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Interview with Michelle, from “Michwanderlust”

Home » OTHER TOPICS » Interview with Michelle, from “Michwanderlust”

Last Modified: June 16, 2024 //  by Anda //  23 Comments

My guest for this month’s “Travel Bloggers Interviews” series is Michelle, the editor, writer and photographer of “Michwanderlust,” a travel record of her adventures.

Michele at Michwanderlust

Table of Contents

  • 1. Tell us a little about yourself: Who are you? Where are you from?
  •      2. What is Michwanderlust about and how did you start it?
  •       4. What is the most stunning place that you have ever visited?
  •       5. Do you feel that blogging takes time away from your social or family life?
  •       6. What is the one thing that is too large or impractical to travel with that you wish you could take with you when you travel?
  •       7. Are there any countries that you would not consider visiting and why?
  •       8. What is your greatest passion?
  •       9. What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
  •       10. What is your favorite means of transportation (plane, train, car, ship)?

1. Tell us a little about yourself: Who are you? Where are you from?

I’m Michelle, born and raised in the tiny island nation of Singapore. I’m a lawyer by profession and a certified EFL teacher with a passion for traveling, especially adventure travel. Horseback riding and diving are two of my favorite things and I try to fit in at least one of them whenever I travel. It’s really expensive to ride in Singapore and there isn’t much diving to speak of, so I really treasure the opportunities to do so on my travels.

I enjoy learning about other cultures and their history as well. Growing up in Singapore (which in addition to being a tiny island is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society as well) we learn from a young age to take an interest in the world around us and not be too parochial.

Currently, I’m taking a career break to travel around South America, improve my Spanish (which I’ve been learning for a few years) and do some volunteer work before getting married next year. But “Michwanderlust” will continue.

     2. What is Michwanderlust about and how did you start it?

My blog is mainly about my travels. I’ve also blogged a bit about baking –something I really enjoy–  but unfortunately haven’t had the time to to do in a long time!

It was started as a way to record my experiences – both for my own reference (as I have a terrible memory) and so that I could share useful information and tips with anyone who might be interested in trying the same thing. It’s really frustrating when you’re trying to give a friend suggestions on where to eat etc. in a city you’ve recently visited, only to find you can’t remember enough to name specific restaurants and so on.

       3.   Do you travel for work or for pleasure?

Up to now I’ve travelled mainly for pleasure.

Michele at Michwanderlust

      4. What is the most stunning place that you have ever visited?

Probably Egypt! Seeing the Pyramids of Giza (out of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, this is the only surviving one!), the Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, the temples of Abu Simbel, Luxor and Karnak – relics from the ancient world that I’d only read about or seen pictures of – it was incredible. The ancient Egyptians were unbelievably sophisticated and it was quite literally breathtaking to see what they’ve left behind for us.

The underwater wonders of the Red Sea are stunning in their own right too. The visibility was insane – 20m at least – and the colours of the corals, the fish and the water were vivid beyond anything I had expected. I’ve done my fair share of diving elsewhere (including in Sipadan, Malaysia, which regularly ranks among the top dive locations in the world), and the Red Sea is still right up there as one of my top diving experiences.

      5. Do you feel that blogging takes time away from your social or family life?

To a large extent, yes – when I’m not travelling. Of course, blogging for me is still socialising, just in a different context – with other travel bloggers from all over the world. But as I’m also using “Michwanderlust” to keep my family and friends updated while I’m away, in that sense it’s also contributing to my social and family life!

      6. What is the one thing that is too large or impractical to travel with that you wish you could take with you when you travel?

My dog! Leaving her behind (and knowing that she wouldn’t understand why I’m leaving or that I’ll be coming back) is my least favourite part of travelling.

      7. Are there any countries that you would not consider visiting and why?

Safety is a big priority for me, so I wouldn’t travel somewhere that is known to be particularly dangerous, like Venezuela at the moment. I actually know a few Venezuelans and they have all advised me against going there. And as much I’d love to visit South Africa, I’m somewhat wary about it because I know someone who studied in Cape Town for about 6 months and during that time, he got mugged and his house got broken into on more than one occasion.

      8. What is your greatest passion?

As mentioned above, I love horseback riding and diving, although (or perhaps because) I don’t get to do either very often. If I had to choose between the two, however, I’d go for riding because: (a) I’m better at it; and (b) it’s more convenient (less time spent struggling with equipment per hour of riding as compared to diving)!

      9. What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?

That has to be my current trip to South America! Prior to this, I’ve only travelled solo for a few days in Seville – this time, it’ll be for months and in a continent I’ve never visited before. It’s exciting and scary in almost equal measure.

      10. What is your favorite means of transportation (plane, train, car, ship)?

If time constraints weren’t an issue, I’d choose train or bus as they’re more environmentally friendly options. However, this is not always practicable. I do end up taking flights a lot because of time constraints, and in many parts of the world there’s no option for getting around apart from car, taxi, etc. – so it really depends on where I am.

