Hello! I am Joëlle!
If you ended up on this page, it means you’re actually interested in me and/or what I do, so thanks for that!
I’m a selfmade solo travel blogger (meaning everything you see here was created by a self-taught me) who promotes beautiful places, adventure and positive thinking!
I started this blog in 2014 simply because everyone kept asking the same questions about how I plan my travels and complementing me with my photos and videos. So I decided to share my travel guides, tips & tricks, pictures and videos all in one place.
My “specialty” is planning trips and finding off the beaten path places. I’m a very organized traveler. So I always book plane tickets and hotels in advance (my way) and I’m good at researching and preparing my trips. Make sure to subscribe to the mailing list (in the footer of this page) to receive my “How to plan your trip” guide book, my packing list which is applicable to any trip and a free photo preset!
Name: Joëlle F.
Born: May 19 in Antwerp, Belgium
Degree: Professional Bachelor Communications / TV Journalism
Languages: Dutch (monther tongue), French, English, Italian & Spanish
In the beginning I had no idea what I was doing. I even had a dot.tk website back in my study days. I just wrote about my travels, not knowing anything about online article writing and digital marketing strategies. But once I worked at a digital marketing company, I discovered how to score well in Google with SEO and this changed everything for me. I changed my whole game plan since I actually want to achieve something with this website. I learned more about Google, WordPress, Facebook and other social media platforms and decided to just go for it. I love the fact that this is a continuous learning process because I like to challenge myself at all times.
Then I got a feature on Matador Network‘s social media which seriously boosted my Instagram account several times. I’m happy that I can help and inspire so many people. It drives me to continue to share more awesome photos, videos and better tips & tricks!
Everything you see here is created by me, I make & edit my own photos (or I explain people in detail how to make them, when I’m in the picture and can’t use a tripod), create & edit my own videos and write my own articles. This website is also entirely created by me (with WordPress of course, I’m not a professional web designer).
I used to travel with friends, but I decided to travel solo, ever since I discovered having a more adventurous soul than the ones I used to travel with. (you can read more about it here: Why I decided to travel solo in 2017) I’ll still be traveling with friends, just not as often as before. Unless I find that one likeminded soul to travel with!
I don’t like traveling fast forward. I don’t travel to check off countries from my bucket list and “do” a whole country in just 2 days. I like to take my time to get to know a country and even visit the same country a few times (but different cities/places). Read more about what I mean by that here: How travel bucket lists can ruin the travel experience.
At the moment I don’t travel full time, simply because I don’t earn enough (yet) to live from this blog. I work fulltime as a sales & marketing coordinator and I just want to show that even with a limited amount of vacation days (luckily I have about 41 days) and a small budget, you still can travel and see a lot of the world. You don’t need to be a rich blogger, just good at planning and researching! 😉
I am not a camping type, but I don’t have the budget to sleep in a 5* hotel either. So I always try to find nice affordable boutique hotels. It also happens that I try to combine budget places with more expensive places. It depends on the trip. But I have to admit, now and then, I like to treat myself with more luxurious places to stay at!
What else is there to know?
I love people with a positive attitude since I’m a firm believer of “positivity attracts more positivity”
I like to challenge myself to step out of the comfort zone and I never give in to my fears.
Those who don’t really know me, think I am this tough chick with a big mouth, but I’m actually a very sensitive, emotional, romantic soul (with guts I have to say 🙂 )
I adore waterfalls (there should be an emoticon for that!!) and other wonders of nature.
I’m an extrovert, enthusiastic person and I love to smile.
I don’t drink much alcohol, but if I do, it will be the occasional Aperol Spritz, a Moscato, (a sweet sparkling Italian wine) or a sweet cocktail.
Tips, recommendations, feedback,… whatever you want to share, it’s always welcome!
Enjoy my blog and keep traveling!
Wow, mooie blog Joelle! Proficiat!
thx 🙂
Heb uw raad opgevolgd qua WordPress 🙂
Nice to meet you Joelle. 🙂 I’m loving the photograph on your blog!
When you make it to Australia be sure to come visit me in Melbourne. I’d love to show you around the best city in the worl… I mean, Australia 😉 hehe.
Same here! If you ever visit Antwerp, let me know! 🙂
Glad you like my blog!!
