I am a bit late in posting this recap, however I’ve a superb excuse: it is as a result of I have been so busy touring (after which recovering from all that touring)!
Might and June had been my busiest months to this point this yr. I did that actually annoying influencer factor and principally spent the summer time in Europe – besides you will not discover any Italy or Greece or Paris on this recap. 😉
I am again residence now for a bit, although, and at last catching up on weblog posts like this one.
Let’s soar proper in!
Might and June: The months in journey
- International locations visited: 7 or 8 – Germany, Czech Republic, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia, and the UK (England and Scotland)
- Flights taken (incl. connections): 8 (Europe is nice as a result of you possibly can usually get round on trains and ferries to chop down on flights!)
- Non-flight methods of journey: 3 – Practice, ferry, and rental automobile
- Days spent on the street: 42
Journey highlights
I really feel like each few days there was a spotlight, so it is powerful to slender it down!
Watching a pal get married in Prague – Should you comply with Adventurous Kate, you will perhaps have seen that she had a number of weddings in the previous few months. A type of was in Prague on the finish of Might, and Elliot and I labored that into our Europe journey. It was Elliot’s first time to Prague and my first time again there in 10 years, and we each had such a good time!
Taking Elliot to Norway – After Prague, Elliot and I headed to Norway for per week, and spent most of that point up north within the Lofoten Islands. Regardless of some really loopy climate, we bought to see nearly every little thing we needed to, and hid away from the weather in some very cozy cabins. Elliot bought to fly our drone a bit, too, which made him comfortable.
Visiting two new nations! – It has been a number of years since I visited a new-to-me nation (the final time was again in 2019!), so it was thrilling to work in just a few new spots to this journey. After Elliot flew residence, I spent a couple of week solo in Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. I loved each cities, however I believe Helsinki was my favourite!
Slovenia street journey – My friend Ashley and I teamed up as soon as once more and met up in Slovenia for an epic 10-day street journey. We actually did nearly every little thing there’s to do in Slovenia, from visiting alpine lakes to consuming seafood on the coast to consuming wine on the border with Austria. Slovenia is such a good looking nation and the folks so good; we had the perfect time, and I am unable to wait to put in writing extra about this journey!
Journey lowlights
Loopy climate in Norway – Although general our journey to the Lofoten Islands was wonderful, the climate definitely was not. You often see summertime images from this a part of Norway the place the Midnight Solar is shining brightly on some clear turquoise water – and we did not have a lot of that. As an alternative, we had intermittent rain showers daily, and even a SNOW SQUALL on June 1. We had prepped for moist and funky climate, however the snow was surprising. Poor Elliot was freezing more often than not.
Sneaky Slovenian hikes – I LOVE Slovenia. However Slovenia is usually lagging behind a few of its neighbors in terms of offering info to vacationers on-line. At the least twice we deliberate to do hikes that we thought we had been ready for, solely to understand they had been fairly a bit extra concerned than something on-line had prompt. We additionally deliberate to hike on the high of a ski resort in the future, solely to reach to seek out precisely ZERO path markers and actually horrible chunky stone “trails.”
The nice Waze debacle of 2023 – After which there was that point within the Slovenian mountains when our GPS took us a totally random method that despatched us down a farm monitor that was positively NOT made for our little Volkswagen T-Roc. The “street” dead-ended in a hay discipline, and each Ashley and I had been near panic assaults as we tried to get the automobile again UP the steep monitor. (Fortunately we did, however I believe we’re each nonetheless recovering from the stress.)
Might and June on the weblog(s)
I am not gonna lie: it has been a tough spring/summer time for journey weblog visitors (effectively, on my predominant website, no less than!). I bought hit in I believe two Google algorithm updates in April and Might. And whereas my visitors did begin choosing again up in July, we’re speaking about Might and June right here!
The great half about touring just about continuous throughout this time was that I wasn’t residence to emphasize over the loss in visitors (and due to this fact revenue). This stuff occur, although, and it is simply good motivation to undergo and replace some outdated content material now that I am residence.
As for brand spanking new content material, I really did an okay job of nonetheless getting some issues revealed within the midst of all of the touring. I am nonetheless working by way of a backlog of weblog posts concepts, so it was a fairly eclectic combine of recent posts!
