Inspirational Travel Blogger–Matt Kepnes
How could you not know who Nomadic Matt is? If you Google travel for almost any country, his blog Nomadic Matt, naturally pops up. He helps the budget minder traveler find the best deals. While he makes a good living from his blog, the reader never questions his honesty and somehow trusts his recommendations. There is a sincerity in his approach.
My blogging experience was mainly writing down my quirky observations and sending my friends and family my travelogue by email. Then after returning from Nicaragua on January 1, 2018, I seized an opportunity from Matt to become a member of his travel blogging course. It’s a step by step guide to setting up a travel blog webpage. There are also tons of support with a dedicated Facebook group and this year I traveled to TravelCon in Austin, Texas hosted by Matt. I had the good fortune to be able to interview him, and I enjoyed getting to know his “inner workings.”
When did you first see yourself as a writer? What were your first attempts at writing?
Aside from some writing in school, it really wasn’t until I decided to start a travel blog that I really began to think about writing as a craft. Once I started blogging, I had grandiose visions of becoming a travel writer. I had hoped that by blogging I could get my foot in the door and (eventually) secure some jobs as a paid travel writer. I wanted to travel the world sharing stories of far-flung locales, writing articles and books and everything in between.
When I started blogging, I knew I had to really work on being a better writer. I wrote several posts each week and cranked out hundreds of thousands of words. I read books about writing and interviewed writers on my blog. And, eventually, my writing improved — and it’s still improving. Travel writing is one of those things that is never finished; there is always room for improvement. Sometimes that is a refreshing thought and sometimes it’s frustrating, but I think one of the main reasons my blog has been successful is because I’ve intentionally worked on become a better writer.
What kind of travel experiences did you have as a child?
Travel wasn’t a huge part of my life growing up. I went on a few family trips, but that’s about it. Aside from a drunken weekend in Montreal when I was younger, my first real trip abroad wasn’t until I was in my 20s. I spent a couple weeks backpacking Costa Rica…and it changed everything. I knew then that I wanted to travel more. I didn’t know how, but that trip got the wheels turning.
It wasn’t until later when I was backpacking Thailand that long-term travel became an option. When I was in Chiang Mai I met a few long-term travelers who traveled nonstop, for months and years at a time. Back then, I had no idea that was an option! I went home determined to do the same thing. I eventually quit my job to travel the world. And the rest, as they say, is history!
You’ve mentioned you’re writing a memoir. When can we expect to see it?
My next book, Ten Years a Nomad, will be coming out in July. It’s a travel memoir of all my most memorable travel stories — and the lessons they taught me. Unlike my first book, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day, this book won’t be focused on travel tips and advice. Instead, I’ll be recounting some of the more amazing and life-changing experiences I’ve had on the road.
Quitting my secure 9-5 job was a big risk at the time but I knew that I couldn’t spend my life crammed in a cubicle grinding away the hours. I’m hoping this book can show people that a life with more travel is possible. It doesn’t matter if you just want to travel for a few weeks a year or become a full-time nomad. You just need to be willing to take that first step and be willing to see what comes next. Because as my book will show you, what comes next is life-changing.
I read that you started out as a history teacher. In my experience, taking the time to engage at least one local guide to learn the history helps embed the destination in me. What techniques do you use to learn the history of an area?
I studied to be a history teacher in college, and I’ve definitely combined my love of history with my love of travel. Before I visit a new country I read all about it. There’s no better way to understand a country than by learning about its past. Plus, I love to read so I’m always looking for more books!
Once I arrive, the first thing I do is take a walking tour. This is a great way to get a feel for the destinations while also having a local expert you can chat with and ask questions. I’ll also use the sharing economy to get in touch with locals. Using apps like Couchsurfing or meetup.com to connect with locals is a great way to broaden your understanding of a destination and get a more personal, nuanced version of its history. I can’t recommend it enough!
What is one of your favorite travel quotes/adages?
There are tons of great travel quotes out there (it’s hard to go a day on social media without seeing them!). One I like that really resonates with me is by Paulo Coelho: “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine; it’s lethal.” I really think that one hits home in this day and age, with so many people working jobs this dislike just to make ends meet.
Another classic quote that applies to both life and travel is by the one and only Dr. Seuss: “You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” Travel, to me, is about seeing and experiencing new things. Too often I see travelers and tourists buried in their phone, focusing on social media instead of the amazing things right in front of them. When we travel, we need to keep our eyes open. Otherwise, we might as well just stay home!
