FAQ

After more than half a decade of blogging, I've begun to get certain questions about my site and lifestyle over and over again from readers, friends, and complete strangers alike. So here are the answers to (hopefully) all your burning questions!

How did you start blogging?

I launched this blog back in 2010 while I was working full-time as a copy/design editor at a small newspaper in northwest Ohio. To be honest, I started the blog partly because I would get bored at work while waiting for stories to come in and needed something to do to pass the time. And the other part of my motivation came from the fact that, while I've always loved to write, my editor job didn't offer much opportunity for me to do that.

I chose a travel blog because I had traveled a bit and studied abroad in college, and it seemed like something that would be fun to write about.

So A Dangerous Business started as a creative outlet. I barely wrote anything for the first six months, though, and had roughly zero knowledge of how to actually run a travel blog. It took nearly a year for me to get into the groove of things and get serious about it. But, once I did, the rest is history.

What's with the name?

The name of my blog – A Dangerous Business – comes from one of my favorite Tolkien quotes:

It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and, if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might get swept off to.

When I was toying around with names for my blog, all of the standard (read: boring) ones were already taken. So I started thinking of some of my favorite quotes and eventually landed on this. It doesn't really scream “travel blog,” but it says something about me personally, and I also think it makes a good story. And everyone loves a good story, right?

What did you study in school?

I've known since I was maybe 8 or 9 that I really liked writing – and I've also known since about that age that I was pretty good at it. When considering my college major, though, I wanted to be realistic; I didn't want to get the standard creative writing or literature degree because I was under no delusions that I was about to write the next great American novel. So I got a degree in journalism instead from a small, private school in Ohio (Ohio Northern University).

After working at a newspaper for nearly two years and discovering my love for traveling and blogging, I then decided to go back to school and got a master's degree from Kent State University in hospitality and tourism management. So, you know, if this whole blogging thing doesn't work out, I guess I can run a hotel or get a job in tourism development…

(But no, you definitely don't need writing/travel degrees in order to run a travel blog. It just so happens that those are two of my passions, and work well with me being a travel blogger!)

Where did you learn to take photos?

I do not have a background in photography, and with the exception of one basic digital photography class in college, I don't have any professional training. A lot of what I've learned about travel photography I've just learned from trial and error – and from taking lots of photos!

What kind of camera do you use?

I get this question much more frequently than I ever expected I would. The answer is that I currently shoot with a Sony A7III, with a Tamron 28-200mm lens. Before 2018, I shot for years on an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with a 12-40mm Pro lens.

I shot with an Olympus mirrorless camera of some sort for years (starting in 2012), and loved their compact size. It was great to be able to easily fit my camera into my purse! But as I got more serious about photography, I eventually switched over to a Sony full-frame mirrorless camera. It's bigger and heavier than any of my Olympus cameras, but the photo quality is really amazing.

As for post-processing (i.e. photo editing), I don't do a lot. I used to just use iPhoto on my Mac for color correction and cropping, but switched to Adobe Lightroom for editing a couple years ago.

Read more about my photo gear here: A Peek Inside My Camera Bag: My Favorite Travel Photography Gear

How do you make money to travel?

It's a question I am asked all. the. time. And it's fair – I would be curious, too, if I was on the outside looking in.

I actually wrote a whole post about how I make money, which you can read here: How I Make Money as a Blogger

In short, though, I do a lot of different things. I make money from my blog through advertising, affiliate links, and the occasional branded post. I also do things like marketing campaigns (i.e. working with brands and destinations), speak at conferences, and even sell my own blogging courses.

Where have you traveled?

As of the end of 2020, I've traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents. If you want to see where all I've been (or, at least all the places I've blogged about), check out my Destinations page, or my Travel Timeline.

Where's your favorite place you've been?

It's SO difficult to choose my favorite place. I like different places for different reasons.

Some of my favorite countries include New Zealand, Scotland, Iceland, Norway, Vietnam, and Romania. Some of my favorite cities include places like London, Budapest, Barcelona, Savannah, Chicago, New Orleans, and Wellington.

If I HAD to choose one overall favorite destination, though, it would have to be New Zealand. I studied abroad in Wellington for a semester during college, and have made many trips to the Land of the Long White Cloud. New Zealand has held a very special place in my heart for more than a decade, and it's the country I've spent the most time in other than the US.

Here are some of my favorite NZ posts:

Don't you get scared traveling solo?

I'll admit that I sometimes get anxious when I travel. I worry about delayed flights and lost luggage and language barriers and figuring out public transport. Eating alone isn't my favorite pasttime, either. But I don't really get scared about traveling solo.

You can read more about why I don't find solo travel scary here: Why I'm Not Afraid to Travel Alone

And you can read more about solo travel in general here: Top 9 Questions About Solo Travel Answered

What kind of luggage should I take to X?

