Travel Blogger Lauren Will Give You The Best Tips To Make The Most of Your Travel Adventures

“Travel Stars” is an interview series created to get to know people in the travel industry who are making a difference; writers/influencers, producers, and travel executives.

In this article, we had the joy of interviewing Lauren.

Lauren has been traveling the world for 12 years so far. She didn’t have a huge amount of money or savings when she decided she wanted to see the world. At the beginning, for the five years that she was at university, Lauren made travel her priority and was able to save £15,000 ($24,000) over those five years. That was enough to keep her on the road for two years. Now, twelve years later, she has already visited over 100 countries and even found love along the way.

Check out this amazing interview with Lauren.

Tell us a little bit about yourself – where are you from? Where did you grow up?

Sure! My name is Lauren and I’m originally from a small town in the U.K. called Staines-Upon-Thames. It’s around half an hour from central London, but couldn’t be more different!

I spent the entirety of my pre-travel life there, and while it was a perfectly nice place to grow up, it wasn’t particularly exciting!

Can you remember what first got you interested in the world of travel? and why?
I realized from a young age that I was always happiest when I was away from home. I was absolutely that person who had a calendar affixed to their wall so they could count down the days until their next holiday.

I quickly found that I loved discovering new destinations and learning about the people who lived there. As soon as I returned home, then, I would sink into a deep depression when I realized I would need to wait an entire year until I could venture somewhere else. I was forever daydreaming about where I might travel next.

When I started university, I remember coming across the concept of a gap year and immediately being enthralled. I had no idea that there were people out there who spent an entire year exploring the planet – it sounded incredible. I began to research and soon stumbled across my very first travel blog.

The rest was history. I was so inspired that I set about making my dream a reality. I took on three jobs, sold everything I owned, and started a travel blog. Then, once I graduated with my degree, I left the U.K. on a one-way ticket.

Within months, I had turned my blog into a profitable business. It was at that point that I realized if I didn’t want to go home, I didn’t have to.

Twelve years later and I can’t believe that traveling the world is my career.

In the next year, If you could only visit one place for one week, where would it be?
The country that’s right at the top of my travel wishlist right now would have to be Egypt. I used to be obsessed with Ancient Egypt when I was younger, so getting to see all of those incredible monuments with my own eyes would be a thrilling experience. Hopefully, I’ll get there soon!

What are some of the top places you enjoyed visiting the most? Why?
I’ll give you the top three: Namibia, India, and Tonga.

I loved the sense of solitude you gain when traveling across Namibia. It’s one of the least densely populated countries in the world, where you can drive for hours without seeing a single person or building. And yet, it has so much to offer visitors, from towering sand dunes to herds of elephants to an abandoned mining town that’s now being reclaimed by the desert.

Another one of my favorite countries is India. There’s nowhere in the world quite like this magnificent place. Travelling there means encountering a true bombardment of your senses, as you’re surrounded by unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells, chaos and charm, and world-class monuments that you’ve never even heard of. As an added bonus, it’s home to the best cuisine in the world.

Tonga rounds off my top three countries by being home to the best beaches in the world. And because barely anybody visits this island nation, you can have those pristine white sands all to yourself. Throw in a fascinating culture and history, welcoming locals, and the ability to swim with migrating humpback whales, and you’ve got yourself a wonderful country to travel through.

Can you share a funny story that happened to you while traveling?
A story that always makes me giggle is the time I forgot my passport while traveling in Myanmar.

Now, something you need to know about me is that I always keep my passport close by. I mean, I’m a travel writer: it’s absolutely my most valuable possession.
And yet, for some reason, on that fateful Tuesday morning in Myanmar, I didn’t bother to check that my passport was in my bag. I’d been traveling for three years at that point and my passport had always been where I kept it, which was the front pocket of my daypack. Why would it have been anywhere else?

Except, I had somehow managed to forget that it had fallen under my bed the night before. Instead of immediately putting it back in my bag, I had made a mental note to retrieve it before checking out the following day.

Spoiler: I did not, in fact, retrieve it before checking out.

I made my discovery when I was sitting in an overcrowded pick-up truck on my way to the local bus stop, surrounded by well-traveled backpackers. That was embarrassing. I notified the driver that I’d forgotten my passport, but to my horror, he refused to drive back to my hotel to pick it up.

Instead, he motioned for me to climb out of his truck and walk.

Yikes.

But what else could I do? I grabbed my bag, climbed over the thirty-odd travelers who were crammed in the back of the truck, and began to run.
I turned the corner to the street that my hotel was on, and a local began to call out to me.

“Lady is running!” he shouted in my direction. “Lady is running!”
And then my pants fell down.

I knew it had been a mistake to wear my leggings with the worn-out elastic.
When I entered the reception area of the hotel, the waistband of my pants clenched firmly in my fist, the owner of the property cheered and raised my passport above his head in a celebratory salute.