I heard you were looking for some fellow wanderlusters with a plan so here I am. Mail me!
Also quite the amazing blog you’ve got here.
Very nice blog, with nice photos and interesting articles! We are happy that we found it 🙂
Thank you! So nice of you!
I am so glad I came across your blog, great info & tips, I am planning a trip to USA this march, hopefully with my son, but using an RV originally planning on Nevada and Arizona but after seeing your great images have decided I cannot miss out UTAH, I know it will be cold when the sun goes down. But I now have a nothing ventured nothing gained attitude. BTW did you travel alone as that is also something I’ve contemplated but I’ve been a little afraid to try
Hi!
How was your trip?
Did you manage to do Utah as well?
I usually travel with my best friend, but I went to Istanbul on my own, which I thought was a real adventure because of the big cultural difference. I can recommend it to everyone because it was a wonderful experience!
I wrote a blog post about traveling solo!
Thanks for your visit!
Excellent blog, great photos and awesome destinations!
Wish you the best in life and many wonderful travels ahead.
thanks for your nice comment!
Your blog is amazing!. I would love to travel with you!
What inspired your US trip? Did you have other sites that persuaded you to visit the sites and places you visited, or did you just find them along the way?
I always do my research via Google or I find inspiration on instagram and Pinterest. If I see a beautiful picture somewhere I write down the place in my notebook with places I want to visit someday.
Hi Joelle! Super tof dat ik via Google jouw website ben tegengekomen. Altijd leuk om andere schrijvers uit België te vinden via een ander netwerk dan een event. Jouw bio zou perfect de mijne kunnen zijn (béyonce + reizen + Casey Neistat) Well 😀 volgens mij zouden wij eens een cocktail kunnen gaan drinken in Antwerpen als we beiden eens in het land zijn. In elk geval toffe website 😉
Love, Stéphanie
Hi,
Mooie vlog over de Azoren. Wij komen er al jaren. En toch nog plekjes gezien in jouw vlog waar we nog niet waren geweest. Volgende maand vertrekken we weer naar de Azoren. Kunnen we meteen de plekken gaan bekijken.
PS. Dacht dat je uit Polen kwam. Totdat ik de website had bekenen.
Hi Joëlle,
Greetings !
Great write-ups and well written blog, especially from my perspective. Me and my friends were planning a Euro Trip next month ( Paris, Brugge, Antwerp, Nassu, The Hague, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris). You just made Belgium all the more interesting.
Insta: @Jeeayanu
Twitter: @jskandhari
Hi!
Thanks for your nice comment! If you need more advice let me know!
Grts
Joëlle
Hi Joelle! I happened to stumble upon your blog today and I like it. Definitely will follow you. I am a new blogger and my site is http://www.greydiscoveries.com. Been traveling for quite a number of years already but just recently decided to come up with a travel blog. I feel that i need to write those experiences and inspire others too in one way or another. Like you, I am not a full time traveller/blogger. I am working and spend my vacations on places I love to visit.
Wishing you all the best Joelle!
Hello – I work on a magazine in the UK. Please can I use one of your pics of La Boqueria market in Barcelona? Do you have it in high resolution? Thanks!
Hi Katy,
Could you please send your request via e-mail (worldwanderista@gmail.com) so we can discuss this further? Thanks!
Hi Joelle, I don’t usually take the time to post comments online, but after reading your fantastic article on Croatia I felt that I must acknowledge your hard work, and also offer my gratitude for the insight you have provided to my wife and I for our upcoming road trip next spring. We cannot wait!
All the best for the future and keep posting!
Hi Dan,
Thank you so much for your nice comment! I’m glad I could help! You’ll love Croatia!
I wish you a great trip!
Hello Joelle,
Really happy to find your blog. 🙂
Amazing article and very beautiful pictures. I always prefer to go through different blogs before visiting any place, but I think now I have found something from where there will be no need to escape. as we always prefer to travel with a road trip which sounds similar to your blogs. Thank you for posting.
I really love your article about Croatia and in future new place will be visited together with your blog.
I really wish you that you visit most of places and keep posting.
One question what do you use for taking pictures and videos?
