Christy and Scott started their blog, Ordinary Traveler, “to inspire ordinary people, like ourselves, to take life by the reins and fulfill their dreams of travel no matter what situation they are in.” And this is why I admire them. They are doing what they love with no excuses, and documenting it by writing and photographing their adventures then sharing it with others who would love to do the same. Their motto, “Make it a Great Adventure,” is inspiring to anyone who wants to write, travel and enjoy life.—Tracey Ceurvels
Scott + Christy: When we first got the idea to start a travel blog, we began reading other blogs and began to realize many of the popular blogs were written by people who had quit their jobs to travel for an extended period of time. We wanted our blog’s mission statement and title to show people that you don’t have to quit your job in order to travel. We have been working and traveling for years and continue to visit amazing places all over the world.
Tracey: How do you fit in travel around your ordinary life?
Scott + Christy: We make travel a priority. Otherwise, it would be easy to get caught up in our day to day lives and before we know it a year has passed and we haven’t left our little bubble. We also tend to go a little stir crazy when we haven’t traveled for a couple of months, so that gives us motivation to plan another trip. We take a lot of weekend trips and take advantage of all holidays, sick days and vacation time. It’s not uncommon for us to take two to three week long trips a year and at least one weekend adventure every month.
Tracey: What was your first overseas destination together and where did you go?
Scott + Christy: Our first overseas adventure together took place about 8 months after we met and we decided on Costa Rica. We are both surfers, so we wanted to experience Costa Rican waves as well as the cuisine and beautiful scenery. Costa Rica will always hold a special place in our hearts. Even though we generally don’t visit a country more than once (because there are so many we want to see) we almost booked a second trip to Costa Rica this year, but decided on Panama instead.
Tracey: You are also photographers. How does taking photographs enhance your travel experience or indeed hinder, carrying heavy equipment, for example?
Scott + Christy: I love taking photos and I also love that we have hundreds of photographs to remember our trips, but sometimes I can go a little overboard with it. I find myself spending a good portion of our travels snapping photos instead of just enjoying the moment. I also notice that most of the photos I have of myself include me with a camera around my neck or a camera backpack on my back. I never go anywhere without it, but sometimes I wish that I could leave it back at the hotel.
Bringing professional camera equipment does get heavy and it doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for clothes or other items.
Tracey: Do you have advice for someone with limited time who wants to travel?
Scott + Christy: Our advice would be to take small trips close to where you live. You can cover a lot of ground in a couple of days and many times people overlook destinations close to home. Start there and then if you can manage to get a week off from work, that’s all you need to take an overseas trip.
Tracey: How do you write? Do you keep notes and type it up later or do you remember your experience and write it up later?
Scott + Christy: I guess it depends. Sometimes I’m really inspired and words are flowing during a trip and sometimes I don’t get the inspiration until I come home and let everything soak in.
Tracey: Is there a single destination that has inspired you more than any other?
Scott + Christy: Nepal definitely inspired me as a photographer and a writer. I was continually amazed at the kindness of the Nepali people. I went there to challenge my portrait photography skills and came back extremely happy with the photos. It’s been a dream of mine to visit this country ever since I was a child. It’s like a force was pulling me there, but every time I looked up flight prices they were in the $2,000 range. It seemed expensive unless I could stay there for a month or longer.
I happened upon a $1200 flight from the US in early 2011. Scott couldn’t go on this trip, so I decided to go on my own. The trip challenged me on many different levels, but I am grateful for the lessons and experiences. I wrote a post about the Nepali people if you are interested http://www.ordinarytraveler.com/articles/i-see-the-light-in-you
Tracey: Is there a destination that has not met your expectations?
Scott + Christy: Hmm.. that is a tough question. We try not to have expectations when traveling because travel is full of surprises. Especially budget travel. If I had to choose a destination that surprised us the most, it would be Vietnam. We met a lot of travelers throughout Southeast Asia who warned us not to go to Vietnam. They said the people are not friendly and they will try to rip you off everywhere you go. Luckily, we ignored their pleas and ended up encountering some of the most friendly and helpful Vietnamese people during our stay in the country.
Tracey: What are your favorite meals around the world?
Scott + Christy: I’m not as adventurous as Scott when it comes to food. I love trying new things, as long as they are not bugs or weird animals, but I’m not always impressed with food from different parts of the world. Thai, Vietnamese and Caribbean cuisine are some of our favorites. I am always down to try a new fruit though, especially tropical fruits.
Tracey: What do you have planned next?
Scott + Christy: We have a lot of weekend trips planned as well as a surf trip to Panama.
Scott and Christy are surfers and photographers who run an inspiring travel blog where they provide tips to others who want to fulfill their dreams of travel, no matter what situation they are in. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter or view their travel photography portfolio.
I am all over this! What an amazing interview. I love learning about people that are drawn to travel and learn. Also, those that emerge themselves in the culture of the people, that get their hands dirty in the rustic as well as the glamour of it all. We learn so much, even about ourselves when we see another land and actually intertwine ourselves with the foundation of it. Also, the idea of American’s traveling around the globe warms my heart since, we’re in most cases so far from the many parts of the world.
This post reminds me of how much I need to stretch my wings and travel for “fun” and for the experience of getting to know a new place and a new culture. I tend to spend a lot of time attaching trips to family obligations or brain-filling business development opportunities. Perhaps it’s time for a shift. . .
What an inspiring post! I love what Scott + Christy are up to and I love how you brought them into this space to share, Tracey. What a fascinating interview: I especially loved how Scott + Tracey went to Vietnam despite the warnings, and ended up loving it. You get what you look for, in my experience, and it seems that these two amazing people are looking for a beautiful adventure!