We are delighted to start one of our many new features, ‘Blogger Interviews’, by introducing our very first interview! Lance Wiedower, commonly known around travel blogging circles as the owner of ‘Trips By Lance‘, provides us with some wonderful insight into his ideas and thoughts on traveling!
Please feel free to comment, ask questions and connect with Lance using his various social media fronts listed below.
We would like to give a special THANK YOU to Lance for taking time to interview with us!
Name: Lance Wiedower
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee (USA)
Website: Trips By Lance
Social Media:
- Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/tripsbylance
- Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/tripsbylance
- Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/tripsbylance
- Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/tripsbylance
What is your favorite aspect of traveling and if you are a travel blogger, why did you decide to create your website?
I enjoy being away from home and experiencing what a different place has to offer. I love diving right into a local culture, tasting its food, meeting its people, enjoying the local drink and discovering its history. I’m an old-school newspaper journalist who has always wanted to get into travel writing but I’ve always put it off. Finally in February 2013 I decided to take what had been a hobby trip-planning business and converted my website into a travel blog.
How many continents have you visited?
Two
How many countries have you visited?
1-10
What is your favorite destination in the world and why?
This is really tough to say. I love Paris because, well, it’s Paris. But I love London because I love everything about England. Florence is an amazing city, and I love the beauty found in Tuscany. I can never get enough of New York City. It keeps drawing us back over and over. The people, the food, just being on the streets — I love everything about New York.
If money/time was no object and you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you travel to and why?
First, I would spend time in every European country. I’ve always been fascinated by Europe and I think that goes back to my childhood interest in learning about World War II. In addition to a degree in journalism I also studied history in college, including courses on World War II and the holocaust. My wife’s family lives in England and we visit often. But part of my heritage is German and I’d like to take a deep look at Germany as well as Austria.
Which of the following gadgets do you take on your travels?
Camera and Phone
What is your preferred method of transport?
Air
Complete the following, “Everywhere I go, I visit….”
Bars/pubs! I love to sample local beer and if I only have a few hours in a destination I want to try my best to have a beer at a good local pub.
Here is your chance to sell yourself and your website! Tell us some more information about yourself, what your travel philosophies & future plans are and anything else that people may find interesting to read about…
I’ve been passionate about travel since I was 7 and spent two weeks in Florida on a family vacation. My souvenir? Brochures and lots of them. I took them home and studied every detail, mapping out my next adventure. Well, I wouldn’t get back to Florida for 12 years but that trip was vital in helping me see there was more to the world than my little hometown in Arkansas. We didn’t travel much growing up but once I was off to college I made sure I hit the road as much as possible and have been traveling when I can ever since. My wife and I enjoy traveling to destinations where we can experience local culture.
What does that mean? We look for cities where there is great local food and drink, art, shopping and places of historical significance. And now with a 6-year-old son at home we find ourselves taking him on more of our adventures so he can get a real appreciation for the world and an education he can’t get in the classroom. My blog is about showing readers opportunities to find local culture in the U.S. and beyond, keeping in mind vacation time and budgets aren’t limitless. We look for good deals as well as destinations that can be experienced with limited time. We know as parents that couples getaways are vital for our sanity, and we are also on the lookout for getaways for just the two of us.