This week we chat with traveling couple Justin and Lauren! Even more interesting is how they maintain a vegan lifestyle while traveling!
1. First of all, what are your website and social media links?
Our website is: Justin Plus Lauren http://justinpluslauren.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JustinLaurenXO
Instagram: http://instagram.com/justinpluslauren
Google+ profile: http://plus.google.com/+JustinPlusLauren
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/justinlaurenxo
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/justinpluslauren
2. How did you come up with your website name?
Our blog’s name is pretty easy to figure out. It is called Justin Plus Lauren because those are our names, and we are a couple who travel together. Justin Plus Lauren is a blog all about our adventures and travels wherever we go.
3. What more can you tell us about your blog? What are your goals or intentions for it?
Our blog highlights everywhere that we visit as we slowly travel around the world. We are part-time travelers and spend most of our time at home in the Toronto area. We travel as much as possible when we aren’t working our regular day jobs. We love to write about the places that we visit, beautiful natural scenes that we view, and the yummy vegan food that we eat as we both consume a plant-based diet. Our goals are to provide great photographs and videos, along with informative and entertaining write-ups about the places that we visit!
4. Can you provide us with a Throw Back Thursday picture of one of your favorite travel memories with an explanation?
This is a Throwback Thursday photo from our visit to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY (http://justinpluslauren.com/animals-farm-sanctuary-in-watkins-glen/). Farm Sanctuary is a non-profit animal rights organization that provides a safe haven for farm animals rescued from factory farms. We had such a great time there visiting the cows, pigs, goats, turkeys, chickens, and especially the sociable sheeps!
5. Which are your favorite and least favorite cities you’ve traveled to? Why?
One of the favorite places that I have visited is the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean. We only stopped there for one day on a cruise, but we hope to return someday for a longer amount of time! While the island itself is quite lovely, the most fascinating aspects are below the surface of the ocean – there are incredible coral reefs there with so many fish and sea turtles! We had an amazing time snorkeling at Klein Bonaire, a small island off the coast of Bonaire. A giant sea turtle swam right by my face, and it was awesome.
I wouldn’t say that I have a least favorite city. Every place that I’ve visited so far has been special in its own way. I will probably reach a point where I do visit a place that I don’t enjoy, but so far, we’ve really enjoyed ourselves on our travels!
6. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? Where?
We both haven’t gone for any kinds of strange or adventurous food choices because most of them involve eating animals. Although, I think that some people might think that vegan food is strange! Haha, I joke. I’m not really sure anything that I’ve eaten qualifies as strange, sorry to disappoint!
7. Who are your travel idols?
I admire so many travel bloggers! Some that immediately come to mind are: Audrey of That Backpacker, Jamie of Great Big Scary World, Agness and Cez of eTramping, Michael of Bemused Backpacker, and Rika of Vegan Miam.
8. What’s your best travel tip?
I would have to say that if you’re a planner (like me), definitely check out travel blogs online for some awesome information by people who have visited the places that you’re thinking of visiting! Travel bloggers have all kinds of inside information that is incredibly useful if you plan on visiting a certain destination. Usually you can even email the blogger personally to ask questions that you might have.
9. Which is your favorite post you’ve written? Please provide a link.
I think the favorite post that I’ve written isn’t even about a particular destination. It’s called Swimming With Dolphins: The Dark Truth (http://justinpluslauren.com/swimming-the-dolphins-the-dark-truth/). It is a researched article about the harm that is caused to dolphins at Swim-With-The-Dolphin programs offered by tourism companies. It is my favorite post because I was able to impact many people and influence their decisions on whether or not to visit these kinds of places. Protecting animals and wildlife is a cause that is close to my heart.
10. What advice would you give to someone new to travel blogging?
Definitely find your niche and find your story. Discover your own voice in your writing and provide your readers with great information, entertaining stories, and fantastic photographs. It’s also great to become friends with fellow travel bloggers out there, so be sure to visit lots of other blogs for inspiration and to chat with like-minded people!