Nominated for Liebster Award – What do I do now?

So here it goes, I am nominated for the Liebster Award, a much-coveted nomination for newbie bloggers. Seven months back when I created a free blog and hit publish on my first post, I wasn’t even sure if I would continue blogging let alone taking it so seriously. So a few weeks back when I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers, the undercover travel agent, Laura, I was more than just pleasantly surprised. It was a peak in my blogging journey so far and an impetus I needed badly to help me continue blogging under the tremendous pressure of balancing it with a full-time career in technology and homemaking!

About Laura – the Under-cover Travel Agent

I came to interact with Laura in a small travel bloggers community after which she was kind enough to contribute to my special collaborative endeavor Forts and Castles of the world. I love her travelogues and experiential guides that comes from the first-hand experience of visiting the place. As a reader and as a blogger the most important thing in a blog that appeals me is honesty, and that is what I see in her work. So the fact that she considered me for Liebster award was humbling.
You can check out her blog and facebook page.

About Liebster Award and Why it is important

When I first started blogging and reading blogs of fellow community members I often found people displaying this badge of honor for Liebster award nomination. It really intrigued me and made me wonder how far do I need to go to be recognized in this amazing community. Here I am today, trying to explain what this award is all about. Well Liebster, in German means friend. It is an award that exists online and is given by one blogger to another. It is a way to recognize the efforts of newbie bloggers and support each other in their journey. Travel blogging is a rewarding activity in itself but it can get stressful, being a small player caught in the ruthless competition of the travel genre. Liebster award does not have any monetary value but it is a recognition, an assurance that there are people reading and loving what you create. If you are nominated for the award you can choose whether you want to reciprocate and continue to chain of gratitude or just break it there. However, if you do want to participate, the rules are pretty simple.

1. Thank the blogger who nominated your blog and includes a link back to their blog in a post.
2. Answer 10 questions that the blogger who nominated you asked in your own unique style
3. Nominate at least 5 other blogs you admire. The blogs should be preferably new and they should have fresh original content
4. Create a questionnaire for interviewing your nominees on. 10 new questions that reflect your creativity and brand of thinking.
5. Display the award logo in your post and list the rules associated with the award.

Why you should continue the chain?

So this is something you don’t really need to write but I am putting this because I did give it a lot of thought. I won’t stretch it too long, so here are the 3 selfish reasons for you to push it forward-

1. Exercise your brain and come up with quirky new questions for newbie bloggers.
2. Well, it’s only so many times that you get to talk about yourself, answer questions related to your passions and have the world read about it right? So why miss the chance to get your share of the spotlight?
3. Honestly, if the first two reasons don’t appeal to you, are you even a creative writer? Well, even if you are in this purely for business interests and not for passion, this is a chance for you to get those valuable backlinks which will help you improve your authority and get promoted in Google rankings. Baby steps, I agree, but each step matters!

Now, I have read somewhere that there is a physical award based on the best answer and best question asked, but I cannot guarantee that. I wish there was, but recognition for good work is the reward I am happy with as of now.

10 questions to Backpack & Explore for Liebster Award Nomination

1. If you won a trip to Europe, who would you take with you?

I would take my husband of course because if I don’t name him here, who is going to take me to all the lovely places on weekends and take great photos? Kidding, we planned our first Europe trip together and wanderlust is the one thing that we share in common. If I win a trip to Europe I’d love to take my whole family with me, but if I could go with just one person, it has to be Chayan.

2. Which of your blog articles is your favorite? And why?
The one on how we planned our first Europe trip and how we executed it. Yes! It would be my favorite for a long time because I put my heart into writing that. I want this post to be the ultimate compact one-stop post for answering all questions that ordinary newbie travel couple would have before embarking upon a dream vacation. This trip was really special to us because we had been saving leaves and money for 2 years to finally get the time to go for this trip.
I am also quite proud of my collaboration pieces, the Forts of the World and the Forts of India which I could put together only because of this amazingly supportive travel blogger community

3. Who would you choose to be stuck on a plane with for 24 hours?
Well, I really hope it never happens but if it does this time I won’t pick my husband. My sister would be a better company in such stress hours. My husband tends to get cranky in such situations but my sister somehow manages to stay calm.