Packing can be one of the more stressful parts of planning a trip for many people. And I totally get it – you never truly know what the weather will be like, how many pairs of shoes to take, or whether you really truly need all those new accessories and gizmos you bought for the trip. Deciding on which type of bag to pack your stuff in can also be confusing. Here are my suggestions:

Rolling luggage – If you're traveling in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe, Australia, or New Zealand, then rolling luggage is fine. It's extra-fine if you're traveling on an organized tour with transport already arranged for you. But you don't want a ginormous suitcase in any situation. My choice of rolling bag is the Osprey Sojourn (it comes in a carry-on size, or a larger check-in version). It's extremely sturdy and well-made, and is big enough to fit all my things, whether I'm traveling for 10 days or 5 weeks. (Remember, when you travel for a long time you can always do laundry along the way!) The Sojourn also has removable backpack straps in a separate compartment at the back.

A backpack – For other part of the world like Southeast Asia and Central America, a backpack is slightly more suitable to travel with. This is because you'll likely have to be taking your bag on/off buses and boats and tuk-tuks more often, and a backpack is much easier to do this with than rolling luggage. For my own trip to Southeast Asia, I traveled with a Kelty Redwing 44-liter backpack. It's on the small side, yet has lots of pockets for organization and was perfect for all the modes of public transport in places like Thailand and Cambodia.

Carry-on-only – For shorter trips (and/or for people who are happy to travel light), going carry-on-only is often the way to go. It means you don't have to wait around at a luggage carousel or ever worry about your stuff being lost. There are SO many different carry-on bags out there to choose from, from small spinner luggage to backpacks. Some of my favorite bags include the Pacsafe Venturesafe 45L GII and the Osprey Fairview 40.

For more on my favorite luggage, check out this post: The Best Luggage and Bags for Travel

For more packing tips, check out my Packing Lists page.

How do you decide where to travel to next?

The answer is pretty simple: it's usually based on where I want to go! I have a running “bucket list” of destinations, and usually go by what's at the top. Other things like cool events, the weather/seasons, and where someone else I know is traveling can also sometimes influence my decisions.

I also occasionally get invited to visit places by PR companies and tourism boards, and usually schedule those around other already-planned trips (Contrary to popular belief, not all travel bloggers travel only on sponsored trips; I plan and pay for the vast majority of my own travel.)

How do you manage to juggle travel and working?

I'm still trying to figure out the perfect balance. I don't travel full-time, but I still travel roughly 25-40% of the year. And, when you're trying to make a living AND travel, you definitely have to try to find a work-travel balance.

These days, I work 100% online. This is great, because it means I can work from anywhere with an Internet connection. But it can also be challenging, because it also means that I'm always working *while* I'm traveling, too. I have to balance exploring new destinations with finding time to write new blog posts, edit photos/video, post to social media, etc.

I manage this in a couple of ways. First of all, I always look for accommodation with good wifi so that I can work in the mornings/evenings from my room. I upload/edit photos just about every evening so I don't fall too far behind. I also usually add an extra “work day” or two into my itinerary. Setting aside time for work is essential – I would never get anything done otherwise!

What do you do about your phone when you're traveling abroad?

Many bloggers will tell you to buy local SIM cards for your phone when you travel, so you can easily use data and apps no matter where you are. But if you're based in the U.S. (and spend any amount of time in-country each year), there's an even easier way. I have a phone plan through T-Mobile that includes unlimited data and texting in more than 140 countries around the world. I pay $85 per month, and don't ever have to worry about swapping SIM cards.

(And no, I'm not getting paid to mention this – I honestly think T-Mobile is great for travelers!)

I also usually travel with a mobile wifi hotspot from Skyroam these days, which has helped me work and travel in countries from Iceland to Morocco to New Zealand.

Learn more about these options here: The Best Ways to Stay Connected on Your Travels

What are your thoughts on travel insurance?

When it comes to travel insurance (i.e. insurance to cover everything from lost luggage to catastrophic accidents on the road), I'm definitely an advocate. I know travelers who have had some seriously awful experiences abroad (including a broken back in the middle of the Amazon jungle), and I would never want to be in a similar situation without at least basic coverage.

These days, I have an annual travel insurance plan since I'm gone so often. But if you're just looking for insurance for a single trip? My pick for basic travel insurance is World Nomads. I've never actually had to file a claim with them (thankfully), but their coverage is some of the most affordable out there.

Have a question that isn't answered here? Feel free to leave it in the comments below, or to email me at adangerousbusiness [at] gmail [dot] com!

*Note: There are a few affiliate links in this post, meaning that if you buy/book something through one of my links, I may make a small commission (at no extra cost to you, of course!).

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FAQ