Sometimes the perfect book enhances a journey. What was one such perfect book that you read?
While it’s hard to pick just one, if I had to narrow it down I think it would be The Beach. It’s one of my favorite travel books and really sums up life as a backpacker. We have a tendency to always be looking for that next paradise…only to get there and, by obtaining it, spoil it. Every budget backpacker you meet, whether they are backpacking Southeast Asia or wandering through Central Asia, can relate to that desire to go somewhere new, somewhere untouched.
But it’s all an illusion, because we can’t really go to paradise without changing it — usually for the worse. Plus, the movie was fun and is a great travel flick to get you pumped up and inspired for your next trip.
I loved TravelCon in Austin. What was a moment or a highlight from the conference that stands out for you?
For me, the best part was getting to network and talk with all the attendees and see that they were learning tons of new things — and getting to network themselves. A lot of collaborations came from the event, so it was really refreshing and inspiring to see people making their travel dreams a reality and putting in the work to get themselves on track to success. I had a blast just talking travel and business with like-minded people for 3 days. So, while it was a huge challenge to put the conference together, seeing just how positive people were about the experience made it all worthwhile.
What is the best writing advice you’ve received? Who are your writing influences?
The best writing advice I’ve received — and the advice I always share with new writers — is to learn how to edit. As Hemmingway said, “The first draft of everything is shit.” And he’s right! What turns good writing into great writing is a writer’s ability to edit; to keep making incremental improvements until they’ve arrived at where they want to be. It’s a slow, boring process. But it’s vital. I edit all of my blog posts multiple times, and I even pay an editor to review them for me too. It’s the most important step in writing, which is why I can’t emphasize it enough!
As for my writing influences, Bill Bryson and Anthony Bourdain are probably two of the biggest travel and writing influences of mine. They inspired me to really work hard on my writing and my blog, and to really dig deep when I travel. To get off the tourist trail and to get underneath the skin of a place. I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them paving the way!
You’ve talked about traveling to Colombia recently. We were there two years ago and were so impressed with the optimism and energy of the Colombian people. Which place are you most excited to share with your readers?
I’ve got a ton of content about Colombia coming up which I’m excited to share. I had such a great time in Medellin and really enjoyed the city. But while I’m excited to share my tips and itinerary ideas, the post I’m most looking forward to people reading is the announcement for my charity, FLYTE. We’re sending a group of high school students to Colombia later this year on a life-changing cultural exchange. Each year, we send a class abroad on a transformative trip and so I’m really looking forward to the community learning more about these amazing students and supporting them on their upcoming trip!
They say to teach is to learn twice. Well, by the same token, to blog about your travels is to travel twice (in my opinion). How does travel blogging enhance or detract from your travels?
I’ll admit that starting a travel blog will inevitably change how you travel. You need to be more focused on finding WiFi and collecting information, so you can’t always just relax and enjoy what comes. Blogging is work, and like any job you need to put in the hours. Research, learning the right skills, networking, marketing, SEO, newsletters — you need to stay on top of all of that plus actually find time to enjoy your travels. It’s a challenge sometimes!
For example, if you’re backpacking Thailand you’ll need to write posts about what to see in each city, how to get around the country, what’s the best travel backpack for the trip, how to save money in the country, what the best hostels in Bangkok are, and much, much more! All while still finding time to soak up the sun and stuff your face with delicious Thai food. It’s a lot harder than people think!
But it’s a good challenge. I end up learning a lot more about the places I visit, and knowing that I can help people make their travel dreams a reality makes it all worthwhile in the end!
Photographs go hand and hand with travel blogging. I understand you take your own photos. Which photograph of yours has the most interesting story behind it? Or Which two or three photos of yours are your favorites?
I’ll be the first to admit that travel photography isn’t my strong suit. While I used to travel with a proper travel camera, these days I just use my smartphone. The quality is good enough and it saves me lugging around a bigger camera. I really like some of my photos from when I was traveling in Madagascar, though to me, the best photos are always the most personal ones. They may not be the most critically-acclaimed photos, but they have meaning to me — and that’s what I appreciate most about them. They bring the memories flooding back, which is why we take photos in the first place: to re-live our adventures and remind ourselves to keep pushing the boundaries.