A Harmful Enterprise visitors: 106,692 distinctive guests and 150,062 pageviews in Might; and I really cannot precisely report June, as a result of Google Analytics converted the GA4 (ugh, it is a nightmare), and I misplaced a pair days of stats within the changeover. The numbers had been actually near Might, although.
Hottest submit: 19 Must-Have Travel Apps to Download Before Your Next Trip – I have been that means to put in writing this one for some time, and at last did!
Different posts revealed:
My Cleveland area of interest website, in the meantime, has fared higher, and visitors has really been rising into the summer time.
Cleveland Traveler visitors: 46,730 distinctive guests and 65,273 pageviews in Might; and 61,000 distinctive guests and 84,000 pageviews in June. (GA4 tends to spherical numbers in experiences, so I assume that is what you get now.)
If you wish to see what I have been as much as on Cleveland Traveler these days, visit the site here.
Folks ask me on a regular basis how I stability touring with creating content material, and the reply is that… as of late I do not! Whereas I saved up with Instagram Tales (on @dangerousbiz) whereas I used to be touring, my different social media channels had been positively a decrease precedence for me. I barely even posted something on @clevelandtraveler whereas I used to be gone!
Hottest submit on Instagram (@dangerousbiz): By far my hottest submit was this reel from Might in regards to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox in North Carolina (which I visited on the finish of April). This reel about a few of my packing necessities additionally did very well.
Hottest submit on Instagram (@clevelandtraveler): I assume this reel technically went up on Might 1, so it counts! It fortunately introduced in visitors and new followers for the following 2 months that I barely posted something. Instagram is so bizarre.
Might and June enterprise replace
Bear in mind, I report my earnings after they hit my checking account, that means these promoting earnings are from February and March, and the affiliate earnings are principally from April/Might journey.
These two months had been actually regular, which is superior since I did not have time to do a lot precise work on the street. I am lastly beginning to get common lodge affiliate payouts once more after switching applications over to Stay22, too, so yay!
A Harmful Enterprise Might revenue report:
- Promoting: $7,712.05
- Associates: $5,271.33
- Course/product gross sales: $149.46
- Different: $3,350
A Harmful Enterprise June revenue report:
- Promoting: $8,183.79
- Associates: $7,308.9
- Course/product gross sales: $219.42
(Word that that is my revenue earlier than deductions/bills and taxes – and I positively had loads of bills in each these months!)
On Cleveland Traveler, advert revenue was regular, which is all I ever ask for!
Cleveland Traveler Might revenue report:
Cleveland Traveler June revenue report:
(Word: A Harmful Enterprise was began in 2010, and has been monetized for greater than 11 years; Cleveland Traveler was began in 2019, and has been monetized for 3.5 years.)
Enterprise highs
I assume going touring for 2 months and nonetheless making a gradual revenue is a win value noting! My job is not all the time a straightforward one, however I am so grateful to be at some extent on this enterprise the place I can principally go away issues on autopilot for weeks and never have to fret about how I’ll pay payments. I positively depend myself fortunate.
Enterprise lows
No lows to report this month; simply nonetheless so grateful to do what I do!
Upcoming journey plans
August: Michigan – On the finish of August, I will be doing a street journey to western Michigan for just a few days to discover the realm round Ludington! It has been just a few years since I used to be on this a part of Michigan, so I am trying ahead to getting again there.
September: Puerto Rico – Elliot and I had been final in Puerto Rico in February 2020, proper earlier than the world stopped. So after I bought invited to talk on the SATW annual convention in San Juan in September, I prompt Elliot be part of me so we will attempt to recapture a few of these pre-Rona vibes. We’ll be in San Juan for a bit whereas I do conference-y issues, after which we’re planning to spend 2-3 nights elsewhere on the island, although we’ve not determined the place but. Possibly round Rincon?
November: Galapagos – Prepare for an additional Journey With Dad! I have never traveled with my dad since Turkey in 2019, however we have been speaking about going to the Galapagos for years. So I lastly determined to only ebook it! We’ll be occurring a 10-day journey in early November that features 7 nights on a small, purpose-built ship within the Galapagos Islands. I am unable to wait! (And since I used to be so overwhelmed with completely different itineraries and ship choices, I requested my friend Carly who’s each a blogger and journey agent to assist me with this; journey brokers are nonetheless so helpful!)
Since my weblog content material is usually delayed, make sure to follow along on Instagram if you wish to see any of those journeys in real-time!
