Three Bloggers That Inspire Me

‘What’s important to me is to share, and being inspired, and inspiring.’ – Diana von Furstenberg.

A Very Short List

I considered writing this post in the past and then decided against it. Truthfully, it seemed a bit of a cliché to write it. It’s similar to other posts that have been written by various other bloggers, such as this one by Bridges and Balloons. However, I’ve just read a truly beautiful piece of writing by Flora Baker (otherwise known as Flora the Explorer) that has tipped me over the edge. I want to share a short list of bloggers that inspire me.

To make this list just a little different to others, I have made it an extremely short list. In fact, I whittled it down to just three writers. That was a difficult task, considering how many great bloggers there are out there! Each of the three bloggers I’ve selected are completely unique. However, they all have one thing in common. They write beautifully, comprehensively and thought-provokingly about travel, politics, matters of the heart and everything in between. Each is passionate about what they do and it is reflected whole-heartedly in their writing. They are story-tellers and all three have inspired me hugely in the past.

All three bloggers have encouraged me…

Without even knowing it, these three bloggers have encouraged me to consistently improve my writing, tell more stories and take better photos. I have often been moved by their stories. I’ve invariably been stimulated to write more after reading their latest offerings. Ultimately, I honestly think that my own personal blog is better for my reading of their blogs.

So without further ado, let me introduce you to the three bloggers who have been most influential to me in the past. To this day, they continue to write beautifully about a wide variety of topics.

Brenna Holeman – This Battered Suitcase 

Some of the first posts I read on Brenna’s blog were from her ‘The Last Time I Saw You…’ series. Her writing in each post is eloquent and beautiful. It makes me feel as though I was right there, watching as the stories unfold. I quickly became an avid reader of Brenna’s blog and I eagerly await her new posts, relishing them when they come.  

Brenna has travelled extensively, visiting over 100 countries. When you read about her adventures, her writing brings you into part of her world for a short while. I never fail to be disappointed by the content that she posts on her blog. When we met once in person, she was a thoughtful, kind and energetic individual. She brought together a great selection of women for one evening. We all had fun and learnt a lot from her and each other.

She now lives back in her native Canada and posts less on her blog than she used to. However, it’s worth diving into her back catalogue and immersing yourself in her blog archives. You won’t be disappointed.

Alex Baackes – Alex in Wanderland

Alex is an American native who has spent a great deal of time living in Thailand. She is passionate about reducing waste and being as eco-friendly as possible, doing excellent reviews on lots of eco-products. She also writes extensively about diving and yoga.

Last year, Alex suffered a terrible loss when her mother got cancer and passed away. She has since written hauntingly, beautifully and openly about her grief as she navigates life after her mother’s death. As a reader, I have noticed her grow, change and evolve into a different woman, stronger and braver than ever before. Her writing continues to be full of zeal for the things she loves – Thailand, diving, yoga, her friends and family.

She is currently a nomad, running her amazing Wander Woman retreats and spending time in numerous countries around the world.

Flora Baker – Flora the Explorer  

The way that Flora tells stories is often breathtaking. Her writing is thought-provoking, highly emotive and very powerfully moving, often all at once. She writes extensively about travel, mental health and about grief. Flora suffered the loss of her father in the past couple of years, after losing her mother about a decade ago. Her openness and candid insights into her journey through life since her father’s death have been inspiring.

Some of my favourite pieces of writing from Flora include this glimpse into what Syria was like pre-war and her articles about the travel she’s done in the north polar regions. Delve into her archives and you won’t be disappointed – her stories are some of the best I’ve ever read.

She currently resides back in the UK and focuses more on writing about grief and mental health. Any travel she does do is less well-documented online these days.

And one more…

If you love reading blogs, especially those dedicated mainly to travel, you can’t go far wrong with reading these three. In fairness, if you love reading travel blogs, you probably already read these three. There are others, so many others, but in my humble opinion, Brenna, Alex and Flora are three of the best and take some beating.

However, I was in agonies about the fact that I didn’t include Adventurous Kate in this list. I ended up choosing blogs that tell stories and share insight into the heart as well as providing great travel content. For me, Kate’s blog, while excellent, just doesn’t quite touch me emotionally the way that Brenna, Alex and Flora’s writing does. Her content is informative, factual and always extremely helpful. I just like the odd story thrown in now and again as well!

This is personal preference. Kate is a wonderful writer and her blog is a fantastic resource to the solo female traveller. I cannot recommend it highly enough for its great travel guides and safety information. She is also extremely open and honest. She shares great snippets and details about her life on social media, particularly Facebook. Her insight into American politics is always interesting to me.

My favourite posts are the updates that she posts on a monthly basis, including book reviews and the highlights from the month. In fact, it was Kate who inspired my Monthly Recap posts before I moved to Quarterly Reviews!

Do you have a favourite travel blogger or writer? Feel free to share! I would love to read more travel blogs in future!