The 2016 Liebster Award

We were nominated by The Married Wanderers for the Liebster Award! So what does that mean? The Liebster award is an award made by travel bloggers for travel bloggers. This is a great way for the community to connect and discover new blogs!

If you are nominated for the Award then these are the rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their site on your blog.
• Display the award on your blog.
• Answer their 11 questions about yourself.
• Nominate 5-10 other bloggers for the award and inform them via social media (the nominees have to have less than 3000 followers).
• Create your own set of questions for your nominees.
• Enjoy winning an award and pass this great feeling onto someone else!

The Married Wanderers asked us questions and here are our responses:

Liebster Award Questions & Answers

If you had to describe your blog as a niche – what niche would you fall under?

A practical and real couple that loves to travel. We are not one of the travel blogs that has been able to drop everything and travel full time. We both have jobs and have shaped our life around the desire to travel. Despite being bogged down by students loans (in America) we are not sacrificing a standard of living by living in Cape Town, South Africa. We both admit that our Instagram and blog photos are not the most glamorous, but that is because we take pictures of us that are mostly unposed and in the moment. We don’t set up photoshoots and get stylised because we are not super glamorous people in real life. We want to show that if we have hiked a mountain- we probably look like we have hiked a mountain!

So I guess- unglamorous couple that has shaped our life around travel 🙂

What is the best view point you have been to?

We can’t narrow it down to one so we will list our top two!

First, the deck at a random backpacker in Shamvura, Namibia. This deck was overlooking the Okavango River and onto Angola. This was a place of peace and holds a special place for us because it is the trip that solidified our relationship.

Second, Pyramid Point in northern Michigan, USA. You are on a sand dune/cliff that overlooks Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. This place is so unbelievably beautiful and one would never think to find that place in Michigan. Northern Michigan is also special to us because that is where we got engaged!

*I guess our favourite views are beautiful as well as sentimental!

What is your favourite travel hack/tip?

Using the map feature in Skyscanner.com is a great way to find the cheapest flight into the general region to where you would like to go. Though we do not book our flights through Skyscanner.com, that is where we begin our initial research as it shows us all of the airlines and their most competitive pricing!

What is your top tip for couples who travel together?

Identify and play to each other’s strengths. For example, Max is great at coming up with the overall plan and picking the hotspots that we need to visit in each location. Leeann is detail oriented and makes sure that all of the logistics are in place.

Also, just like with any relationship, communication is key. If one part of the couple is frustrated, tired, or confused in any way that needs to be discussed. It is easy when traveling to put basic needs aside to get everything on the itinerary done, but it is important to take care of yourself and partner!

What or where is your next travel destination or trip?

We are headed to Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park in the next week! This is an often overlooked park that has a lot of animals to offer. It is in South Africa and Botswana, but also is directly next to Namibia. We are hoping to see lots of Big Cats! One of Leeann’s good friends is coming from America so we need to show her a good time! Stay tuned for pictures and posts to follow!

Who do you look up to the most in the traveling community and why?

Our overall favourite is Mr. Ben Brown. He vlogs and Instagrams as well as making film shorts. He captures the essence of every location while providing video that is second to none. His travel makes us want to travel to those locations. For example, he recently went to the Arctic and though we HATE the cold- suddenly we were overwhelmed with the urge to fly north. He truly brings an artistic competent that few others manage to do.

Additional: Mr. George Benson because he is absolutely hilarious.

What is your favourite excursion you have done?

Hands down, the Inca Trail in Peru. Though it was one of most rigorous things we have ever done (mostly because of the altitude and altitude sickness), it was the most rewarding. Ending the hike at Machu Picchu was something that we will never forget. Moreover, it was our honeymoon trip which made it all the more special. We don’t think that we would have appreciated the history and the gravity of Machu Picchu without seeing everything along the trail. To fully get the experience, one needs to hike the Inca Trail.

What is your biggest concern about leaving your hometown or stable life to travel?

We are lucky in that even though we moved, we still have a home base in Cape Town, South Africa. That move was hard because we left our friends and family back in Michigan (America), but we knew this was the right move for us because off our history and where we want to go in life. Our future begins with Cape Town and beyond that, we are excited to find out!

What has been your most amazing animal encounter on your travels?

In Botswana, as we were driving down the main highway, we saw a lone African Wild Dog running alongside the road. We slowed to his pace and went along with him on his run for at least 5 kilometres. Not only are African Wild Dogs one of the rarest mammals in Africa, they are usually not alone as they live in a pack. It was special because he allowed to get close and did not seem bothered at all by our presence. The African Wild Dog is also one of Max’s favourite animals because of their running skills!

What is your favourite travel dish and where can we go eat it?

As Max’s #1 priority for travel is seeking good food, this is a hard question to answer. We can’t narrow it down to one dish, so we will narrow it down to one meal. In Tangier, Morocco, Saveur de Poisson was a humble establishment that served the meal that will never be forgotten. There was a prix fixe menu which was scary at first, but ended up being delightful. Read our full review here. If you go to Tangier, do not skip over this gem!

Our Liebster Award Nominees

• Uncovering Eden
  • His website was useful, content was helpful, and he has a similar desire to eventually leave his day job to travel! We haven’t had a chance to travel Asia yet, so we lived vicariously through all of his posts!
• A Blonde and A Beard
  • They are also a couple who lives in Cape Town, South Africa whose posts have been helpful in determining activities to do and places to go in Cape Town!
• Clara on the Road
  • Loved her website offers multiple languages. Definitely getting an insider perspective on Europe and her Instagram has beautiful photos! We need to get to Italy!
• WenAbroad
  • Love the unique posts on sailing, her website is easy to navigate, and she has great content! Beautiful photographs as well! Also love the creativity of the blog’s name!
• Flight of the Educator
  • Lots of great content with very useful tips. Leeann has an education background so we identify with that view. Bases life around travel but still has a day job!

Liebster Award Questions for Our Nominees

1. How would you describe your traveling style? (Ex: budget friendly or make no compromises)
2. What is your long term plan with travel blogging?
3. What are some places you would like visit but can’t due to current political situations?
4. What destination that you have visited surprised you the most and why?
5. What advice would you give those that are afraid to travel internationally?
6. What hobbies do you have outside of traveling?
7. How do you balance life on the road while staying healthy and fit?
8. What is your defining travel moment that set you down this path of travel?
9. Urban or rural travel? Why?
10. Do you have any meal suggestions that you wouldn’t find on TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, Yelp, etc?

Travel on <3