Interview with Melissa @A Broken Backpack

Friends here is an interview with my other travel blogger friend, Melissa from a broken backpack.

Me: For the people who don’t know about you, please could you introduce yourself and your blog?

Melissa: I’m Melissa and I blog at abrokenbackpack.com.  I am a French Canadian who decided to go out there and move abroad.  I have been on the road for more than 20 months.  At the moment, I’m back in Canada to visit my family for the very first time. A Broken Backpack is a website about backpacking on a budget, long-term trips and moving abroad.

Melissa from a broken backpack
Melissa

Me: What was the motivation for starting this Blog?

Melissa: I was ready for a new challenge!  I love writing and I have a big passion for the World.  I decided to share my stories and my motivation with you.

Me: What are your favourite destinations? If you had to choose one among them what would that be?

Melissa: I really loved New Zealand and Western Canada!  I have a big crush on mountains! If I had to choose where to settle, I’d probably choose Australia.

Melissa from broken backpack

Me: What tips would you give others about hitchhiking?

Melissa: Being confident is probably one of the most important keys.  The confidence will influence your smile, your trust and your experience.  It’s all about trusting our feelings and to feel confident enough to leave the car if you need to.

Me: Since your blog is about backpacking, could you give us some backpacking tips?

Melissa: Pack light… and lighter… and even lighter!  We normally pack too much stuff and it can be tough on the road.  We need to learn to live with the minimum and keep what really matters.

Me: What do you have to say about traveling on a shoe-string budget?

Melissa: It’s possible!  Obviously, some destinations are budget friendly and some others are unfriendly (laughs).  It’s all about priorities, compromises and experiences.  Travelling is about putting yourself out of your comfort zone.  Surf on a couch, share a dorm, cook yourself, taste the street food and enjoy the free landscapes.

Melissa from a broken backpack

Me: Would you like to say something to women out there about travelling solo?

Melissa: I really do believe solo travel is the best thing I’ve ever done!  I don’t like to compromise on my dreams and on my wish lists.  Having friends and seeing them a couple of hours versus travelling with friends are two different things.  When I travel solo, I spend time with myself, I meet easily new friends and I enjoy the challenge.  I fell in love a year ago in Australia and now I’m sharing the road with another backpacker.  Who knows what could happen?

Me: Any tools you can suggest that other bloggers could use in their first year?

Melissa: I’m now starting to coach new bloggers.  I really love it.  I really think that success comes with hard work (and good content). But, we also need to work smarter (Tribber, StumbleUpon, Canva, Buffer).  Be social, connect with other bloggers and let your passion goes online.

Me: Do you have times when you wonder what to write next, ‘writer’s block’? How do you overcome it?

Melissa: Yes, I do.  I wish I could say no!  I always have a list of the topics I’d like to write about, but I always wait until I get the inspiration for it.  I also choose my battles and where to focus.  At the moment, I’m working on a different project at the same time, so I can focus less on my blog.

Me: Name three hardest things/setbacks that you experienced through your blog?

Melissa: Haters. A down website. Malware.

You need to learn how to let go, change the things you can and accept that you are not a robot… Well, I’m not!

Me:  Any other comments, suggestions, that you would like to add/mention.

Melissa: Don’t compare yourself and don’t focus on numbers… Your time is too precious to waste it!

Me:  Finally, do you have something to say about my blog ‘Best Places of Interest’?

Melissa: Your website covers a lot of different topics related to the nomadic lifestyle, which is great! Good work mate!

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