About The Travelling Ladybug
Welcome to The Travelling Ladybug. I'm Melanie a part British-part Italian travel blogger and aspiring travel journalist, and I am....not....a full-time travelling ladybug, much as I would wish I could be.
It's amazing how you see all of these fantastic stories of fantastically inspiring individuals who have quit their jobs, sold everything and packed their backpacks with a one-way airplane ticket with the freedom to explore.
That is not me.
I am a thirty-something year old balancing a full time job, music teaching and artistic pursuits with my love of travel. What this site and blog aims to show you, and hopefully also inspire you, is what is possible to do in-between your typical 9-5 (or more like 7-5 for me) intense jobs and mortgage-paying responsibilities.
So first question to ask: what does travel mean to you?
My travel philosophy
Plan. Experience. Share. Repeat.
For me, it is all about discovering new places and cultures with a camera in hand, while having a relaxing time and absorbing great experiences! From overland road-trips and backpacking tours, to cruising, short weekend city-breaks, camping, and the relaxing do-nothing-but-read beach holidays, I certainly am not a "one-size-fits-all" holiday-kinda gal. The important thing for me is getting away, discovering new places, respecting new ways of life, and switching off from the daily routines.
I firmly believe that travelling opens the mind while enriching your life in the process. To travel is to become enriched.
The term 'travel bug' is not currently officially in the dictionary. If it were, I would define it as follows.
Travel bug
(Pronunciation: /ˈtrav(ə)l/ /bʌɡ/) NOUN
An affliction with no known cure whereby the recipient is thinking about travelling in one way or another, either by planning the next trip, reminiscing about a previous trip or actually travelling.
How it all began
One thing that I have learnt more about myself as I continue to travel and explore the world, is that I love to write. I always have my faithful notebook with me when I am out exploring which is split into three sections: my journal, blog ideas and my sketches. To say I feel lost without it would be a mild understatement.
The more I travelled (pre-blog), the more I realised that I was often asked for and also keen to give advice to friends and families on destinations before their trips. Many who know me, will have asked me at some point for advice and opinions whenever they travel around Europe, particularly Italy, or further afield.
So from a love of writing and inspiring, I decided to take the leap (so to speak) and start this blog and website.
I have been incredibly lucky to have experienced, multiple countries, languages and cultures, as well as travel styles. From camping to cruising, budget to luxury, road trips to hikes. I love them all.
So join me in this blog as I share my hints and tips to maximise your next excursion away from the house: be it a business trip, 3-day weekender, a day out from a cruise or full 3-week road-trip. Check out my travel hacks, resources and accessories, as well as some world-inspired recipes and photographic portfolio of this wonderful planet we call home.
The Travelling Ladybug 🐞
xx