Podcast Interview with Nina of JustWandering.org

This is my 10th podcast episode and I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a travel blogger who works as a Virtual Assistant. This job allows her to have a bit of flexibility with her schedule as she can work from home or work anywhere so long as she’s connected to the internet.

Episode 10 of my Podcast Interview Series

soloflighted sessions with nina

Nina of JustWandering.org

A pioneer female travel blogger in the Philippines, Nina blogs at JustWandering.org. She and her website won the best Travel Blog in the 2010 Philippine Blog Awards, and also won the Best Travel Blog in the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards 2011. It’s such a great feat knowing she competed against other top bloggers in other countries in the Asia Pacific.

She may look shy, but Nina has already bungy jumped from the Macau Tower and has travelled solo to so many countries already.

I was really nervous during this interview and it showed when I listened to the finished product. Nina also admitted that she was was also conscious on how she sounds but it’s something that we were both trying to overcome. That’s why I’m really glad that she said yes to this podcast. We were also joined by her friend, Hazel and James of JourneyingJames.com.

Interview Location: Va’ Pensiero, Araneta Coliseum, Cubao
Photo Credits: Cla Ines of http://cgines.wordpress.com/

just wandering

Please click the ‘Play’ button to listen to the Podcast:

Podcast: Download

What is your primary goal why you set up your travel blog?

In 2006, when I decided to start travelling, I came across travel blogs in my research and then I realized it’s a good resource for other travellers. And since I’ve been blogging, I thought it’s something I can easily do and at the same time, I also want to help other travellers. That’s why I set up a travel blog so it can serve as a resource for travellers researching for their own trips.

nina just wandering

What do you do outside blogging?

I work full-time as a Virtual Assistant, I work from home which leaves me with enough time to pursue other interests and other freelance work like I do web design on the side, I write articles for other websites, magazines or newspapers and I take pictures of dolls.

Has it been difficult juggling all your work?

Not really. I guess it really helps that I work from home so I don’t have to deal with outside stress and traffic. I practically live online. It’s hard but you find a way. If there’s something that you really want to do, you find a way to work around it.

justwandering nina of justwandering

Any tips you’d like to share to aspiring travel bloggers?

Just travel. People wouldn’t really take you seriously if you have a travel blog but you don’t travel. Blog about something that you really like doing, that you love doing, that you enjoy doing. To make it easy for you to write about it, to share your story and to make it seem much more real to you readers.

What are your top 3 travel essentials?

Doll – Because I don’t like taking pictures of myself. So I take pictures of my doll and the destination.
iPod [Touch] – It serves as my inflight entertainment, my mp3 and I use it to keep track of my expenses.
Comfortable Footwear – flip-flops or rubber shoes, because I like to walk.

nina fuentes

Are there any tips you’d like share to those who are hesitant to go out and explore the world?

Travelling is not that hard. What’s hard to overcome is your FEAR of travelling. You have to get over it. It’s not as if everybody’s out to get you when you travel. If you can survive living in Manila, you can surely survive walking around Bangkok or Cambodia.

Also, you don’t have to have lots of money to travel. A lot of Filipinos now can travel without spending a lot of money. You just have to be really resourceful. You just have to research and you just have to plan ahead. So that you’ll know which places to avoid, which mode of transport to take, What’s expensive and what’s not. You just need to prepare, you don’t need a special kind of courage to go out of travel. Just step out of the house, just travel, don’t think about it [too much].

————–

Nina mentioned her “evil plans” as her next project but I’ve gotten hints that she’s planning on another great adventure. I’m not sure if she has booked flights to cyprus or she’s getting ready for a backpacking trip across Europe. Either way, she’s already

Thanks for the interview, Nina!

Check out my podcasts with other bloggers below:


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soloflightEd.com is a travel blog by Edcel Suyo. He enjoys performing headstands and crazy stunts during his trips in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and working to earn a living, he takes time to enjoy the city and travel during weekends.
For updates, Like his page on Facebook or Follow him on Twitter.
For questions, advertising, and other concerns, shoot an email to ed@soloflighted.com.

19 thoughts on “Podcast Interview with Nina of JustWandering.org”

  6. @flipnomad: ayos, very friendly din talaga to newbies yung blog nya. i remember her blog nung Angkor Wat pa ang header ng page nya and her profile pic sa sidebar was a self-portrait on a car's side-mirror. 😀

    @nina: haha, you did great Nina! thanks for sharing your story in this project of mine. 😀

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  9. And the Top 10 has finished… Feature mo si Chyng, Ed! Correct me if I'm wrong, is she on the list already? dumarami na compilation mo… 🙂
     

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  11. panalo ang top pick ng travel essential – DOLL! 😀
     
    nina is one of the 2  bloggers na nastarstruck ako nung nakita ko. ang taas ng tingin ko sa kanya. imagine, a lady blogger who wins numerous awards. siya na talaga! — pero nung naging friends na kami, hindi na! hahaha babaeng bakla yan! =)

    Reply

  12. @Drew: Thanks, galing nya noh? Humble din nya despite how many awards 😀

    @pusangkalye: haha, thanks for listening Anton!

    @Mitch: haha, hi Mitch. probably after 4 podcasts pa 😀 thanks! kelangan ko na tong itodo. hehe

    @richie yu: thanks for dropping by richie!

    @chyng: hahaha, daming na starstruck sa kanya. si Elal nga, biglang nanginig nung nagkita kami sa UP with nina. haha. cute masyado tignan. hahaha. babaeng bakla talaga. hahaha

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  14. "Travelling is not that hard. What's hard to overcome is your FEAR of travelling. You have to get over it. It's not as if everybody's out to get you when you travel." – couldn't agree more. I already saw Nina last year in Greenbelt but I was too shy to introduce myself hehe

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  15. @Christian: haha. kakatuwa din yung interview mo Christian. iba-iba may mga highlights talaga so no worries! hahaha. 

    @vin: Nina doesn't bite. she's a very approachable person. when you see her next time, pakilala ka naman! 😀

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  18. Geez I almost missed this! Sowee tagal kong nagka-bloggers block. I turned away from blogging for 3 months! Also didn't read any blog. I just needed to get away from it for a while. 🙂
    Saya this interview. I love Nina and her quivering voice! 🙂 I'm one of the recipients of her excel files. Very useful talaga.
    As for you, soloflighter who's now a doubleflighter 🙂 how can you sound younger than before? Parang high school lang ang boses mo dito. :p

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  19. @AJ: haha, tagal mo ngang nawala sa blogging. I know you've been to places din! Can't wait to read your adventures uli. Haha, Nina oh, quivering daw. Nanginginig din ako when i interviewed Nina that's why parang bata lang. hahaha. doubleflighter talaga? hahaha.

    I remember the time when you commented that you hoped I won't be a soloflighter anymore. haha. thanks AJ!

    Reply

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