Such a surprise to be nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award.
This is an award created by Okoto Enigma because: “There are so many blogs that are still a mystery to us; and when we get to know them, it’s divine! And we find friends where we least expect.”
To be nominated by Rebecca a published poet and global public speaker of short stories in Spanish is quite an honour – many thanks Rebecca.
Please check out Rebecca’s fascinating and inspiring blog: Fake Flamenco
What is the Mystery Blogger Award?
The “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.
– Okoto Enigma
Many thanks Okoto for creating this award.
Award Rules
- Put the award logo/image on your blog
- List the rules.
- Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
- Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
- Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
- You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
- Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
- Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
- Share a link to your best post(s)
Three things about myself
1. Jumped out of a plane
Some may say I’m mad, then others may say I’m not as it’s not every day that you choose to jump out of a small plane whilst at around 14,000 feet (over 4,000 metres) even if it’s tandem.

During the free-fall, which lasts up to 60 seconds at awesome speeds of nearly 200kph, I haemorrhaged both ear drums. Excruciatingly painful, the pain only calmed a little when the chute went up – still an incredible experience!
2. Motor bike fun
Dropping the bike during the Slalom training, tearing ligaments and bone from my thumb (Gamekeeper’s break), this didn’t stop me…

After my operation to put my thumb back together again, some 3 months later I returned to pass my bike license test.
3. Flight in a Jet fighter
With my thumb still stitched up and in a hand cast only a few weeks after my operation, I went up in the most incredible experience of my life – a Top Gun Jet Mission fighter plane in the gorgeous Hunter Valley region (Australia).
A surprise birthday present from my partner, this flight is the height of an adrenaline rush and I was still on a high a week later.

You’re thrust through aerobatic manoeuvres such as “G Turns, Loops, Rolls, Cuban Eights, Hesitation Rolls, and Vertical Rolls” at a height of approximately 8,000ft.
Not enough adrenaline for you? Experience these manoeuvres at up to 5Gs then finish off by soaring at alarming speeds through long valleys, just like Tom Cruise before landing.

My jumpsuit was wringing wet with sweat after this flight!
Rebecca’s questions
1. What do you like most about blogging?
Blogging for me is a platform to not only share my travel experiences and photography but to connect with bloggers globally. More importantly, it’s a forum to hopefully inspire more people to travel.
2. What is your favorite genre to read? (mystery?)
Growing up, I devoured mystery novels – couldn’t get enough.
These days I do enjoy the intimate insight of a biography or an autobiography, but also the fast pace of thriller and suspense novels.
3. First drafts – pen or keyboard?
I used to pen everything in travel journals then progressed to using the keyboard to document in a MS Word document whilst travelling.
Building my Image Earth Travel blog in WordPress and blogging for a couple of years still using the MS Word method, it dawned on me that this is just double-handling and wasting too much time. So, these days I create a Draft post in WordPress and add to this until I’m happy, then schedule the post for publishing. Typically, I have up to 17 posts in Draft at one time, sometimes even more. Is this common practice with other bloggers?
I still copy and paste the post’s text back into a Word document as I want an external copy to WordPress.
4. What inspires your writing, art, or photography?
Definitely photography although the experience of travelling also inspires me to write loads, as I want to help people experience more countries than their own.
Hopefully my posts provide a little objective understanding of different destinations, whilst my photos enhance and make posts more interesting.
5. Funny question: Lime jello or coconut flan for dessert?
I love both for a dessert although I my preference is the coconut flan. Oh and we call it “jelly”. Love jelly with ice-cream.
My nominees
In no particular order:
- Mood and Mystery – Aixa blogs about intriguing history and stories from around the world.
- Plying Through Life – Dave’s travel stories and adventures.
- Journey Gypsy – yoga, meditation, travel, health, and nutrition.
- The Classy Tourist – a fairly new blog about classy adventures and beautiful destinations.
- Easy Diet – motivation, thoughts, and lifestyle.
- The Big Three – 3 friends blog their experiences on writing, reading, travelling, and capturing moments.
- WATCHA Guru – Rachel blogs about travel, adventure, creativity, art, health, and well-being.
- The Hungary Traveler – Anna is Hungarian but is also hungry for travel.
- Italophilia – Ishita is passionate about Italy and everything Italian.
- Denise Bush’s Photo Blog – self explanatory.
My questions to nominees
- What made you start a blog?
- Have you made money from your blog and if so, how?
- How do you consistently come up with fresh ideas for posts?
- What’s the most exhilarating experience of your life?
- Funny question: What’s your most embarrassing childhood memory?
Link to my best post: Why do you travel?
Hope you enjoy my responses to Rebecca’s questions and thanks again for this great nomination! 🙂
Nilla
Visit Nilla’s Photography for more images. More posts on amazing destinations at Image Earth Travel.
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