4. Who is the most interesting person you’ve ever met while traveling?
Not one person specifically but I remember my first train journey alone, to go home for Durga Puja. It was Duronto express from Mumbai to Kolkata and being the introvert I am, I knew that it was going to be a long lonely journey for 26 hours. However, I ended up meeting surprise friends and strangers who became long-term friends in the future. This is special because I’m not the kind of person who can connect with people easily. I have a hard time connecting with colleagues I’ve been working with for months, and here I was speaking about life, philosophy, career and all other things under the sky with complete strangers. So yes, they were indeed the most interesting people I’ve met while traveling.

5. If you found a magical genie who would only grant you one wish, what would it be?
If indeed I met some genie who could do anything, and there was just one thing I could ask for, I’d ask for a world where rape was impossible or a world or where people incapable of raising humans with a conscience would just become impotent. Yes, I honestly think I am fortunate enough and have a lot of things which other people struggle for so I would not need a genie to make my wishes come true. Yes, I’d love to travel the world for free and live in a castle on the cliff by my favorite beach – but I know for sure I would never ask for it if I had a chance. I’m not a great human but that’s the kind of selfishness I am truly incapable of.

6. If you could travel anywhere in the world for free, where would you go?
I would go everywhere I guess – why would I even chose just one place if I could travel for free.

7. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten while traveling?
I’m not a huge foodie. I love to try new things but with caution, especially when I am traveling. I think any regular person with job and family would relate to this.

8. What is your preferred method of travel? Air, Land or Sea?
I love waterways so definitely the Sea. Although I have never really traveled by sea, so that makes it all the more enticing to me. I used to travel on motorboats every week during my training period on my first job, but that was a 15minute ride across the river. My closest experience of traveling in the sea would be the one time I rode to Elephanta Caves in Mumbai, and the 40-minute cruise ship tour in the Mediterranean in Barcelona.

Our great experience in the Mediterranean cruise tour in Barcelona

9. If you were on a cruise with the worst beverage variety ever, and they only served one beverage…what would it be?
Green tea! I mean how worse could it be anyways? It is almost tasteless, so let it be a healthy organic green tea

10. Where is your favorite place you’ve ever been? And why?
My favorite city so far has been Amsterdam. It is somewhere I feel I’d love to just go and settle in. I love the spirit of freedom and acceptance in the city. No matter who you are, and how crowded with tourists the city is, you will always feel welcome here. The extensive network of canals and beautiful bridges lend it a dreamy appearance. Amsterdam is a big center of business and a busy tourist hub, but it still retains an old-world charm.
The favorite country I’ve been to as a traveler was Bhutan. So peaceful and picturesque that it could make a romantic out of the most cynical person. I admire how the people respect and conserve their natural resources. There’s so much to learn from this tiny landlocked country sandwiched between two of the biggest economies in the world.

Nominations for Liebster Award from Backpack & Explore

Here are some bloggers whose content I really connect with. They are not Instagram stars or huge money-makers in blogging, but they write about what they truly believe in and they genuinely love traveling. That makes me their fan, so I’d love to nominate and interview them. Here it goes-

Roxana Popescu from Nosy Suitcase
Anwesha Guha from Going Places with Anwesha
Ruma Dey Baidya from Holiday Story
Esther NAmugerwa from  The Adventurous Feet
Mary Stange from Bambinos without Borders

Congratulations to you all and wish you great success in your blogging endeavors.

Questions from Backpack & Explore For Liebster Award

1. When did you start your blog and what inspired you to do so?
2. If your blog was a person, what would you tell him or her? – time to pour your heart out
3. What is your travel style – solo or with a group of people you know?
4. Mountains or Beach? What do you love most and why?
5. The best technology for travel – it could be something that exists or something you wish existed!
6. See more with less, or indulge in a bit of luxury – what sounds like an ideal Holiday plan for you?
7. What is /are the most offbeat locations you visited and loved?
8. Describe your ideal travel partner?
9. What has traveling taught you?
10. If you could give one golden advice to aspiring bloggers what would it be?

Yay! I feel like a journalist now. These are my questions and I am so excited to read the answers from my favorite yet not so famous bloggers.

Liebster Award Nomination Rules