Visit Never Ending Footsteps to see Lauren’s website!
First off, who are you and what are you all about?
My name is Lauren and I’m a full-time travel writer, blogger, editor and traveller. I’ve been travelling the world for two and a half years and visited 45ish countries.
Where are you from? And where are you currently?
I’m from London, England and I’m currently in Playa del Carmen, Mexico!
What started your interests in travel? What inspires you?
I’ve always had the desire to explore the world, and by desire I mean obsession. Nothing in particular kicked off my interest in travel, I’ve been passionate about it for as long as I remember. I’m inspired by visiting places I’ve spent years dreaming about.
Do you have a “home base” to which you return regularly, or are you more of a continual nomad?
I’m a full-time traveller and don’t have a home base.
How do you afford to travel?
I’m a freelance travel writer and editor.
How much do you budget your trips? What do you spend the most on? The least?
I really don’t budget at all! At the end of each month I calculate how much I’ve spent but that doesn’t really affect what I do the next month, unless I’ve accidentally spent $5000! I guess I probably spend the most on accommodation because I like to rent apartments with well-equipped kitchens and desks to work at — dorm rooms just don’t do it for me anymore. I spend the least on food, opting to eat at street food stalls where possible.
Where are some of your favorite places?
I love Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, The Philippines, Slovenia and New Zealand.
What is your “travel style”?
It’s always evolving. At the moment, I’d label myself as a budget traveller — but one who doesn’t stay in hostels. I stay in private rooms in guesthouses and rent apartments. I travel independently over taking tours and don’t take sponsored trips. I try to travel slowly, too, opting to spend a minimum of a month in a place where possible.
Do you have any crazy stories from your adventures? Any misshapes, or happy tales?
I have so many crazy stories from my adventures — in fact, my misadventures are exactly what I focus on writing about. Over the past three years, I’ve punched a scammer, had a woman die on my boat, had a boat nearly sink, was almost caught in a tsunami, have been attacked by monkeys, accidentally eaten a cockroach, fallen in rice paddies, been abandoned in border towns, had dentists destroy two of my teeth, and so on… I’ve had so much bad luck as I’ve travelled that I’m currently writing a book about it!
What advice do you have for those who wish to follow in your footsteps?
Have an awful lot of patience — I worked 60 hour weeks for about six months before I got anywhere with travel blogging so you shouldn’t expect anything to happen quickly!
TRAVELER ABROAD 