Who is behind Travel on the Brain ?
Annemarie founded the solo female travel blog Travel on the Brain in 2014 as a way to keep her friends and family updated and not having to do it to each and every person every day. That’s seriously exhausting! (And how can you go on adventures if you’re typing all day? Nope, you can’t.)
She has had blogging experiences before that. Starting with quirky observations of the lifestyle and cultural differences during her studies in Preston, England as well as her internship in Malmö, Sweden. (Did you notice how door handles are different from country to country? Fascinating.)
It wasn’t until 2014 when she started to obsessively building a blog for professional purposes and collaborations with companies.
Social media skills and video creation & editing only have increased in importance when it comes to social media marketing since then. And you can book her content creation and social media strategy coaching, too. Annemarie’s video production portfolio can be seen here.
Fun fact: Do not shorten or change Annemarie’s name. She hates it! (And she gets variations of this every day, in business mails no less. Why do people?!)
What does Travel on the Brain mean?
I presume your visit is driven by an acute infection of the travel bug. In that case, I have good and bad news for you. The bad news is, there is no cure. It becomes a chronic state of mind, you will have travel on your mind constantly. So the sooner you give in to your fate, the better. However, the good news is that I can help you in that department. I have tons of tips for you on how to travel more often, travel cheaper and always in good company (even if you fly solo).
Who is behind Travel on the Brain?
A serial blogger, self declared travelista and chocaholic. My name is Annemarie and I been infatuated with travel ever since my 2002 school trip to England, which is has been the country of my heart ever since (see my recommended England itinerary here). Saying this makes me feel old though I must admit, I haven’t really grown up since then. I have always been this mature (ehem).
Who do you travel with?
Me, myself and I. I know, this was so cheesy right now. But it’s true, I am a confirmed solo traveller. Sometimes I visit old and new friends on the road and we go on day adventures together. If you want to try out solo travel as well, here are my top 5 countries for solo travel beginners.
What equipment do you use?
I use a Nikon D5100 for both my photos and videos (check out my youtube channel, too) and sometimes my Lumix F2.8. I also used a medium sized gorilla tripod for a while but I lost it in the Australian outback. In case you want to check out (more of) the gear I use, you can visit my travel resources page.
Who takes the photos?
Since I travel by myself I don’t have many options. Either I take selfies (which I am very bad at), I give it to a stranger (who are usually bad at taking photos too) or I place my camera on random ledges or the floor and use the self-timer. I wrote a detailed article on 18 ways to take solo travel shots and my tips on how to make your holiday photos look professional.
Where have you travelled?
The count as of July 2018 is over 40. Let me count again. I have been to Germany (and the former GDR), England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, , Spain, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria, the USA, Costa Rica, 8 Caribbean Islands, South Africa, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. I have also been to Lapland and the inofficial micronation of Ladonia.
Where is your favorite destination?
England! Since I was eight, I have been in love with the English language and learned to appreciate so much of its culture (especially literature and art. I even did a tour just so I could see destinations about Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters in Yorkshire and Shakespeare all over England!).
But then again, I also love New Zealand to bits and Australia is a very special place to me as well. My favourite place in the world might be Uluru, however. It simply is magical and cannot be described, only experienced.
Do you speak several languages?
Indeed I do. English is my second language but I feel so much more at ease talking it (I also majored in it). I also learned Spanish and a little bit of Swedish and French. I tried myself at Japanese but couldn’t even master one alphabet.
Oh, and I also learned a bit of Middle English and Old Norse (nerd alert). You can also follow Travel on the Brain in German and even get the book with my crazy travel adventure (also German),
What is the best travel style?
Well, that completely depends on you! I used to be the type A tourist, setting out with a detailed schedule and itinerary to see the most in an insanely short amount of time (and walking though a lot of shoes). Then, I changed to backpacker mode for Australia and New Zealand and soon regretted it. Not only did I overpack (here is my updated minimalist packing tips) but hostel life also doesn’t suit me. Now I am a proud flashpacker, combining the best of both world – cheap but quality travel.
What has been the weirdest experience?
Being forced to lick an ant’s butt and I swam in a volcano. The weirdest food I tried was miso ice cream in Japan (don’t try it!). Here are some more crazy stories. I actually wrote a whole book (well, three) about it all. Check it out my some crazy travel adventures on Amazon as an ebook or a regular hardcover.
What has been the best experience?
Travelling through Australia for 8 months certainly was amazing. But then I also raced huskies in Lapland or chased down New Zealand filming spots to my favourite series of all time. It’s hard to decide. Here is a short video on a one year travel summary to give you an idea.
Where can I follow your adventures?
I’d love for you to come along! Feel free to drop in recommendations, questions or just say hi to me on twitter, facebook, instagram, pinterest and youtube! Alternatively, you can write me an email.
