Amanda is one of the new generation of travel bloggers out there, similar to Brendan. Like me, she has only had a self-hosted blog for the last few months. In fact, she only started her blog in February of this year — and her immediate success is impressive.
The reason? The normal one, good content. She’s got a great attitude that comes across in everything she posts. She has a huge crush on New Zealand (which you can see on her website and her answers below) and since that is one of my favorite countries in the world, we have an instant travel karma connection.
One of the many things that I most admire Amanda for is that she’s an active blogger, though she currently isn’t traveling. She’s holding down a full-time job in Ohio and still managing to get some great content out there. Impressive.
So go check out her blog, A Dangerous Business, and follow her on Twitter. Hope you enjoy her Lucky 13 answers:
1. Current musical group you would most like to see live?
Before this summer, I probably would have said Paul McCartney, but I ticked him off my list in August! (Best. Concert. Ever.) So now it’s probably a 3-way tie between a few little bands that I love right now: Matt & Kim, The Temper Trap, and Regina Spektor.
2. When is the last time you got sick?
I get colds pretty much once or twice a year without fail, but the last time I remember being miserably sick was Christmas a few years ago. I was fine through the big family dinner, but once I got to work that night (yes, I had to work at a movie theater on Christmas Day…), I started feeling terrible. But we were short-staffed and extremely busy, so I had to do my best not to vomit on movie-goers the whole night. Let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant once I finally got home.
3. Something you would not do for $100,000 cash…. that you think plenty of others would do.
It’s probably going to sound super-mushy, but I wouldn’t cheat on my boyfriend for any amount of money. Eat something gross? Okay. Pull a crazy stunt? Sure. But ask me to make out or sleep with a stranger for a big hunk of cash? No thanks.
4. Most disrespectful thing you have witnessed in person?
I actually just wrote about this a couple of weeks ago. I was in a hostel in Sydney, and one of my dorm mates was a woman in the process of moving to Australia permanently from Britain. Without any sort of provocation, she went into a bit of a tirade about how blacks, Muslims and Asians are going to wipe out the Caucasian race and “take over.” I’ve never met a stranger before who was so open about his/her hateful world views, and it really pissed me off.
does Sarah get a gun? (via funnyordie.com)
5. Fill in the blanks: I’d pay good money to see _________ get into a good rough and tumble fight with _________.
Sarah Palin and a grizzly bear.
6. What is the best foreign curse?
I really like the German word for “shithead”: Scheisskopf.
7. What is your favorite continent?
I suppose it would have to be Australia, since New Zealand is part of that continent. And New Zealand is my favorite country, so it only makes sense.
8. What is the location of your most drunken night?
Well this will be a boring answer: Ada, Ohio — where I went to college. I’m not much of a drinker (never have been; I hate the taste of alcohol), so I don’t have too many drunken nights to tell of.
9. Fill in the blank again: I am embarrassed that I have finished any book written by _________.
Stephenie Meyer. But hear me out! Last year, after my best friend and I graduated from college and failed to secure full-time jobs, we decided to embark upon a torturous project. We had been saying for at least a year that SMeyer’s “Twilight” series sucked. But, of course, all of our Twi-hard friends would respond by saying, “But you haven’t even READ them!” So we decided to read the books, and blog about our experience. What resulted was a chapter-by-chapter review of all 4 books in the series (we refuse to call it a “saga”). It took us a year, but it was fun, in a way, to point out all the flaws and lack of logic in the series, along with making fun of Bella and Edward. (If you wanna check out the blog, go here: https://www.vampychronicles.wordpress.com)
be honest, this is where you want to retire
10. Where do you want to retire?
To New Zealand, of course. I want to have a little house on stilts overlooking Oriental Bay in Wellington, where I can take bets daily on whether it’s going to get blown away or not.
11. What is the title of your future biography?
This is a tough one. Perhaps “Tales of a Kiwi-Wannabe.” Of course, if I ever manage to move to New Zealand, I’ll have to amend this.
12. What languages can you order a drink in?
Not that I order very many… But I’m capable of ordering a beer in English, German, Spanish and Chinese.
is Bourdain going to cook also?
13. What is your ideal dinner party. You and four other people.
Another tricky one. Do they all have to be alive? Or real people? I’ll go with J.K. Rowling, because she’s awesome. Nelson Mandela, because he’s inspiring. Paul McCartney, because I think he’d have some great stories to tell. And Anthony Bourdain, because he’d probably be able to offend them all in some grand fashion, but then make them all laugh about it.
Amanda is one of my favs, always nice to learn a little more about such a great person!
Aww, thanks, Ali! I really like you too!
i love New Zealand as well and when I was there met with some headhunters. They are short on ad agency people as they usually go to Australia. Amanda with your writing background you could probably work as a copywriter in Auckland.
I do get an middleman fee for being the person in-between this idea and a job, right? 😉
Don’t tempt me! Haha. But honestly, I do have dreams of returning to NZ someday to live for a while. Though, after living in Wellington for 5 months, I can’t imagine turning into a traitor and moving to Auckland!
Amanda you need to teach me how to order beer in more languages! I only know English and Spanish! maybe french…hmmm haha
I have to say that I need to expand out my ordering capabilities in many languages also!
Well, to be fair, German almost doesn’t count, because it’s basically the same word, just spelled differently: “bier.”
Ugh, racist Brits make me mad, especially the ones moving to places like Australia in search of a better life, just like the immigrants in the UK.
Anyway, the rest of the interview was entertaining, especially the Twilight blog bit!
Racist people of any background make me mad! But yeah, this woman was especially rude.
Glad you liked my answers! I know I wasn’t nearly as funny as some other recent interviewees, but, meh, oh well. I can’t be brilliant ALL the time. 😉
Literally rolling on the floor laughing over #9 and loving her for her answer to #13!! Another great “Lucky 13” Michael!
Haha. Not many of my travel blogging friends know about my “other” blog, I don’t think. But, I suppose they do now! Glad you enjoyed my answers, Kirsten!
I’ve always liked Amanda. But I like her even more now that i know we share the same opinion about the Twilight series. Lol…
Hahaha, Jill, I’m glad that my hatred of Twilight is winning me points with so many people!
It’s always good to learn a little more about those bloggers you talk to! Great answers Amanda! I’ll teach you how to order a beer in Welsh the next time we chat!
P.S I truly hate the whole Twilight thing too! Lord of the Rings is way more realistic!
Thanks for the interview Michael! It was nice to get to know Amanda a little bit better. I love all of the interviews you do but I think I probably relate to Amanda more than anyone else so far.
She’s great — I look forward to meeting her later this year.
Just catching up on all of the Lucky 13 interviews and I’m enjoying them. It’s fun and inspirational to read about a young person doing well as a travel writer, even when she isn’t traveling.
Oh, and BTW, Sarah Palin and the Grizzly Bear is by far the best match up ever!
someone else mentioned Sarah Palin lately — glad you reminded me, will have to link back to this post!