Today on our Feature Friday segment, we welcome Katie! Katie is a travel blogger who has come to share her thoughts and opinions on topics, as well as some of her own travelling experiences. Not only will you learn about some of her many adventures, you’ll be able to ‘see’ her thought process on certain viewpoints. Check out what she has to say!
Thank you for deciding to be a part of Feature Friday. Could you tell us a little about yourself and your blog?
I’m Katie and I’m the creator of The Katie Show Blog which showcases extraordinary travel
experiences for ordinary people. I’m seriously the most average person you could ever meet so I hope to inspire others to explore the world around them by sharing my travel stories, tips and experiences with all the information they would need to create the same for themselves.
Why did you decide to become a travel blogger?
Originally, I just wanted to share some of the fun hikes and adventures that I was doing while I lived in Hawai’i. I figured that if I could share the places with a little information about them and of course some photos then others would have the information they need to get out and enjoy the beauty of the island too. Over time, my blog morphed and now I focus on sharing incredible travel experiences from around the world with the same idea that if I can share it, maybe others have the information they need to enjoy it too.
What do you love so much about travelling?
There’s a lot to love about traveling! For me, I love all the new and different things you come across while traveling – new sounds, new smells, different currency, different traditions, different styles, new landscapes. I love how one thing can be normal in one place and unusual in another. My favorite thing about traveling though is the people you meet along the way. I think everyone has an interesting story to tell if you take the time to listen.
Have you ever regretted doing something while travelling?
I generally think that regrets are a waste of time, but if I ever had any I think it would be a regret of not doing something instead of doing something that didn’t work out the way I wanted.
What’s the scariest thing that’s happened to you while travelling?
Nothing too scary luckily for me, but while I was in a train station in Milan I was harassed by a group of homeless men while I was buying my ticket from a ticket machine. I just ignored them but one of them moved in and grabbed my train ticket to steal it. It was about 4am and there wasn’t many other people around so it was a little scary for a moment but I just gave him a push, kept hold of my ticket and walked away and was very lucky that they didn’t follow me.
What is your most embarrassing travel story?
I feel like I am permanently doing things that are embarrassing but if I had to pick just one then it would be crying uncontrollably when Shawn Michaels did a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 32. I went there by myself to live out my most ultimate bucket list dream experience and once his music hit, I pretty much lost my mind in a flurry of embarrassing excitement!
Have you ever travelled solo? Would you do it again? If you haven’t, would you ever do it?
Yes and I love it! I love having the freedom to get out and explore things at my own pace. I also love how it opens up the space to talk to more people during my travels. In my experience, people reach out and start conversations much more when I am by myself and it also forces me to start more conversations with strangers as well.
Out of all the cities & countries you’ve visited, which did you like the least? Why?
I didn’t really like Los Angeles or Miami. It was fun to see the main sights of the cities but the overall vibe of both was a little too superficial and pretentious for my liking.
Out of all the cities & countries you’ve visited, which did you like the most? Why?
That’s a tough one! They are all so lovable and interesting in different ways, but I think 
Norway has to be my favorite holiday to date. I got a cabin in the woods, cooked food over the fire and watched the Northern Lights everyday – it was perfect!
If you had to choose one place to live for the rest of your life, where would it be and why?
Norway has a special place in my heart, so I would probably live there. I’d still travel a lot though because I can’t just stay in one place. I think my brain would explode!
Are there any social norms or practices you’ve encountered while travelling that you wish were normal in your native culture?
I’m an Australian expat living in Italy and where I live here in Italy they take long lunch breaks where many of the businesses close and people go home to have lunch with their families. At first it was annoying because I would go out for lunch and everything would be closed but now I know to work around it and I love it. Sometimes we can get stuck in the ‘always on the go’ mindset and I love that they slow things down and experience time with each other.
Is there anywhere you would not visit? Where, and why?
Definitely, if a place is war torn or extremely unstable or unsafe then I usually have no urge to visit.
What is is one thing that is too large or impractical to travel with that you wish you could bring with you when you travel?
I always have everything I need and I still overpack so I don’t think I need to pack any more!
Do you think there’s a difference between people who deem themselves tourists vs. travellers? What do you consider yourself, and why?
I hate the whole traveler vs tourist debate to be honest and I don’t understand the need to divide a group that love to travel. We’re all in the same boat that we love to go out and see new places – whether it’s the touristy sites or living in a community, so why not appreciate the different style of travel instead?
What does home mean to you?
To me, home is just a feeling of comfortability not a place, town or even country. If you think about it like that, it’s a beautiful ting because you can find that with anyone, anywhere in the world.
What advice would you give an aspiring travel blogger?
I would say be honest – don’t sell out to get attention or buy followers to get popularity, be authentic – there is a sea of bloggers out there but only one with your voice so use it and be valuable – offer your readers something helpful, inspirational, entertaining or educational.
Thank you so much Katie for being a guest on Life with Larissa. I loved getting to know a little more about you, and seeing your viewpoints on topics that are addressed all the time by people who enjoy travelling.
Do you agree or disagree with any of Katie’s answers? Why? Let us know in the comments!
Did you enjoy what you read? Get to know more about the author!
Katie is a former fat-girl loser turned dream chasing travel blogger with a mission to inspire others to see the beauty of the world and live life to its fullest. She has a passion for all things travel, photography, nature and generally anything outside of the ever dangerous comfort zone. When she isn’t traveling, you can find her cuddled up with her two dogs and a warm cup of tea, blogging away on her own website. Want to learn know more about Katie and her story? You can find her at the following:
Blog: http://www.thekatieshowblog.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katieshowblog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekatieshowblog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katieshowblog
I loved this feature! It’s so inspiring to see her travel alone and get to experience so many exciting things and people. Definitely makes me want to go travel more, especially to Norway now! 🙂
Aw thank you! I hope you’ll get to visit Norway soon and have a blast like she did!
Love this! Your photo with the goose is adorable 🙂 xx
🙂 I thought so too!
Sounds like Katie has a lot of fun! Headed to check out her blog now 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that!
I hope to take the plunge and travel solo one day! I’ve never been outside the US, but I’d love to get out and explore.
I hope you take that plunge as well! It’s such a unique experience. You may hate it, or you may fall in love with it, but you won’t know unless you try!
I love reading interviews with other bloggers and their travel stories. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Me too!! I love reading about other people’s experiences. Thanks for reading:)
great interview!!! I mainly really admire Katie’s love (and confidence) for solo travel – so cool! as a writer, I hold back on certain trips, or opportunities I may get largely due many times to not having someone to come with me, and then not wanting to go alone. It’s a scary thing but reading your interview made me feel like I should go for it more often – xx Bee
I’m so happy to hear that Katie has had that impact on you! One quote that has helped me really put it into perspective is: “I was never going to go if I waited for someone to come with me.” I think you should totally go for it more often!! Best of luck 🙂 and thanks for reading!
Thanks so much for including me as a Feature Friday! I can’t wait to read stories from other travelers too 🙂
Thank YOU for being a guest! I’d loved reading what you had to share and I’m excited to keep up with you on your blog 🙂 Glad to hear you’ll be coming back to see what other travellers have to share!