You can follow Michelle and Michwanderlust on:

Twitter (@michwanderlust) 
Instagram (@michhwanderlust)

Category: OTHER TOPICS, Travel Blogger Interviews

About Anda

Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aaron

    August 25, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    Michelle is right about Venezuela, as that country is on the brink of collapse. Not really South Africa, as safety there is on par with much of the rest of South America. In other words, be smart about your appearance and behavior, and chances are good that you’ll be fine.

    Reply
  2. Michelle

    August 21, 2016 at 6:05 pm

    What an interesting interview with Michelle. I feel like I have so much in common with her along with her first name. I travel for pleasure as well and consider safety a huge importance when deciding where to go. I wish my family and friends would read my blog more than they do because that would contribute to my social life and help me keep in touch with those I care about.

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:50 pm

      Hey Michelle! Yes, Michelle is a super common first name for women of a certain age – I have no idea why. I went through almost my entire schooling life with one or more other Michelles in the same class. Hope you didn’t have to go through the same thing! It’s cool to know that we have more than just our first names in common 🙂

      Reply
  3. Rhonda Albom

    August 21, 2016 at 4:32 am

    Nice to meet you Michelle. My daughter is also in South America improving her Spanish.

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      That’s so cool, Rhonda! Whereabouts is she and for how long?

      Reply
  4. Anisa Alhilali

    August 21, 2016 at 4:24 am

    Anda – Great choice for a feature, I have been reading Michelle’s blog for a few months I guess, and really enjoy it.

    Michelle – Enjoy your time in South America and congrats on your upcoming wedding.

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:44 pm

      Many thanks, Anisa! I’m just hoping the wedding isn’t too much of a disaster since I’ll have to plan it remotely for the most part!

      Reply
  5. Sally@Toddlers on Tour

    August 21, 2016 at 3:24 am

    I’ve only recently discovered Michelles travel blog so it’s great to learn a little bit more about her and how she came into travel blogging.

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:43 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Sally 🙂

      Reply
  6. Elaine J Masters

    August 20, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    I love hearing from great travelers especially with expertise in parts of the world I’ve yet to visit. She’s a diver too! Another passion we share.

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:42 pm

      Am so glad that we share the same passion for diving, Elaine! I think the diving community is one of the best parts about diving 🙂

      Reply
  7. Ruth

    August 20, 2016 at 11:44 am

    I have been Mich’s adventures for some time, so, I am glad to learn more about her and her travels. I loved Egypt too. It is a dream to go back one day (this time with my husband).

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:38 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Ruth! I’d definitely love to go back to Egypt someday too – it’s one of those places you can keep returning to and not get bored, I think!

      Reply
  8. Clare (Suitcases and Sandcastles)

    August 20, 2016 at 3:02 am

    So great to read about the lovely Michelle. The upcoming South American adventure sounds really thrilling. Travelling alone is scary and exciting all at the same time but so worthwhile. I’ll look forward to hearing all about it.

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:36 pm

      Thanks, Clare! It’s been a bit crazy so far but I definitely want to blog about it as I go 🙂

      Reply
  9. Lolo

    August 20, 2016 at 12:54 am

    It’s nice to get to know Michelle a bit more than just from comments! 🙂 I found her interview interesting to read! Especially about leaving her dog at home! I can totally relate! However, my dog lives in the states and I haven’t had a dog in Germany for the last 4 years! 🙁 #TheWeeklyPostcard

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:35 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Lolo! I can only imagine how much you must miss your dog after 4 years 🙁

      Reply
  10. Mary {The World Is A Book}

    August 19, 2016 at 10:44 pm

    Always great to learn more about other travel bloggers. I wasn’t following Michelle before on IG but I will now. What a great adventure to leave the familiar and go explore a totally different continent. Thanks for introducing us to Michelle!

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:31 pm

      Thanks for reading, Mary! I do like reading about other travel bloggers as well – we’re all so different and come from so many different backgrounds. It’s really interesting!

      Reply
  11. Ahila

    August 19, 2016 at 5:56 pm

    Enjoyed reading your interview with Michelle, Anda. Hope you are having some wonderful experiences traveling around South America, Michelle!

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:28 pm

      Thanks Ahila! It’s been a bit crazy so far and I haven’t had time to collect my thoughts, but I’ll definitely be blogging about it asap! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Suze - Luxury Columnist

    August 19, 2016 at 11:12 am

    It must be really hard leaving your dog behind when travelling. I’d love to visit Egypt, the history of the place is incredible

    Reply
    • Michelle | michwanderlust

      August 22, 2016 at 4:27 pm

      Hey Suze, Egypt is a really unique place, you should definitely go!

      Reply

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