Oh my gosh, you guys… YOU GUYS!*
Come look at this!

I got nominated for an award by this awesome blog This Big Wild World!

I actually got awarded this back in July.  JULY!

That is how completely and utterly swamped I’ve been with my little jaunt around bits of Europe. I’d just like to say thank you a million times over to This Big Wild World for nominating me and her kind words about my blog. Here’s what she wrote;

Erin Reki is a blog with the subtitle “Travel. Art. Nonsense.” I love the quirkiness of this blog. It is more than just a travel blog, she shares her cartoons, art and advice all inspired by her travels. If you’re a creative mind, a traveller, or looking for something unique, I highly recommend this blog!

To return the favour here is what I think about This Big Wild World and why you should check it out.

 This Big Wild World follows the stories of a soulful 30 something traveller with a kind heart and big lens. Her stories are inspiring yet informative and her photographs are beautiful. Her personality shines through a lot of her writing and I love her openness, honesty and appreciation for what she already has in life.
In this regards she replaces  The Bucket List with The Nectar List and after reading the philosophy behind it, you’ll want to do the same. It encourages you to reflect on the moments or experiences that have changed your life or you as a person. The things that have affected you most.
Instead of looking forward to what you want to do, you’re looking back appreciating what you’ve already had. A quick summary of your life. A chance to be grateful. Congratulations you made it this far and nothing has killed you yet! That’s got to be good! I love this idea and may very well right one of my own one day soon.

Now for those of you that don’t know the Liebster Award is an internet based award given by bloggers to other bloggers. It is given to bloggers with under 200 followers to encourage growth and spread support. You are given questions to answer and in return you must pay it forward to other bloggers and ask them questions.
The official rules of the accepting can be found on The Global Aussie.

In the new rules for 2017 there is an optional 10 random facts part and I’m going to include the 10 random facts about myself  because well…. I want to.

1. I have a black belt in junior ju-jitsu and know how to handle weapons. Watch yo’self!
2. I learnt how to ride a bike in Singapore at age 24. I know this sounds lame but I used skateboards growing up, not bikes.
3. I have a Charmander tattoo (that’s Pokemon guys) to match my brothers Squirtle tattoo because we are cool like that.
4. I prefer to watch animated film in comparison to films with real people in them.
5. I’m nervous around dogs so I pretend to ignore them, but I do love them. It’s a mixed emotion. I adore cats though. I’m trying to say I’m a cat person, but dogs are nice too.
6. I’m currently a 32FF UK bra size and yes I want a goddam reduction. My poor back hates me.
7. I’m a 9gagger but yeah I do get laid and yeah I’m a girl and yeah I did just assume my gender.
8. I’m 5’1, and wish I could carry a fold up step everywhere with me.
9. I left home just a few months after turning 16. I lived at various friends’ houses until the local council gave me an apartment.
10. I put a spoon in a microwave once.

Here are the questions asked by This Big Wild World and my best attempt at answering.

Where do you call home?

Wherever I lay my head. Which is usually on Sean. Home is an odd concept to me.

But if the underlying meaning of this question is to find out where I originate from that would be England, specifically the north, even more specifically Sheffield in South Yorkshire. You know, where Yorkshire puddings are made, the Arctic Monkeys play every hour and Sean Bean is king.

What was the last random act of kindness you did? (HINT: If you can’t think of one, do something before you write your post)

I restrained myself from screaming and crying on the last flight I was on (it was that bad and I was cranky) and the child in from was doing enough for the both of us. I thought I’d spare the other passengers the extra drama, that’s kindness right? Okay, I’m gonna go donate some of my stuff now.

What are you most thankful for?

My life. In general. I guess. I dunno. Right now? Like right this minute? Probably this white hot chocolate drink, I’m thankful for its hot creamy tastiness on this cold, so cold night. I came to Australia for the heat! What’s with this cold front?! Let’s turn up the heat and get on with Aussie summer please.

What are you currently working to improve for yourself or your blog?

Oh my my my. Sooooo many things. Blog wise I’m trying to improve my writing, reading about coding, trying to improve my drawing and painting. I currently (and for the part year) have been blogging without a laptop or pc, I do this all on my phone. It’s painfully slow and I’m limited to what I can do.  I’m saving up for a computer right now.
A little bit louder for the people in the back….
I DON’T HAVE A COMPUTER!!!! I HAVE TO BLOG AND DO ALL THIS ON. MY. PHONE!!!!!!

What advice would you give someone wanting to start a blog?

Spare a thought for your boyfriend or girlfriend, friends and family. They will have to listen to you if you constantly jibber jabber on about your blog.

Oh and if you’re like me and start swearing like a sailor when you can’t get something to work (I accidentally deleted a whole blog post once) just mind your language around small children. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.

NOW IT’S MY TURN TO PAY IT FORWARD! 

My nominees are:

1. Morrisons Enroute
   An amazing Canadian power couple that shares advice about traveling as a unit. The highs, the lows and everything in between.  If anyone has ever traveled with their other half then this blog is for you!
2. Chasing Krista
   Her photographs are so beautiful and website is extremely well laid out. She’s gone off the beaten track a few times with some weird and wonderful experiences and locations most other travelers didn’t know existed. Well worth a nosy!
3. Lori World Hapa
   Lori is incredibly smart, thoughtful and kind, she has lived in interesting life and has some great stories to tell. Her blog comprises of telling these stories and although there aren’t many they are definitely worth the read!
4. She Goes Global
   She has a beautiful writing style and is able to make the unrelatable well…relatable. It’s humble, helpful and her positivity and honesty make this blog one I can’t stop reading.
5. The Rambling Mermaid
   Scuba drive enthusiast with some serious travel locations under her belt. There’s also some very interesting thought provoking reads going on up in here.
6. Art Teach Travel
   A teacher, an artist, a traveler. I can relate to all three! Although I only do two of them now. Quite funny too in the way that she writes. Teachers, artists and travellers should stop here.
7. Joy Makon
   Absolutely gorgeous watercolour paintings! You need to check this on out whether you like art or not (who doesn’t like art? Seriously?) I’d say more but I think I’d go into a fit of jealous rage.

My 5 questions for them are;

1) What is the lowest (and potentially funniest and most embarrassing) moment you’ve had whilst travelling?

2) Can you briefly describe a meaningful experience with a person you met traveling and know you might never see again?

3) Have you ever been on the receiving end of negative criticism  (possibly from friends and family) about your lifestyle? If so, how did you react?

4) What have you done this year so far that you are most proud of? Travel related or not.

5) How do you manage your stuff storage-wise when you travel? Asking for a friend.

If you have been nominated I look forward to hearing back from you and reading your posts. Please share the love. Many people believe the Liebster award is similar to a chain email/letter and sure it shares similarities but the underlining idea is to help promote each others’ blogs.

Thank you for the graphic and all the information The Global Aussie.

And another final thank you to This Big Wild World.

*P.s I call a collective group of people ‘guys’ and it has nothing to do with gender but more my own inability to change the dialect in which I speak.

​P.p.s Sorry not sorry for the unruly amount of gifs in this post. I don’t usually do it. But today got away from me.