In this episode of the Meet The Blogger Series we meet Susan S., another blogger whom I met and became friends with in Chicago while attending BlogHouse. Susan is the author of the travel blog “Best Bits Worldwide“. Each week, she shares tips on some of the best things around the world.

Susan on Blogging

How did you get into travel blogging?

“What’s the name of that cicchetti bar you love in Venice?” “Where’s that hotel you raved about on the beach in Thailand?” “How did you get from Tucson to the Grand Canyon?” “Where did you find that amazing necklace in Bangkok?”

If it had to do with travel, I was the one who was being asked where, when, how by my friends and coworkers, and their friends and coworkers, thus Best Bits Worldwide was born. I used the blog format to create scrapbooks of my travels specifically targeted so that others could, not only enjoy reading them, but also download useful information. Everyone seemed to like what I shared and equally I loved sharing what I thought of as the unmissable bits wherever I traveled.

What 3 articles should everyone check out on your blog?

I think my most useful posts are my 101 series. If you are going to a place for the first time, I have some useful Bits to tell you:

I am also starting to write reviews of the luxury hotels I stay in – called A Bit of Paradise. Here is my first one about The Layana Hotel, Koh Lanta, Thailand.

Balloons over Bagan, Myanmar

Advice for travel bloggers:

Just keep on writing! It is also so important to have a community of bloggers to support you. I was lucky enough to be chosen to attend BlogHouse Chicago this year. I finally met other like-minded travel bloggers and their support has been unparalleled.

Susan on Traveling

What is your first travel memory/How did you begin traveling?

I was bitten by the travel bug when I saw Venice, Italy for the first time. It was a cloudy, hazy March day and the city appeared like magic before my eyes the closer we got to it. I have loved travelling ever since.

How do you plan the destinations you are going to travel to?

I have a list of the major places I want to see and I just keep checking them. I am lucky to live in Europe so short weekend trips to different countries are super easy.

What places have you traveled to that surprised you?

I think I did not expect the Myanmar people to be so knowledgeable about the outside world. We were told we could not use our mobile phones there so I assumed that no one had them. I was so wrong. Everyone was on a phone! I felt really stupid to not know that.

What are three things that traveling has taught you?

To have respect and kindness for other cultures
To be daring and try different things
To think and dream about the endless possibilities our world has to offer

Inle Lake, Myanmar

Favorite travel quote:

“I have no reason to go, except that I have never been, and knowledge is better than ignorance. What better reason could there be for travelling?” ― Freya Stark, A Winter in Arabia

People who inspire you to travel?

I gobble up travel journals of women of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries for they were the most daring: Lady Jane Digby, Freya Stark, and Beryl Smeeton.

Upcoming Travel Plans:

I am heading to Barcelona for the first time this month, Venice for the Architectural Biennale, Athens for TBEX and Marrakech again for New Years. In between, I will be discovering more of the UK.