Awarded the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award: The Touristin


The Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award goes to female bloggers around the world. I was so lucky to get it from Sarah of Jetsetting Fools. Thank you so very much for thinking of me Sarah. 

As per the rules of being nominated, I answered Sarah’s ten questions about travel, created a new list of ten questions and nominated ten female bloggers. 

Go and visit their blogs and please say hi.


This is what Sarah was interested in:

1. How old were you when you got your first passport and where did you go?

I might have had a passport from a very young age. My first ever trip (without my parents) was to Malta.

2. What is one item you’ve discovered that has changed travel for the better?

My iPhone made life so much more exciting and smaller (in a positive way).

3. What is the first thing you do when you get to your travel destination?

As soon as I arrive (no matter where it is) I go for a walk.

4. Of all the places you’ve visited, which one has changed the way you think about life?

This is so very hard to answer. I would say it is a mix of all the places I visited, and I hope the places I have yet to visit are going to challenge me to think even more about the world.

The one place that certainly changed me is Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria in Australia (my second home). It has got its problems (as every place) but living there truly changed me. I went from “no eye contact” on the train or wherever, to chatting with literally every stranger who can’t climb a tree fast enough. We should all talk more with each other.


5. Do you keep track of your travel expenses? If so, how?

I keep track of my expenses no matter whether at home or travelling, I travel so often and it all goes together. I make sure never to run into debt, which is all.

6. Do you travel with guidebooks? If so, which ones?

I love to read these blue guide books with white letters (sure you know them too, Lonely Planet, heard of them?) but what I really love to do is to read fiction about the place I am travelling too. 

For example before I travelled to Botswana I read the whole The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, and when I visit now I take the newest of the series with me. Recently I went to Madrid and I re-read For whom the Bell Tolls, E. Hemingway. And in California I read Canary Row, John Steinbeck. In Barcelona I would read the Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón etc. etc. etc. You might want to find out which books I read about South Africa? I go there a lot, look at this list: 48 books to read before you visit South Africa.

7. What is your preferred method of travel? Plane, train, bus, car?

It depends, most often there is a plane involved to get somewhere, and then I would jump into a car to go on a road trip.

8. What electronic devices do you travel with?

iPhone.

9. Have you ever hitchhiked? If so, how did it work out?

I hitchhiked only once (upon a time) in Greece. I walked along a dusty road. It was August, the temperature accordingly intense, as in so hot that you see a Fata Morgana at every turn, and the only sound you seem to hear is the screeching of crickets. Against the advice of my parents I decided to stop a stranger’s car. I mean, my parents surely had no idea about trotting along a dusty road without having money for a rental car (or so I thought).

A few moments after I climbed into the battered car, the driver, an elderly chap in a light blue shirt and grey trousers, facial skin aged by sun, beautifully framed by a dapper silver caesar haircut, asked me “Tourist? Tourist?” and I looked at him, in delight, smiling brightly “Yes”.

He smiled back and made a gesture like cutting his throat and said “Tourist. Tourist.”

I became very uncomfortable and was planning to jump out of the car, while the driver kept on doing this throat cutting thing. I asked him to stop at the roadside and got out of his car.

That same night I read in the papers that a tourist had been killed on a beach, someone cut her throat. The poor driver, I reckon he just wanted to let me know to be careful since another girl had been killed a few days ago.

You know this is one of these stories I don't get tired to tell.

10. Where are you traveling to next? Why?

Next I will go to Denmark, then Morocco, then France and after that to the Alps in Germany but not sure yet what is going to happen when October comes. I love that I can keep my life as a travel blogger interesting.

My questions are:

1.     What is your favourite vegetarian dish?
2.     What type of museum do you like to visit?
3.     We hear all the time that we have to live our dreams. Are you doing it?
4.     What is the funniest thing you ever experienced?
5.     What is your most treasured travel souvenir?
6.     Mountains or ocean?
7.     Who should play you in the film of your life?
8.     If your life were a book, what would the title be?
9.     Did you ever dance under a starry night sky?
10.   Your perfect vacation involves …

My nominees are

Layne Mosler Taxi Gourmet

Can’t wait to hear from you and thank you so much in advance.

From Berlin with love