shark infested waters?

Bag with letters and presents from friends, my diary and external HD

17. Skydiving or Bungee Jumping?

Skydiving

18. Best travel idol (aside from me, of course) that you would want to sit next to on the plane?

N/A

19. What’s your party trick to show to other backpackers in hostels?

Ducking. (ED NOTE: What is that?)

20. Hostel, Guesthouse, Hotel or Couchsurf?

A mix. Depends on where I am and how I feel but I surf a lot of couches.

21. Day Trip, Backpack or live? UK, Australia or Vietnam?

Day TripUK, Backpack Vietnam, Live Australia

22. Lonely Planet or Rough Guide?

People guide me

23. Will you go out with me, a sexy, tall, dark and handsome god?

With pleasure (ED NOTE: Okay, where and when?)

24, Did you find love on your travels?

Yup, 3 times.

25. Would you go on I’m a Celebrity and eat pig’s testicles?

Not sure if I understand this question 🙂 (ED NOTE: Look it up on YouTube)

26. And possibly, the most important question…Neighbours or Home and Away?!

Flying doctors 🙂

27. Which 3 songs have you played the most on your ipod on your travels?

Mr. Brightside, Society (into the wild) and a Edbanger DJ mix

28. You travelled on your own, how did that go for you and did you find it easy to make new friends on the road?

My journey is all about being social so no problem in making friends along the way.

29. What are your next travel plans?

I’m tackling my guitar challenge. Learning to play the guitar and crossing big parts of North America in an old VW van. I start on the east coast of Canada.

30. What’s the best advice you can give to first time travellers?

Be Social and open. I always say: As long as there are people around there’s never really a problem. Just talk to them and a world will open up.

31. Finally, tell us a funny travel story.. On my tandem adventure through SE Asia, my tandem buddy Clinton and I sat down with some Vietnamese men. They invited us for some beers. We didn’t speak the same language but we understood quickly that we all perfectly spoke ‘the universal language of men’. After a few beers one of the Vietnamese guys got a phone call and signaled everybody to be quiet. Everybody immediately understood it was his wife calling to check on him. Looks were going back and forth between us and we got that he was in ‘trouble’. After he finished the call everybody started laughing… 🙂