My ordeal was far from over, however: there was just one bus a day to my next destination, and it was due to leave in just ten minutes. I needed a taxi, and I needed one fast.

Unfortunately, it was still early in the morning, and the streets were void of traffic. The owner of the hotel noticed my predicament and jumped on his motorcycle to try to find a taxi driver for me.

Two lessons I learned early on in my travels are that everything usually works out in the end, and people are kind. Once more, those beliefs were realized, as the owner saved the day for me: he found me a taxi in no time at all, and somehow, I managed to make it to the bus station with minutes to spare.

Let’s just say that the third lesson I learned was to always check that I have my passport.

What was one of your more popular posts in the last year? And why do you think it caught on?
Over the past year, I’ve been surprised by how much my guide on how to start a travel blog has taken off. So many people are starting travel blogs this year and it’s been a pleasure to see.

I think this all comes down to a blend of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. After several years of lockdowns and isolation, we’re all craving to make up for lost time when it comes to travel. There’s so much demand for it right now!

But rising prices across the globe are making travel less accessible for everyone. So what to do when you’re desperate to travel but can’t quite afford it? Start a travel blog!

I’m seeing travel lovers start websites in their droves, looking to find a way to fund their travel addictions while building a life that revolves around exploration and adventure.

What are 3 tips for traveling the world safely? And Affordably?

I’ll start with the safety tips:

1. Dress like a local (within reason): When you’re traveling in less safe cities, the scammers and pickpockets are looking for people who stand out. They’re looking for victims whose outfits and vibe scream out that they’re a tourist. To avoid becoming a target, walk with your head held high, as though you stroll these streets every day of your life. Look to the locals, or the expats, to see how they dress: by mirroring their outfits, you’ll give the impression that you live there, too.
2. Be mindful of your drinking: Part of the fun of travel can be trying new foods and drinks, but it’s important to stay careful when it comes to alcohol. Be cautious of accepting drinks from strangers, and always keep an eye on your own glass to prevent anyone from tampering with it. If you do decide to drink, pace yourself and know your limits to avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable position.
3. Carry a doorstop: I always travel with a doorstop, as I’ve found it to be a simple but effective tool for securing my room and giving me peace of mind. I wedge mine under the door while I’m sleeping or hanging out in my room in order to prevent anyone from being able to enter. I once had a stranger attempt to break into my hotel room in Mozambique and resolved to always carry a doorstop ever since.

And when it comes to saving money:

1. Avoid traveling in peak season: Travelling during the off-season can be a great way to save money, as prices for flights, accommodation, and activities are often far lower than they are during busier travel periods. Most recently, I traveled to Singapore in the low season and scored a $300-a-night hotel for just $100! I rarely travel to destinations during peak times and it always makes my trips a little easier on my wallet.
2. Make lunch your biggest meal: I often overeat when I travel, as there are always so many delicious local delicacies to try! To save money, I make lunch my largest meal of the day. Many restaurants offer lunchtime specials where their dishes are priced lower than they would be in the evening. By the time dinner rolls around, I’m usually still pretty full, so I head to the local night markets to snack on tasty (and inexpensive) street food.
3. Keep your dates flexible: I can’t believe how much the price of a flight can vary over a single month. In some cases, I’ve seen prices double by simply changing my departure date to a day later. If it’s at all possible, keep your travel dates flexible and take a look at the cost of flights and accommodation across an entire month. It’s such a simple way to save money.

You have many Travel goals. What is your top travel goal for this year? And why?
I’d love to get to South America. Despite having traveled for the better part of 12 years and having visited 100-odd countries over that time, I still haven’t stepped foot on the continent.

It really is about time I changed that.

Where are you planning to travel next? and why?
I’m about to set off on my first big trip of the year! I’ll be spending the next three months exploring rural South Korea, basing myself in London for a month, walking the 100-mile Wicklow Way in Ireland, then recovering from it all in beautiful Mauritius!

When I’m not traveling, I maintain a home base in Melbourne, Australia, but I’m committed to avoiding its cold winter months and heading north each and every year. Mostly, these trips are about seeing my family, but I always squeeze in some interesting layovers (South Korea and Mauritius, in this case!) along the way.

What are you doing now (or about to do) that you are excited about? Do you have any new projects?
I do have a new project! I launched a brand new travel website last month called Everything Victoria. Last year, when my partner and I moved to Melbourne, we soon discovered there was a real lack of in-depth information on travel in the state of Victoria.

I’ve been running Never Ending Footsteps for 12 years now, and it’s been my sole focus over that time, so it feels exciting to be trying something new. Running a resource site is quite different to a narrative travel blog, and I’m enjoying building up a new skill set. My dream is to achieve the same success with Everything Victoria that I have with my travel blog, and I’d love to inspire more people to travel to this beautiful corner of Australia.

Thanks for joining and sharing with us your journey and these valuable tips on traveling, Lauren!

If you want to know more about Lauren, here is where you can find her:
Never Ending Footsteps Blog