Mijn beste Vlamingen, Nederlanders, Zuid-Afrikanen, … jullie spreken meestal allemaal een goed woordje Engels, dus deze introductie ga ik niet vertalen. Ik geloof ook helemaal niet in blogs vertalen van de ene taal naar de andere. Schrijven in een taal is uniek, je kan nooit iets op exact dezelfde manier verwoorden als hoe je het oorsponkelijk bedoeld hebt. 🙂
Even when you work full-time, take the opportunity to travel as much as you can, whenever and wherever you can!
Hi! I’m Karen, a Scorpio born in 1988 (the incredible Year of the Dragon 😀 !), raised and working in my home country, Belgium. A small but mighty country, very often and most of the time as crazy as a back door. Nevertheless, try to beat our Belgian chocolate, beer, chocolate, DJ’s, chocolate, festivals, and chocolate…! 😀
I’m a communication/marketing generalist by education, digital marketing/e-commerce specialist by profession (a full-time job) and a passionate world traveler / photographer / dancer by nature.
Why start a travel/lifestyle blog of my own?
Well, for me, I wanted to find something where I can combine multiple passions of mine: travel (obviously), photography, writing in Dutch and English and dancing.
And also, whilst looking for some travel inspiration and information on ‘travel while you’re working’, I didn’t find anything that could take away the feeling I had…
Do you really have to quit your job and leave everything behind just so you have enough time to travel?! Time flies, and then, you die… Better make the most of it.
Or, like this quote I found on a Yogi Tea bag:
The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment.
My destinations
Despite being the size of a breadcrumb on the world map, Belgium has a lot to offer. So whenever I see a chance, I do a little sightseeing in my own country.
I have a love for islands (the ideal spring destinations), but in general, I want to visit every country that has an interesting history, beautiful architecture and/or an abundant nature. 😉 Wherever I go, I try to do these 3 things:
- Sightseeing on and off the beaten track.
- Enjoy local cuisine (Mmm, food! Jeeey for a fast metabolism)
- Go out (loved those Ruin bars in Budapest!)
Being natually curious, I’m open to explore countries I have never ever considered before. In Belgium, there is a very populair and well made tv show called ‘Reizen Waes‘, about a guy who travels to places considered dangerous or that are just unknown as travel destination. He just keeps on adding things to my bucket list! 🙂
So far, I have visited 23 countries:
My travel goal for when I’m 32
32 countries (+Australia, Peru, Bolivia, Cyprus,
Ireland, Vietnam, Mexico, South Africa, Indonesia)
This list is not a fixed plan. 🙂
My travel style
When it comes to how I like to travel, I consider myself to be very flexible, it all depends on the situation. On solo (city)trips and with friends, I usually go for the backpacking experience, staying in hostels. For a trip with my boyfriend, a holiday with my mom and of course on business, I prefer the privacy of a 3*/4* hotel.
Hostels, guesthouses and B&B’s are great for their price and social vibe, hotels are a nice option whenever I want to enjoy the facilities they have to offer in the company of just one or two preferred person(s).
I love to travel by train, especially when it’s a scenic route, taking you past little villages, mountains and forests. When I was little, my preferred way of travelling with my parents was by taking the overnight train from Paris to Switzerland or Spain. You went to sleep in one country and woke up in another, magical moments!
It’s so unfortunate they don’t exist anymore in Belgium! Of course the quickest way (although, quick… taking the train to the airport, check-in, wait for 2 to 3 hours before you can board, boarding takes forever, …) is flying to your destination, but I’m not a huge fan of flying. If I could transport myself to my destination, I would skip the whole flying experience. 😉
Personally, I can recommend exploring a new destination on foot, for example a free city walking tour is a great way to get to know a city and to orientate yourself.
Due to time limitations, I like to be prepared for my trips so I keep in mind what I really want to see and do. Everything else is a bonus. Wandering around and ignoring what your guide book tells you for a couple of hours is also a very enjoyable way to travel according to me. 😉
Enjoying a coffee and warm Apfelstrudel
at the famous Café Central in Vienna
Just spending a couple of hours in a country and talking as many pictures as possible before you leave again is NOT my travel style. I enjoy counting countries (23 so far and counting!), but a stopover in Singapore on your way to Australia does not mean you actually visited Singapore. To travel is to learn and to be open for new experiences, whether you call yourself a backpacker, tourist, sun seeker or traveller, as long as you enjoy what you experience while being respectful.
If you want to know what is on my bucket list, here you go.
My writing style is a personal one
On this blog I want give you travel tips & inspiration, I’ll share what I was feeling while I was there (or here), talk about what you can do, eat, see… and I do it with humor.
Let’s make you dream about your next adventure!
As a Flemish Belgian, I will do it in 2 languages
A good copywriter can write a decent text in every language, once he knows the language and the topic. A great writer is great because he writes about a topic that is close to him. And you’ll get the amazing stuff when you can write about the topics that have a connection to your own heart and soul and in the language(s) that are close to you. For me that’s English and my native language: Flemish Dutch.
For your information: Belgium and the Netherlands are neighbors, but they are so different in so many ways, including the language. But I like their straight forward style.
You can make the most of the work/travel combination, take every opportunity you have. You can find more tips & tricks here. Enjoy reading and most of all: enjoy traveling!
PS: Want to know the meaning behind the name of my blog? Check out this article.
See ya!
Nomadic Travel Bliss 
Coole blog! Leuke manier van schrijven 🙂
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