Interview With Pamela MacNaughtan of Spunky Girl Monologues
Pamela, please give my readers a background about yourself. What made you want to start spunkygirlmonologues.com?
I started spunkygirlmonologues.com during a time when my world was extremely stressful and draining. My grandmother was deathly ill and I had been spending my days by her hospital bed with my Mother. It was during this time that I felt I needed an escape and writing a journal was not something I wanted to do. In the beginning my blog was a mish-mash of topics, but by January 2010 the blog became about travel, one of my biggest passions in life
In all of your travels, in your opinion what country has the best food? and the worst food?
This is actually a hard question to answer as I'll become addicted to Indian food in Malaysia and not really eat Malay food while I'm there. I'm a weird girl. I think Thailand has the best street food. Mongolia was okay, but if you don't eat the food while it's hot, it congeals, which is kind of gross. I became a temporary vegetarian in Mongolia.
When you first started traveling, did your family support your decision?
My family freaked out. I was 19 when I did my first solo trip to Scotland and my family thought I was out of my mind.
Did you always have a love of travel or did you develop your passion for traveling as you got older?
My father was a salesman for Canadian Coleman and we moved around a lot when I was a kid. It was something I loved to do as I could discover new places and make new friends. I think this is one of the reasons why I love to travel so much. That being said, it took many years for me to leave traditional life behind to pursue my travel lifestyle.
What impact has spunkygirlmonologues.com had on your life?
When it comes to spunkygirlmonologues.com I think I'm still in a small bubble. My family and close friends don't actually follow the website (don't even get me started on that one) that I know of, so in many ways I feel like I'm totally new to the world of travel blogging. I have learned that it's okay to try and fail. It's not the end of the world. I've tried several things on the website that have completely bombed. I also think it's teaching me to be more consistent, which is a big thing for a spontaneous girl like myself.
What has been the least exciting destination you've traveled to?
Kunming, China. Although I found a couple of quirky things to entertain myself, the city was uninspiring. I ended using my time there to catch-up on rest and writing as I didn't feel inspired to explore at great length.
What has been the most surprising destination you've been to? Meaning, you had a specific mindset about a certain destination but it was totally a differnet experience than you had imagined.
Namibia. I remember reading the itinerary and not thinking too much about it, however that totally changed once I was there. I fell in love with Namibia and how connected I felt. Sleeping under the stars, and climbing half way (my foot was slightly injured) Dune45 to see the sunrise were experiences that I am dying to repeat. Especially since I know what to expect!
If you had to decide which destination has been the most influential in your life, which destination would you chose?
Thailand made a huge impact on me. It was the first country where I stepped out of the usual traveler itinerary and truly connected with the country, the people and the challenges it faces.
If you could travel with any celebrity for one week, who would you chose and why?
Ewan McGregor hands down. I use to watch Long Way Round (where he and a buddy rode motorcycles around the world) over and over. I like to do things that are different and quirky and I'm pretty sure I could convince Ewan to join me.
What advice would you give to a newbie traveler?
It's YOUR trip! There are so many people who travel and when you sit down and listen to their stories (which are not always 100% true) it can be hard to not feel envious -especially if they're been to more countries. That being said, it's YOUR trip. It doesn't matter how many countries you've been to, or what your travel plans are. It's YOUR trip and as long as you're happy with it, that is what matters the most.
In 10 years, do you see yourself still traveling or slowing down?
I see myself somewhere in between. I LOVE travel, but there are times that I miss having an apartment, a bed and things that make me feel comfortable. Ultimately I'd like to have a home-base set-up and travel every few months.
Thanks Pamela for the interview. Please visit her blog @ Spunky Girl Monologues™
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