TRAVEL INTERVIEW WITH NOMADIC MATT

Matt Kepnes- Nomadic Matt

Matt Kepnes of Nomadic Matt

TRAVEL INTERVIEW WITH NOMADIC MATT

Nomadic Matt travel blog is hands down one of the most successful on the web on all counts:   commanding a large fan base, topping most ‘Top Travel BLog’ lists, dishing out informative travel tips and books and earning a steady monthly income. Mathew Kepnes is the mastermind behind this impressive travel site.

I’m excited to catch up with one of the leaders in our travel blog community. In this interview Matt talks about his nomadic lifestyle, how Nomadic Matt got started, his travel preferences and his travel plans for the rest of 2011.

Without further ado, Matt Kepnes:

1. Before you started your long-term world travels you had a ‘cubicle job’ in Boston and completed your MBA. What was your job?

I worked in a hospital as an administrator in the surgery and oncology departments for 4 years.

2. You initially took a 1 1/2 year trip around the world starting in July, 2006. Upon returning to the States you found that you definitely didn’t want to resume ‘the rat race,’ instead preferring to continue traveling. Why did conventional settled life no longer appeal to you ?

I can’t answer this in a short response. I’ve written thousands of words on my blog about it, best of which is this post (http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/everyone-say-im-running-away/)  But the really short answer is that I felt an office job wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to be out in the world.

Tahiti

3.Why do you love nomadic traveling life so much?

Simply put it gives me the freedom to do whatever I want, when I want. I am the master of my own ship.

4. After returning from your initial 1 1/2 year trip you spent a few months setting up your website, Nomadic Matt, then hit the road long-term in April, 2008. How long did it take your website to start earning money? And how long until you were able to live entirely off your site?

I started making money by the end of 2008 and it was enough to live off of by July 2009.

5. Since 2008 you’ve been traveling the globe. Do you travel continuously? Or do you have some home base from which you head out on trips? If a home base, where ? How much time do you usually spend ‘settled’ and on the road annually?

I travel throughout the year. Sometimes I might spend a month or so in one place and just get to know it better but I am never really settled down. I view what I do as continuous travel since I don’t have a home base anywhere in the world.

Matt Kepnes- Nomadic Matt

Matt on tour recently in Galapagos Islands

6. What type of travel do you like best? (destinations, activities, length of trip, type of accommodation, etc)

I enjoy all forms of travel except ones that involve huge buses full of tourists going from site to site and taking a picture and then moving on. Other than that, you can find me on cruises, in hostels, in hotels, on tours. I’m not picky.

7. It seems you’ve done a lot of hosteling during your travels and you highly recommend it on Nomadic Matt. Why do you like hosteling so much? Do you stay in other kinds of places too? If so, which?

I like hostels because it’s easy to meet people from all over the world. I like them better than hotels where I feel guests don’t interact as much.

I taught English in Thailand and Taiwan for a year and 3 months respectively. I loved the experience. I learned a lot about the various cultures that way and made great friends plus great money. Teaching is a lucrative job!

9. You refer to yourself as a work-aholic but mention that you’d like to kick that habit a bit. In fact, one of your goals for 2011 is to work less, relax more. How’s that going?         Not so well…not so well.

another great book by Matt Kepnes- Nomadic Matt

One of Matt’s informative books

10. You’ve written 4 books about travel/ blogging around the world. Any new books in the works?

Yes but the topic is a secret! Sorry but I don’t want anyone beating me to the punch.

11. How much longer do you think you’ll continue traveling nomadically? Do you think you’ll settle down somewhere someday? If so, got any ideas where you’d like to live?

I don’t know. One cannot know what the future will hold. I am having fun for now but I doubt I will lead a nomadic life style forever. Travel will always be a part of my life but I suppose one day I will settle down a bit. I don’t know when that might be though. I’m enjoying myself now.

12. What are your travel  and/ or website plans for the rest of 2011?

I’m leaving for Sweden next week and I’ll be in Scandinavia for about a month and a half before I go to Greece and start going through Eastern Europe and then into Russia and over to East Asia before going to Thailand for New Year’s!

Matthew Kepnes

* All images from Nomadic Matt, with permission.
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Wow, Matt, sounds like a busy travel year ahead for you! Thanks for taking time to give us your personal views on travel and life. Hope to meet you on the road one day. cheers, Lash