 Jancie Waugh- Solo Traveler |
| Skiing in Park City, Utah |
Today I’m excited to present one of our travel blogging community’s leaders and public figures, Canadian Janice Waugh.
Janice publishes Solo Traveler, the blog for those who travel alone, and is author of The Solo Traveler’s Handbook. She has spoken at The Smithsonian Institute and been quoted in many media outlets including the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times and the Toronto Star. She speaks on a variety of topics including travel, blogging and life changes. Her blog offers solo travel stories, tips, safety advice and destination ideas as well as a couple of free ebooks including Glad You’re Not Here: a solo traveler’s manifesto. Without further ado, Janice:
Q1: Janice, you’ve had several speaking engagements about solo travel and travel blogging over the past year. How did you get into public speaking? Did you intentionally seek it out? Or did it just fall in your lap? Is it something you especially enjoy doing?
Q1: Janice, you’ve had several speaking engagements about solo travel and travel blogging over the past year. How did you get into public speaking? Did you intentionally seek it out? Or did it just fall in your lap? Is it something you especially enjoy doing?
A year ago I had never spoken in public – at least not for more than a few minutes. Then, I was invited to speak at The Travel Bloggers Show in Orlando. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Solo travel and my blog have shifted my life. I am now more confident than I ever was and getting up to speak about two subjects that I am passionate about comes easily. Most speaking engagements have simply fallen in my lap but that has happened because I have spent hundreds of hours working on my blog.
Q2: In July you did a speech at the Smithsonian Institute. That’s quite an accomplishment, considering the Smithsonian is one of the top museums in the entire world! Congratulations. Please tell us about your talk there.
The talk at the Smithsonian was great fun. I shared the stage with Joe Yonan, the food and travel editor of the Washington Post. I spoke first about solo travel and then he spoke about cooking for one. It was amazing. There were fans of Solo Traveler in the audience as well as many people who were eager to travel solo. It was a huge honor and I hope to do more speaking of this nature.
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| Munching a Montreal bagel (the best in my opinion) |
Q3: You’re the Toronto host of Meet Plan Go, a travel project that Sherry Ott of Ottsworld is also invovled with. Please tell us about the project and your involvement in it.
Meet Plan Go is a fabulous event that promotes career breaks and long term travel. I got involved when I saw an announcement of it online and pitched myself to be the Toronto host. They weren’t really thinking of going beyond America but I assured them that there are many people in Canada who dream of career breaks as well. Turns out, we were the second largest event last year. I got involved because we went on a career break as a family in 01/02. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter my husband became very ill and eventually passed away. This is why I am so determined to help people travel (don’t put off travel dreams) and why I now travel solo. I wrote a post called Should IStay or Should I Go about the importance of long term travel.
Q4: You have a good friendship with Keith Jenkins of Velvet Escape. You also co-host the Global Bloggers Network with Keith. How did you start up your friendship? How did you end up doing this project together? Do you have any other joint ventures now or in the planning?
Keith and I met on Twitter shortly after I went online. At that point, I decided that I needed some bloggers to network with and so met a number by Skype. Keith and I really hit it off and started to Skype on a regular basis, coaching each other through the growth of our blogs. When other bloggers heard about how we were working together, they wanted to be involved so Keith and I started the Global Bloggers Network. As for other joint ventures? I’m always interested in opportunities to collaborate with people in win-win situations.
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| On the Dead Sea – Jordan |
Q5: You’re currently in the midst of publishing your book The Solo Traveler’s Handbook. When do you expect it to be ‘on the shelves’? In what formats are you selling the books? Where will people be able to buy them?
The Solo Traveler’s Handbook is now available in paperback. It will be available in eReader formats in the fall. People can get more information at The Solo Traveler’s Handbook
Q6: I have to admit that I’ve been confused about ‘Solo Traveler’ vs. ‘Solo Travel Society’ when I see their posts rolling by on my FB news feed. So I suspect others might be getting a bit confused too. Can you clarify the difference for us, please.
SoloTraveler is the blog.
The Solo TravelSociety is a Facebook page that I moderate. I named it differently because it’s not mine. I want members to have ownership of the page.
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| Relaxing at Hacienda Tres Rios – Mexico |
Q7: If I understand correctly, Janice, you’re based in Toronto. How much do you travel? How much time / year do you stay in Toronto?
I’d love to travel more. I’m ready for another long-term trip but at this point, I stay in Toronto most of the time. I still have one son at home and, while he doesn’t really need me, I like being part of his life. He’ll soon be out the door and married and I won’t have the opportunity. So, I take six or seven trips a year traveling for about 10-12 weeks in total.
Q8: What kind of travel do you personally prefer? In terms of length of trips, destinations, activities, type of accommodation, interests?
I’ve already traveled most of North America and Europe so now I’m targeting just about anywhere else. I like throwing my backpack on and traveling via bus or train into smaller towns, meeting locals and hiking. I like staying at small hotels, B&Bs; or hostels. Two to three weeks is ideal at this point in time.
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| Lake District, Chile |
Q9: Would you like to become a long-term nomadic traveler? Or do you prefer to keep a home base, from which you make shorter trips? In either case, why the preference?
I will always keep my home base. With four sons, my mom, siblings, etc., there is too much family to be a nomad. People and relationships are what really count in life. I set my priorities there and then I travel.
Q10: Here’s the old standard I like to ask well-traveled people: What are your 3 favorite places in the world? Why do you love them so much?
This is the most difficult question because I haven’t yet found a place that I want to keep going back to. I always travel forward. But, pressed for an answer, I would say Amsterdam, Havana and the Lake District of England. Amsterdam because it is such a livable and interesting city, Havana because of its extraordinary history and unique culture and the Lake District for its charm and relaxing pace.
Q12: Finally, what are your upcoming travel plans?
On the 22nd of August I go to Innsbruck, Austria where I’ll be speaking at Travel Bloggers Unite conference. In September I’ll be traveling around the world at the Toronto International Film Festival – I consider this travel as I see 20 films from all over the world in 8 days. And I’ll be going to the UK in November.
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Thanks Janice! It’s been very interesting learning about your development into travel, blogging, public speaking and the travel blog community. And it’s great having you as one of our community leaders and movers-and-shakers. Best luck with your book! cheers, Lash
(* all photos courtesy of Janice Waugh / Solo Traveler *)
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Solo Traveler’s Handbook by Janice Waugh
If you’d love to travel solo like myself and Janice, but feel a bit timid for some reason, Janice’s Solo Handbook will get you out on the road!
Check out The Solo Traveler’s Handbook here
Follow Janice:
Solo Traveler: http://solotravelerblog.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/solotraveler/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/solotravelsociety
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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TRAVEL INTERVIEW ROUND UP: ONE YEAR OF WEEKLY TRAVELERS' INTERVIEWS - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2012/06/22 at 5:50 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] who do they travel with?* There are solo women travelers such as: Juno of Runaway Juno and Janice Waugh of Solo Traveler* solo men such as: Anil Polat of FoXnoMad and One Step 4 Ward- Johnny Ward* couples such as: […]