Ali Garland is a avid traveler and has set foot on all 7 continents across the world. She has already traveled to more than  35 countries and that before turning 30. She shares her travel experiences on her lovely blog AliAdventures and has a very simple and elegant way of writing. I am personally a big fan of her blog and make it a point to catch up with her articles on regular basis.

What I really love about her blog is that not only does she share her travel experiences with some great photographs, but also gives in depth details of what expenses she incurred on each trip and on what aspect of travel one could further save. So It becomes easy for a traveler on a shoestring budget to select the destinations to suit the available budget. Ali was has been very kind to take some time out of her busy scheduled and talk to us about her blog. Read on to get her point of view:




Ali, please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I'm Ali! I'm originally from the US, but I've been living in Germany for almost a year now. I met my husband, an American living in Germany, through Twitter and our travel blogs. I recently returned from a 5 month round the world trip, and now I'm looking for German classes so I can learn the language of my new home. I'm addicted to travel, which has brought me to all 7 continents before my 30th birthday, and I'm always planning the next trip. You can follow me on my blog at http://aliadventures.com, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aliadventures7, and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/aliadventures.


How did you come up with the concept of Aliadventures.com? What was it that got you into travelling?

I started my blog as a way to enjoy travel when I wasn't actually traveling. It was also a way to meet other people who understood my passion for travel. It's a fun way to relive past trips and dream about the next ones. I think traveling got me into traveling. I had a teacher when I was 14 who organized 10 day tours of Europe, so I went. I ended up going 3 years in a row because I enjoyed learning about other cultures and seeing the history right in front of my eyes.


Is travel blogging an expensive proposition? On an average how much can you expect to spend in a day?

Just having a travel blog isn't expensive. Buying a domain name and setting up the hosting costs roughly US$100 per year. Beyond that, any expenses would be if you decide purchase a theme instead of using a free one, and then if you want to buy a better camera or something. It's the traveling part that costs money. But you can be a travel blogger about your own city and never leave home if that's what you're passionate about. Travel expenses vary so widely based on where you're going, it's hard to give any useful average.

Santorini Sunset

What are some of the tips that you would like to give our readers to make their travel experience more fulfilling?

Slow down. Don't try to squeeze in too many places in a short period of time. I did that a few times, and got burnt out pretty quickly. Make sure you add in time for just relaxing and soaking in the place you're visiting. Also, talk to people, other travelers, locals, whoever. Half the fun of traveling is the connections you make with other people, not just the sights you see.



When you are not travelling and writing about it, what other activities do you enjoy?

I really enjoy photography, and I recently bought a new camera, so I'm spending time just wandering around town taking pictures. I'm also trying to find the perfect salsa recipe. I love Mexican food, especially salsa, and I haven't found good Mexican food in Germany. So I've decided I'll just have to figure out how to make my own!

Great Ocean Road 12 Apostles

How do you decide on the destination to travel to?  I am sure word-of-mouth recommendations for destinations play an important part. What other factors do you consider when choosing a destination?

I read a lot of other travel blogs, so sometimes I'll see a place someone else has been to that looks interesting, and I'll do a little more research on it. I try to consider what kind of traveler I am. Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu sounds really cool, but I know I'm not the type of person who would enjoy hiking in the wilderness for 4 days with no bathrooms and having to camp on the ground. So when I do plan a trip to Machu Picchu, I will take the train. You should try to be realistic about your likes and dislikes and your comfort level when planning a trip.


You have travelled to so many parts of the world. Though it would be difficult, but according to you what is that 'must-see-once-in-a-lifetime' place that you would recommend for a person interested in traveling?

That really is a hard question to answer! Antarctica was absolutely amazing. Beautiful, peaceful, serene. And don't forget the penguins! But I thought Easter Island was fantastic too. The island is pretty, there's lots of mystery involved with the Moai statues, and the people are friendly. It's another one of those things that comes down to your likes and interests. "Once in a lifetime" means something different for everyone.

Antarctica

What is the dream destination that you have not been to yet? When do you plan to undertake that journey?

The list of places I want to visit but haven't is ever-growing! I studied Spanish in school, so I learned about different Spanish-speaking countries. One place that has always fascinated me is Machu Picchu, but I haven't made it there yet. I'm hoping my husband and I can go there next year, but no firm plans yet.


If you could have one superhero (or magical) power, what would it be and why?

Teleportation would be nice, that way I could go back to the States to visit my friends and family easily, and I would have easy access to my favorite salsa. It also would make traveling all over the world a lot easier. Sitting on a plane, or multiple planes, for hours can seem like endless torture.


Thank you Ali for taking the time for this interview, your adventures are truly inspiring. :)