The Travel Bloggers of the Month for July are sisters from This Wild Romance. They are Sydney and Shelby Vogl.
According to Sydney, she and her sister view traveling as a mix of love and adventure.
“We look at travel as a great romance, an epic adventure. It is a romance that we have both had our entire lives,” she said. “The site isn’t cut and paste ‘Top Ten’ lists. It is passion, it is full of what we find beautiful and wild about travel.”
Their writing style can be described as “talking with our best friend.”
“We want to make our readers feel comfortable and connected,” Sydney said. “Our blog is as personal as it gets. We try to keep it real.”
For the full interview with Sydney Vogl from This Wild Romance, continue reading below.
1. Tell us something about yourself not many people know about you?
When my sister and I were little, my Swedish step-grandmother’s relatives came to visit. They were two men, probably in their early twenties (Shelby and I were in our teens). We were absolutely smitten by them! We decided right then that we would move to Sweden and find Swedish husbands. It became a running joke in our family. Who would have guessed that Shelby would have actually succeeded in that plan?
2. What is your blog called and what sets it apart from other travel blogs?
Our blog is called This Wild Romance. What sets it apart is all in the name. We look at travel as a great romance, an epic adventure. It is a romance that we have both had our entire lives. The site isn’t cut and paste ’ top ten’ lists. Its passion, its full of what we find beautiful and wild about travel.
3. Why should people check out your travel blog?
My sister and I try to write as if we were talking to our best friend. We want to make our readers feel comfortable and connected. Our blog is as personal as it gets, we try to keep it real.
Sydney exploring Stockholm just 40 minutes away from where Shelby lives with her.
4. How long have you been blogging?
We are total newbies! We only just started blogging sixth months ago, but we have been writing our entire lives.
5. Why did you decide you want to be a travel blogger?
One night, I was lying in my bed in Copenhagen, Denmark and I couldn’t sleep. I got so overwhelmed with the idea of getting a job after graduation that would have me chained to a desk. I got out my notebook and the ideas just started flowing. This was right at the tail end of my year living in Denmark, and I just knew I wanted to tell my story. I immediately called my sister and begged her to take this adventure with me, and of course being the amazing woman she is, she said yes.
6. What is the hardest part about being a travel blogger?
For me, I think the hardest part about travel blogging is to stay motivated without recognition. With our blog being fairly new, it can be a struggle to keep putting articles out there that you have poured your heart into, only to have a few hundred people reading it. I know that sounds like a lot but believe me, in the blogosphere, its a thimbles worth.
ATV-ing throughout the beautiful island of Santorini, Greece.
7. And what is the best part about being a travel blogger?
Having a space to share my stories. A hard thing about being an avid traveller is that by the time you get home, your friends have already seen all your Instagram pictures and twitter updates that they think they’ve heard it all already. It just feel pretentious to keep starting a story with, “When I was in (insert name of awesome country)…” The site gives my sister and I a place to share our story, and our hope is to inspire others to live the life of their dreams.
8. What are the top three things you always bring with you in your travels?
1) Headphones! Music is my life, I can’t go anywhere without it. 2) Dry Shampoo (sometimes you just can’t handle those gross hostel showers, and you can’t be walking around with greasy hair. 3) My favorite sweater. Its old, its stretched out, and its got holes in it, but no plane ride is complete without it.
9. What is the craziest thing you’ve done while traveling?
My two friends and I got drunk off of tequila, and at 5 AM we decided to walk to the pier and watch the sunset (mind you it was March in Denmark, so it was freezing out). We got there having just finished the bottle, and thought it would be a good idea to jump in the water. In March. In Denmark. At 5 AM.
Shelby and Sydney on a night out in London, England.
10. Do you have another travel blogger you get inspiration from? Who is it and what is the name of their blog? How does this person inspire you?
Absolutely! I am obsessed with finding new travel bloggers to aspire to, females especially. I’m obsessed with Brooke Saward, of World Of Wanderlust. Her blog is actually what inspired me to go after blogging.
11. Share to us your favourite travel hack?
Find a local. Always find a local! No matter how many different strings you pull, or people you have to get through. It is always so much better to get the locals perspective. They will show you way more than LonelyPlanet ever could.
12. Where was your last travel destination? Tell us all about it!
Santorini, Greece. It was absolutely incredible. So much sunshine, the most beautiful sunsets. I played in the ocean for HOURS and never got cold. I spent a whole day riding around on an ATV and enjoying the view.
13. Where are you going next? What are you most looking forward to on this trip?
In August, I plan to explore Asia. It’s always been a dream of mine to make it to Thailand, so I’m probably most excited for that. I also plan to make it to Indonesia, I hear the surfing there is incredible!
