Weekly Wanderlust is AllSole’s summer-long series of interviews with our favourite travel bloggers. From unique travelling tales to tips on what to take and where to explore next, Weekly Wanderlust is a hub of discussion designed to intrigue and inspire you onto your next adventure.
In our inaugural interview we chatted to Matthew Pike, the man behind the award-winning menswear, lifestyle and travel blog Buckets & Spades. Last week we sat down with Sophee Southall, the lady at the reigns of travel blog Sophee Smiles which details Sophee’s escapades abroad including her year-long overland trip from Singapore to London.
This week we are chatting to Amy Liddell, the lady at the helm of popular fashion, travel and lifestyle blog Salt and Chic. Currently based in her university town of Durham, when she is not studying for her Law degree Amy enjoys exploring destinations near and far before reporting back with tales and tips on her multi-award-winning blog Salt and Chic. Her list of previous destinations includes Rome, New York, Zadar, Cairo and now Paris from where she has just returned from a trip to Disneyland.
- Question: What has been your most memorable travel destination and why?
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Answer:
It has to be Egypt because of all of the adventures I had while I was there. My boyfriend and I went into Cairo for the day and went inside one of the Pyramids of Giza, saw the Sphinx and the treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb. I remember learning about all of these things back in primary school so to see them actually in real life was just breathtaking!
- Question: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
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Answer:
I’d love to live somewhere in Italy mainly because of the food! I could live off pizza and pasta. Italy is just absolutely full of history and beautiful art—I’d love it!
- Question: What are three key objects you could not do without while travelling?
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Answer:
Obviously my camera is a must-have item—I just love capturing the memories and sticking them in my travel journal (and on Instagram of course!). Plasters has got to be another essential as I tend to walk a lot whilst I’m away and when teamed with the very inappropriate footwear I always choose to wear (walking 10 miles in heeled platforms is not a good idea…) I always get blisters! Finally, my other travel essential is dry shampoo. My hair would just be a disaster without it!
- Question: What is the strangest thing you have seen or encountered while on your travels?
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Answer:
I went scuba diving for the first time last year and almost accidentally touched a stonefish! That was such a bizarre thing to see as they’re the strangest looking fish I’ve ever seen; they just look like rocks with angry faces, but as they’re one of the most venomous types of fish in the world you have to be really careful! They’re the weirdest looking creatures.
Weekly Wanderlust #1: Matthew Pike of Buckets & Spades
Weekly Wanderlust is AllSole's summer-long interview series with our favourite travel bloggers. This week we catch up with Matthew Pike, the man behind popular menswear and lifestyle blog Buckets & Spades. We chat to Mat about his travels in Japan, travel essentials and surreal experiences abroad.
- Question: What was the tastiest/strangest food you have tried while abroad?
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Answer:
In Croatia last year I tried octopus and I actually really liked it. I didn’t think I was going to because it still had the tentacles and suckers on (*bork*) but if you can forget about that it’s actually really tasty! I’m not a picky eater at all and will try most things, but I love it when you think you’re going to really hate something and it ends up being delicious. That’s something that happens quite often abroad!
- Question: What is your perfect book or magazine for travelling?
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Answer:
Harry Potter without a doubt. I take at least one Harry Potter book everywhere with me and even though I’ve read each one over 50 times since I was a small child, they’re just my perfect travelling companions. One of the holiday reps saw me reading it by the pool last year and challenged me to a HP quiz off—oh boy, did he regret that!
- Question: How do you feel your travels have informed your life?
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Answer:
I just think travelling enriches your life in a way that nothing else can. I love experiencing and learning about different cultures and really seeing how other countries live, tasting their foods, learning about their beliefs and walking through their history. There’s really nothing quite like it and I could just spend the rest of my life visiting different countries!
- Question: You can only take one pair of shoes in your hand luggage; what are the one pair of shoes you cannot do without while travelling?
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Answer:
I still like to wear stylish outfits while I’m travelling and have never been one for dressing down in loungewear. It’s been my mission to find the perfect pair of comfy ankle boots to take with me. I eventually found them last year and they’re a patent black pair with a small two inch heel. Although the word “heel” may install feelings of terror in some travellers, they’re actually really comfy and go with most outfits I take with me!
Weekly Wanderlust #2: Sophee Southall of Sophee Smiles
Weekly Wanderlust is AllSole’s summer-long series of interviews with some of our favourite travel bloggers. This week we chat to Sophee Smiles about her year-long adventure from Singapore to London, including travel tips, anecdotes and... frog porridge!
- Question: What is the perfect bag for travelling?
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Answer:
I always take backpacks with me! They’re big enough to fit everything in (which is surprising when you carry two cameras, two lenses, purse, make up bag… you know it!) and they don’t make your shoulder ache halfway through the day either. I took a lovely black leather one for my recent trip to Disneyland which was perfect for going on all of the rides!
Our thanks to Amy for taking part in Weekly Wanderlust. You can read about Amy’s latest travels including her trip to Disneyland Paris plus all her fashion tips on her blog Salt and Chic.
You can also follow Amy on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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