Cheers,
Kiran 6644
Hello Jelle,
after heaving enjoyed your videos frome the Azores (have been there on 7 of 9 Islands)
I would like to reccomend You a hike in the “Elbsandsteingebirge” (Saxon Switzerland). Heaving walked all the brathtaking trails there, I would like to let You and the entire community know, that this landscpe is worth to be visited.
you actually make me want to travel even more after seeing your blog!! 🙂
cant wait to see what you’ll be doing next.
Hello Joelle, indeed you’ve taken lovely photos and written interesting and thoughtful presentations of your trips and locations, you also look great and in top shape. If you are interested in visiting Toronto, please drop me a line via my e-mail, I’ll show you around and take you for a lunch…. will send you photos, regards: B.
I love Traveling and I like to spend time to every country I visit any tips on Cuba ? I’m renting a car to save time I’ll be there for 8 days don’t want to go popular tourist places athank you come to Guatemala with me I know that country very well I was born there Antigua Guatemala is my hometown and my family owns a little hotel Pacific island caletaazul.com I need help with the hotel my dad pass away about a year ago I live in the USA and business is here I think I need to find a way to sell it Thank you Omar Vasquez Jacquet
What a pictures….great, I love them, I feel like traveling there in two weeks time.
Any suggestion? Do I need a car? or it is walking?
More tips?
Rafael
What destination do you mean?
Thank you for your interesting blog Joëlle. You’re inspiring me! I wish you success!
Great to hear! Thanks! 😊
Great adventure blog, Joëlle! You’ve put Madeira on the top of my list of places to hike. If you ever get to the southern Appalachians, I’d be happy to recommend some fabulous treks. Best wishes in your travels!
Hi! Thanks Sally! I’ll keep you on that! 😉
Hallo Joëlle,
We genieten heel erg van je vlogs. Deze zomer 2018 gaan we naar Slovenië en Kroatië en uw filmpjes hebben onze planning veel gemakkelijker gemaakt. Zelf ben ik een doorgedreven hobby natuurfotograaf, hoofdzakelijk landschap. Je positieve aanpak is erg aanstekelijk en inspirerend. We zijn tevens van dezelfde regio, wondende in Kapellen in ‘t noorden van Antwerpen.
Doe zo voort …. we volgen je met heel veel plezier en zien telkens uit naar je nieuwe ervaringen !!!
Hoi!
Leuk dit te lezen! Doet me heel veel plezier! Genuet van Slovenie en Kroatie! Ik ben er zeker van dat je het geweldig gaat vinden!
Hello,
What a great site! Your pictures are beautiful and you are very talented. I am a fellow traveler,climber, and photographer as well and have traveled and climbed extensively in Europe. We recently traveled to the Island of Stromboli where I was able to witness the Stromboli volcano erupting from the summit and photograph the lava fountains under a full moon. You must definitely add this truly amazing place to you must visit list. I would love to send you my photograph of the eruption if you have an email address or some way of transferring it. If you are ever back in the United States in the New England region I would be happy to guide you on a climb up Mount Washington, home of the world’s most extreme weather.
Hi!
Thanks for your great comment!
I’ll definitely let you know when I’m around! Sounds challenging!
You can find my e-mail on the collaborations page! worldwanderista@gmail.com
Hi Joelle, (sorry, no two dots above the e on my keyboard😏) . I just found your blog as I was researching Granada and Cordoba in Spain. I’m a fellow travel blogger and I just wanted to say that I love your authenticity, it really shows through. Keep up the good work. Im heading to Granada today, so going to take some of your tips.
👍🏻
Hi Rosina!
Thank you so much for your nice comment!
Enjoy your trip!!
Hoi Joelle,
Wat een prachtige blogs maak je! Wij gaan komend voorjaar weer naar Madeira. We waren er ook in 2007. Dankzij jouw filmpjes weten we weer hoe adembenemend mooi het daar is! keep up the good work!
groetjes Greetje
As someone who loves exploring new places and is new in Belgium, your blog has been one treasure of a find!
Thank you and keep up the amazing work!
Come see Greece 😉
Thank you Joelle for your informative and enjoyable guides.You are utterly charming and a delight to watch.
Hello Joelle,
I follow you since years
I love your work.
Thank you to do what you do
Thank you very much! That’s kind of you!