Running a blog is a full-time job, which is why I am so thankful when I get opportunities to work with incredible companies and bloggers who help get a blogger one stop closer to her goal of living from blogging. This month, the lovely Sophie of sophieannetaylor was gracious enough to sponsor LFB.
Sophie is a 19 year old British travel blogger who has a passion for learning about the world. Her blog’s main focal points are detailed blog posts that can include trip reports, travel inspiration and advising readers how to travel as easily as possible. You can find Sophie on instagram, twitter, and youtube. Check out the interview below to learn more about the incredible lady behind the blog!
LFB: Thanks so much for advertising with LFB this month! Can you tell LFBers a little bit more about yourself?
Sophie: No problem! I’m so happy to be featured on LFB, thank you so much. My name is Sophie, full name Sophie Anne Taylor hence the blog name! I’m a British girl living in Hertfordshire but I commute daily to Cambridge where I study History at Anglia Ruskin University. Although I love my home, and studying in Cambridge is wonderful, I’m always yearning to get away to see the world. Not just to enjoy it, but to try and understand it more as I have a huge passion for learning – not those restrictive essays and exams though!
Right now I have trips lined up to see places I’m extremely familiar with such as Edinburgh, new places such as Zakopane in Poland and a tour of Japan by rail that I’m already drafting up my own itinerary for – I’m a huge believer in taking travel into your own hands.
When not jetting about I adore spending time with my family, and if alone, will always get cosy in my bedroom and watch documentary after documentary – wildlife, travel, history, politics, it could honestly be about anything. If you haven’t gathered already I’m very passionate about learning about the world, and wish that others could enjoy it as much as myself. Which is why my current goal is to perfect my Japanese and move to Japan to teach – Nothing sounds better than spreading my own ideas and knowledge and receiving the same in return through cultural exchange.
LFB: Can you tell LFBers how you got started blogging?
Sophie: I began blogging in the November of 2015, I read so many inspiring blogs and thought that I too could contribute to such a wonderful community. However, due to settling into university and getting severely ill in my first year, I didn’t actually start blogging regularly until May of this year. That was when everything settled into place.
When writing blog posts I finally felt my ideas and opinions flow onto the keyboard, and I had finally come to realise what people enjoyed to see – My travel writing. But what was I to write about? There were a countless number of travel blogs about, however, I could rarely find one that encompassed everything I liked. Then I realised I was very passionate about travelling comfortably, but without breaking the bank – I wanted as many people to access the wider world as possible.
Of course, in an ideal reality I wish everyone could travel, however, for now, if my blog could get working class young people and students in my country travelling, even if it was just one person, it was a wonderful thought. However, my blog isn’t about education, that’s what I encourage my readers to do themselves. through experience. I focus on providing detailed trip reports which include how to keep costs down without skimping on comfort, interesting places worth their time and how to actually travel as easily as possible.
LFB: What would LFBers love most about your blog?
Sophie: I believe the combination of different types of travel posts keep people coming back. Also, although my focus is travel blogging, I do get inspired to write the odd lifestyle post, sometimes even a review of some beauty products. I’m a very honest person and a very genuine person – I only write what I enjoy writing about, I’ll never force myself to write about something that doesn’t peak my interest. I mean if I don’t find writing about it interesting, how on earth will someone reading my blog find it interesting either?
The only thing holding me back writing some posts is my reservedness. Although I certainly don’t appear to be a private person with my brutally honest posts and posts that detail how I spend my life and travels, I do hide a lot of my feelings and opinions at times. More personal and thoughtful posts are what I’d like to try and write more of in the future, and blogging has already helped me become more confident and organised so I’m sure I’ll open up to my readers soon; if that’s the kind of content they’d like to read. But for now, I believe my amateur travel photography and my honest and humble travel advice is something that people enjoy reading and I’m comfortable publishing that.
LFB: What aspect of #theCLmovement is most important to you and why?
Sophie: Hmm, only one? That’s a struggle…probably being conscious of privilege. Of course, I know those who follow the #theCLmovement will all have varying degrees of privilege, some maybe not having much at all. However, no matter your circumstances, I believe you should always sit back and be grateful for what you have, and then think – how can I make others lives better? How can I make the world better?
Although I adore travelling I know it can place quite a burden on the environment through flying, I ensure that I try and contribute to the world as positively as I can in return for this privilege (and slight infliction on the environment). I volunteer a lot on top of my studies and part time job, one of the institutions I volunteer for being a Hedgehog Conservation charity. I also always bring a drink and food from home for the kind homeless man John at my train station and give him some good conversation.
They are just some of the small steps I make towards making the world a better place, in fact, they are tiny, minuscule steps…however, I do not believe that means they are worthless. Essentially always be grateful for what you have, but do not be ashamed of rewarding yourself. However, try your best to help the world around you and don’t get stressed if you cannot help everything and everyone, it shouldn’t be an all or nothing state of mind or being. Try and make every effort you can for the world when you do have the energy, appreciating the world around you is so important <3
LFB is hosting TWO incredble giveaways at the moment! CLICK HERE (or the image above) to enter both!
