Last Friday I got a message from Lauren who has the wonderful blog “The helpful hiker”. She gave me the inspiration to one of my weekly rambles and I’ve been enjoying to read about her outdoor adventures in England. She asked me if I’d accept her nomination for the “Liebster Award”. Of course I would! I am so very excited to be nominated for my first blogging award and I’m honored that such a wonderful blogger sent this blog love across the Atlantic my way. Thanks again, Lauren! Here you can read the post with her nomination.
What is the “Liebster Award”?
The “Liebster” is awarded to up and coming bloggers, blogs that are not well known yet and usually have less than a few hundred followers. Once you’ve been nominated and accepted the award you have to write a post to thank the person that nominated you and answer the questions that they asked you. In return you nominate up to 11 blogs and ask them to answer 11 questions and the chain continues.
So, here are Lauren’s questions and my answers:
Where is your favourite place to go for a walk?
I love to walk in the forest, preferably in the foothills or mountains, because I love the smell. I love the Bavarian Alps and the California Sierras. Around here I like walking in the Almaden Quicksilver County Park and Big Basin Redwood State Park.
Luxury traveller or back to basics?
I’m proud to say that I can totally do both. My family and I are passionate campers, well maybe glampers by now (we own a VW European with pop-up roof, but it’s old and a bit shabby), but I also do appreciate a nice hotel and a cocktail poolside, hence I consider myself a very versatile traveller.
Best ever holiday/travel experience?
That is tricky, there are many. One of my Top 5 is probably when I was snorkeling in the Honaunau Bay on Big Island of Hawaii. I was almost about to leave the water, but then I met a huge school of spinner dolphins. They came so close that I could have touched them and it was a very unique and uplifting moment.
Sun or snow?
Easy: Snow! I’ve always been rather a mountain than a beach kind of gal and living in sunny California that suffers from a constant drought makes you really crave some mountains and powder.
The best thing about your hometown?
There are my people and the best nightlife I know. It’s Cologne.
Favourite photo?
This is really difficult. I looked through my pictures quite a while and I have a lot of favorites. I ended up picking this one, because it a very simple, yet expressive photograph that tells a story and for me personally, it was very happy, memorable moment on our Alaska trip 2015.
Proudest accomplishment?
Leaving everything familiar behind and moving to the States. It has changed my life, our lives and has been a series of challenging, fulfilling and happy experiences.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I know that’s lame, but I never really had this “big dream” of becoming a doctor or something else fancy like this. I was an active vaulter from age 11 – 19 and I started coaching vaulting with 15. My own coach was one of my biggest inspirations in my teen years and she inspired me to become a teacher.
Why did you start a blog?
I was looking for a new challenge and I felt the need to share my experiences with others than only family & friends. And I discovered my passion for writing.
Best piece of blogging advice you’ve ever heard?
Often I feel like I have nothing to write about, who would read it anyway? WordPress blogging university says: “If it comes from you — in your voice, from your perspective — it’s original. Cut yourself some slack.” And the founder of wordpress said: “Write for two people. Write for yourself, and for one other person you have in mind, as if writing them a letter.” I like that and it helped my writing.
If you won the lottery today, what would be the first thing you do?
I would rent a cruise ship and invite my family and all my friends from around the world to join me for a 3-week cruise in the Caribbean. Doesn’t that sound so awesome?
And here are my nominations for the Liebster Award:
cooking, gardening, traveling and photographing around the globe
Sabine blogs about all her adventures in the kitchen, outdoors and she takes amazingly colorful pictures.
ramblings from the carrot room
Unorganised comments about life, gin, artichoke dips, cycling and photography. The latter is especially great.
How I fought the Germans and won
Andrew is a journalist and bi-lingual comedian who has spent 18 years in Berlin. His insights into life in Germany and the Germans are very witty and original.
Eva, a lover of life from Cologne, blogs about travel, healthy lifestyle and other beautiful things.
Small World by Stefanie Weiß
Stefanie takes photographs with mini model figures. Very cool.
a pointless meandering through middle age-hood
Kimberley writes beautifully about life as a mom that is over the hill.
A boarding pass is just the beginning, a gateway to an unknown adventure. Jessica shares wonderful travel experiences on her blog, she presents cheap travel, itineraries and travel-related recipes.
And here are my questions:
- Where and when do you blog?
- Give us a link to the post you most enjoyed writing.
- Why did you start blogging?
- Name one of the best places you have ever been.
- What one experience have you had that reminded you the world can be pretty small sometimes?
- Have you decided on your next holiday? Where are you going? If not, where would you like to go?
- What is your favorite thing to do outdoors?
- Four words that describe yourself.
- You have one day all by yourself, nothing on the calendar, what would you do?
- Tell us about your favorite restaurant.
- What is your favorite drink?
Please check out these wonderful, versatile blogs and have a great weekend!
