Sippin Gypsy Sunshine Blogger Award

Sippin Gypsy has been nominated for the
​ SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD!

The Sunshine Blogger Award is a celebration of new bloggers who have been recognized by other bloggers that feel they inspire positivity, creativity and joy in the blogging community!  Thank you so much Caitlyn of With Caitlyn for the nomination!!!

What happens as a recipient of the SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD?
Once nominated there are three simple rules to follow:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Answer 11 questions on your own blog, nominate 11 new bloggers and create 11 new questions for your nominees to answer.
3. Display the rules of the Sunshine Blogger Award on your blog post as well as the logo.

Cheers!

1. What was your first trip alone?
I hadn't started blogging yet, but I was in my early twenties and working in a career in the fashion industry.  Work sent me to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands for a month.  The ladies I worked with there made sure I ventured out to explore the island to its fullest! From festivals in Frederiksted to charming shops and restaurants in Christiansted, I had an incredible time!  This was also before cell phone services made it easy to travel internationally on a plan based out of the United States.  So not only was this the first time I had left the United States.  I was on my own and had to wait to use a land line to talk with my then boyfriend back home in Florida.

2. Are you a typical all-inclusive of an Airbnb traveler?
I have not yet stayed at an Airbnb property.  I have considered several when looking at options, but my husband works for a large hotel and resort company, so often the lodging comes with a generous discount when he travels with me.  I do love the idea of staying in a home right in the heart of where the locals play when visiting a city.  Many of the cities on our bucket list don't have chain hotel options, so Airbnb will definitely be used in the future!
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3. What was the reason you started blogging your adventures?
Two reasons I started blogging are: 1) I always thought Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown had the dream life traveling around the world and cataloging it to inspire others. 2) My friends and I would always create I Cloud shared photo albums so we could enjoy seeing photos in the moment of each others travels.  I realized how much I enjoyed sharing photos and tips to what inspired me everyplace I went that I wanted to pass along the joy!

4. What was the best holiday you had till now?
Hands down, my 40th Birthday Celebration.  My amazing husband turned my 40th birthday into a two week celebration that included an impromptu romantic getaway to Miami FL (though this was a dual purpose, a much needed getaway just the two of use and to order our passports.  We needed to go to Miami so that we could get our passports right away because he also booked a surprise adventure to Costa Rica!   We enjoyed zip lining and horseback riding through the rain forest, incredible food, a most beautiful ocean front resort and a spa day to relax and unwind.  Costa Rica is a beautiful country with such friendly and hospitable people that exude pride for their country.  I can't wait to visit again!

5. What are three destinations on your bucket list?
Because of challenges balancing a full time career I have a very very very long bucket list of places I want to travel, but sitting at the top of my list would be: 1) Norway  my dads side of the family is from Norway and my grandmother often told me wonderful stories of Norway and the foods and traditions.  I have always cherished these and look forward to visiting the lands of my heritage. 2) Italy because I love Italian Cuisine and have always been mesmerized by the architecture and landscape of the Italian countryside. 3) Basque because everything I have ever read of, researched and watched about Basque looks absolutely charming and delicious. 

​6. Which activities are at the top of your bucket list?
I am a self proclaimed lover of sippin and strollin as a way to explore new destinations, Sippin Gypsy must hold to her mantra and try local cocktails and spirits anywhere I travel.  I also am a huge sucker for haunted history tours wherever I visit.  I know it seems crazy gimmicky but to me this is a fun way to blend history and something a little spooky!!  But as far as bucket list activities that require visiting a specific place to accomplish a specific goal: 1) Visit the Fjords in Norway by way of boat just like my viking ancestors might have. 2) Stay in a historic villa overlooking the serene Italian countryside. 3) Walk hand in hand with my husband through the medieval towns in Basque.

7.  What is your favorite travel photo and why?
The below photo was captured from our hotel room at sunrise on my last day in Costa Rica.  The colors were breathtaking and the whole experience in Costa Rica was an absolute surprise and such an incredible gift from my husband.  This photo invokes a flood of emotions and celebrates the beauty of Costa Rica and feeling so cherished and loved.
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8. What life lesson have you learned in your travels?
Travel has taught me that there is truly no reason to treat anyone different because of their race, nationality or ethnicity.  A smile is the same in very language, we all want to enjoy time with the people we love and we all are citizens of this planet.  It doesn't matter if any of us is from the a particular Continent, Country, State or 'part of town',  just smile and celebrate the beauty our world offers.

9. How did traveling change your life?
I have been on the go even as a baby.  Travel has always been part of my routine, so I don't have a particular moment where I feel travel changed my life, but I do feel travel has enriched my life in so many ways.  Some of my happiest memories are time spent in the car on a road trip, singing at the top of our lungs, or playing silly travel games to pass the time. I cherish the memories of time with the people I love, uninterrupted by the routine of daily life, and just stepping into another world where there is nothing to do except explore new streets, taste new flavors and meet new people.

10. How do you balance work and blogging?
When you love what you do it doesn't feel like 'work', right?  Being a full time career woman, my passion with travel and blogging fits in between shifts and with vacation time while traveling.  With the company I work for offering generous paid time off and my husbands job offering great discounts for lodging around the world...we use vacation time for getaways and usually have a year or two planned out in advance!  Technology has made it so easy to share content between devices and research for travel has always been something I enjoy doing.  I let my posts evolve organically, I personally believe in quality over quantity regarding my own personal content, which helps keep the stress of "I need another post by tonight' off my shoulders and allows me to keep it fun!

11. Would you rather visit a city or beach destination?
Something with both!? I find water to be soothing and calming.  So as long as there is a river running through a city, or a city built along a coast or waterway, I would most always pick 'city'.  Living in Florida I can indulge in a beachy retreat easily, so when I am ready to travel and explore, I prefer a plethora of options and variety that cities most often provide.

There are several incredible bloggers that have been so inspirational to me.  My list of nominations will be updating soon!
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