> Skip to content

Article  •  8 November 2016

 

A blogger’s life

In transit with World of Wanderlust author and blogger Brooke Saward.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a blogger? To be invited to destinations with your expenses paid, and to be on planes and in airports more than you are at home? What are the realities of the job? And just how much work goes into creating one of the world’s most-read travel blogs? Here, World of Wanderlust author Brooke Saward reveals how she spends time in transit.

5:00am: Alarm clock begins its deafening call. Snooze is out of the question as I have a plane to catch – eeeep!

5:05am: Shower to wake up.

5:15am: Breakfast and quick email check. Having clients around the globe means being on emails as long as you are awake. Write back to time-sensitive emails, mark important emails, delete unimportant emails, quick check of website + socials. Hey Twitter!

5:45am: Pack last-minute items in my suitcase: toothbrush, laptop, phone, chargers, skincare regime for the long-haul journey, mascara and concealer for those baggy jetlag eyes.

5:55am: Leave for airport. I have already checked in online to save time at the airport – whether or not it actually saves time is still in question.

6:15am: Arrive at airport. Drop bags and make my way through security at ninja speed. I already know which of my shoes and jewellery beep at security, not to wear a hat, not to carry canned deodorant, etc. Grin at myself for having security down to a fine art and step through with a spring in my step.

6:30am: Flight boards. I consider sleeping for a second and then reconsider all the emails I need to draft before landing in Melbourne – ugh emails!

7:00am: Flight departs.

8:00am: Land in Melbourne. Race to collect bags, re-check-in bags, grab new tickets, make my way through International Departures and security round two.

8:45am: Security and departures are busy today! Walk a brisk pace to the Air New Zealand Lounge. Stop and see my book on the shelves as I race past the airport shops. Smile. Snapchat.

9:00am: Arrive in the airport lounge and get to work on important emails. New campaigns are in the planning stages, old campaigns are wrapping up, I need to schedule a handful of blog posts and edit my new video for YouTube. Airport hours are never long enough, and roll around quickly as a blogger! There’s always plenty to do online, and when you can’t explore (or be side-tracked) this is the best place to catch up.

11:50am: Flight departs for Auckland. After catching up with most emails I allow myself the flight to watch a couple of TV shows whilst simultaneously editing photos from my last campaign (ever the multi-tasker)!

5:25pm: Land in Auckland with two-hour time difference. Airline food has never excited me so I race to the lounge ready to pounce on the first carb-heavy meal I can get my hands on.

7:00pm: Still snacking on lounge food. The cheese and crackers is always a safe option, but there are smoothies and coffee and desserts – so many choices that I grab one of everything. Meanwhile, I’ve been making the most of free Wi-Fi and finishing off all online jobs before the long-haul flight to Vancouver. Answering emails, uploading and scheduling blogs, finishing uploading my latest video, checking socials and chatting to readers in comments.

7:10pm: Time to board! Ever the enthusiastic flier, I race to be the first on-board and get comfy in my chair before we take off. I guzzle two glasses of water as soon as I board and prepare myself with two more bottles of H20 – the secret to long-haul flights is to keep hydrated (and comfy pants).

The 13-hour flight begins to my next adventure in Vancouver, Canada!

 

Feature Title

World of Wanderlust
How to live an adventurous life . . . every day, everywhere.
Read more

More features

See all
Article
Flying solo

From World of Wanderlust, Brooke Saward offers tips for travelling alone.

Article
Common traveller types

Brooke Saward reveals nine traveller types, and tips to deal with them.

Activity
Where should your next adventure be?

Take our World of Wanderlust-inspired quiz and find out.

Article
QUIZ: Which Aussie dog are you?

Take this fun quiz to find out which amazing Aussie dog you’re most like.

Article
How becoming parents inspired YouTube stars to write a children's book

We caught up with Jessica and Stephen Parry-Valentine to learn about their new book, van life, travelling with a baby and the destinations they recommend everyone adds to their bucket list.

Article
Memoir Madness: 5 memoirs to dig into this month

See some of the best books – old and new – that recount the real lives of influential people.

Article
Everything you need to know about David Attenborough

All about Sir David Attenborough. Find out his age, birthplace, how many documentaries he has made and more.

Article
QUIZ: What type of investor are you?

Find out what type of investor you are, thanks to this helpful quiz from Investing with She's on the Money.

Article
9 books to read after Atomic Habits

Love Atomic Habits but don’t know what to read next? Never fear, we’ve got the perfect guide for you.

Article
20 of the best non-fiction books of 2022

See some of the best non-fiction books of 2022 so far, as well as more great titles coming this year.

Article
If you liked his TED talk, you'll love Nigel Marsh's new book

See what Nigel has to say about his books, podcast, TED talk and new book. Smart, Stupid and Sixty comes out this month, so get ready for more insight from the author.

Article
9 fun facts about bestselling author Hugh van Cuylenburg

Get to know Hugh van Cuylenburg, bestselling author of The Resilience Project and Let Go.

Looking for more articles?

See all articles