If you have ever googled anything related to “travel” and “budgeting” you will have most likely seen this name.
I remember when I first came across Nomadic Matt, it was when I first started traveling and took notice of how people documented their adventures online. Since then, I frequently visit his site for tips and destination inspiration. I also feel fortunate he agreed to put up an interview on my site!
Here’s my interview with Nomadic Matt! It’s a quick, lighthearted interview and it might answer a few of your travel related questions.
Why did you start your travel blog?
I started my travel blog for the same reasons I think most people do: to document my trips and share my stories with people back home. On top of that, I also wanted to be a travel writer. I thought a blog might be a good place to showcase my skills while I sought out publications to write for (I really wanted to write for Lonely Planet). Eventually, the website took off and I ended up just writing my own guidebooks. So in a way, I sort of accidentally became a blogger. Before I knew it, years had gone by and I was making a full time living from the website!
When did you start your travel blog?
I started blogging back in 2008. My website was ugly and I almost picked a terrible name (my original blog name was going to be “Matt Does the World”) but fortunately, some friends talked me into Nomadic Matt instead. Back then, there were not really many travel blogs so it was kind of a novelty. But, as the internet grew, and blogging became more mainstream, I was able to change my design a few times and started to take things more seriously. Pretty much everyone has a blog these days, so the scene is a lot different now than from when I started out!
Did you ever envision that Nomadic Matt would have this kind of influence and reputation when starting?
Not at all! I started out using blogging as a means to get into travel writing; it was just sort of a hobby. It wasn’t until a couple years into things when I started to realize that there was potential for “Nomadic Matt” to actually become a business. I started to focus on my website more, making it my primary project. I was teaching in Thailand at the time and spent every waking hour outside of work working on my blog. It was a lot of trial and error, but eventually, I got a break and was interviewed in The New York Times travel section. That was my first big hit and the interview that really gave me the initial exposure that put me on the map. That lead to a lot of subsequent interviews and it was all uphill from there!
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What do you do for fun?
I travel! But specifically, I travel to places where I can drink and eat delicious food. For me, I love to indulge in my food and my drinks. I’ll stay in hostels and buy budget flights to save money, knowing that the majority of my budget will be spent on food and drink. Beyond that, I love to listen to jazz, go to speakeasies, and read. I also may or may not be a huge Taylor Swift fan.
Which country stands high on your bucket list?
I wouldn’t really say that I have a bucket list, as I’ll pretty much go anywhere these days. I go where the budget flights take me, where there is good food, or where I can meet up with friends. But, if I had to choose somewhere, it would be Bhutan! That’s my bucket list destination!
Is there a place that you find yourself returning to? How come?
There are a few places in the world that I find myself going back to again and again. Bangkok, Paris, Amsterdam, London, and Stockholm are all cities that I really feel at home in. I’ve been to each a handful of times (I’ve even lived in some of them) so they just feel comfortable. I feel like I jive well with those cities, which is why I always go back (and will likely visit each of them a few more times!). There is a lot to do in each, for both new travelers and return visitors. Great food, fun nightlife, awesome museums and historical sites. Those cities really have it all, if you ask me!
How do you find that work/life balance?
This is a tricky one and is a bit of an ongoing struggle. I’m a workaholic, so it’s really easy to get sucked into work and just keep hammering keys on my laptop all day and all night. With so many projects on the go, whether it’s new blog posts or my travel conference or my online courses, there is always something to be done. So I have to make a conscious effort to step away. I schedule in my breaks like I would my work. I make sure I get away from my emails regularly and I set aside time every day to read. I have a gym membership to help stay active and when I travel I try not to do any work. That way, I can focus on the trip, disconnect, and really get the most from my traveling.
It’s not always easy, because when you’re your own boss there is always work to do. But if you don’t step away and find that balance you’ll hit the wall. These days, I know that I always work better when I have time to myself, so I make sure to get out each week and do something fun.
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Do you find it hard to maintain your relationships while traveling?
That’s one of the downsides to traveling: everyone back home will just go on without you. If you’re just gone for a week or two, that’s no big deal. But if you’re on the road for months at a time, it will affect your relationships. These days, with Skype and instant messaging it’s much easier to stay connected but you’ll still find it a bit tricky to keep that same level of engagement in your relationships at home. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a way around that which is why a lot of people end up putting their travel plans on hold.
Try encouraging friends or family back home to travel with you, even if it’s just a small trip or a short visit. That will help them get engaged with travel and show that that it’s easy to incorporate it into their lives. That may help them better understand your desire to travel, helping your relationships stay on solid ground while you’re abroad.
What is your favourite destination to date and why?
This is always a tricky question to answer, as there are a lot of places I really like visiting out there. But if I had to pick one, it would be Thailand. Bangkok is one of my favorite cities in the world, and the country itself just has so much to offer. Great diving, awesome beaches, tons of nightlife, lots of history, and incredible food. Top it all off with unique experiences like Songkran (their multi-day water fight to celebrate the New Year) or the infamous Full Moon Party and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a fun place to visit!
Do you have any tips about volunteering ethically when traveling?
Volunteering abroad is a tricky topic. There are a lot of amazing places out there doing important work but unfortunately, there are a lot of shady organizations just ripping people off and taking advantage of the locals. If you’re going to do any volunteering abroad, make sure you do your research. Talk to people who have been there before and join Facebook groups or online forums where you can ask questions before you go. Make sure the organization is doing more good than harm, and make sure your help is needed and not just a token symbol to make volunteers feel good.
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Do you think it’s too late to be a travel blogger?
Not at all! Are there a lot of travel bloggers out there? Definitely. Are most of those blogs going to succeed? Nope!
A lot of blogs today are still poorly run, poorly written, and are lacking direction and focus. They don’t treat their blog like a business, which is why they will never get far.
There will always be room for more blogs, as long as those blogs are unique and create well-written and engaging niche content that satisfies a need. That’s it! Sure, you can’t just start a generic “budget travel” blog anymore, but there are still a lot of awesome niche areas you can write about that will have an audience willing and waiting to participate. But you need to be smart about it. Take writing lessons, hire an editor, learn code or design. Treat this like you would if you were starting a business. Invest in yourself. It will pay off down the road!
What advice do you have for those that want to start their own travel blog?
The sooner you start, the sooner you will be able to succeed. It’s not an easy road, though. This isn’t a “get rich quick” industry. It requires a ton of hard work and a lot of patience. But if you have the passion and invest the time, you’ll succeed. Treat your blog like a business, and you’ll be ahead of the game. Just remember, blogging is a marathon and not a sprint. Everything will take time. So be patient, keep working away, and eventually, you’ll succeed!
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Thanks for reading my interview with Nomadic Matt. I truly appreciate his time in collaborating with me! I would love to know what you thought of the interview. Have you met or heard of Nomadic Matt before? Does this make you feel differently about travel? Would love to know your thoughts in the comments below!
