We’re really excited to kick off our featured travel blogger series by catching up with Michael Turtle from Time Travel Turtle – we chat about what he thought of the Olympics, why he started travelling around the world and where he’s off to next:
1. You mentioned that you were recently in London. We’ve been watching the Olympics very closely and it’s probably fair to say everyone has gotten involved on some level. What was your favourite moment from the past two weeks?
I think it’s hard to point to a particular moment that you can describe as a favourite. There were so many amazing feats – Usain Bolt in the 100 metres, Mo Farah in the 5000 metres, the US swimmers in their relay, as examples. But my favourite thing about these Olympics was being in London and watching Great Britain gradually embrace their team.
TeamGB started off slowly but as the medal count picked up you could sense the pride on the streets of the city. The organisers of the games talked a lot about ‘legacy’ and I feel privileged to have seen firsthand the formation of what will become a great sporting legacy for the country.
2. The idea of travelling around the world is attractive to so many people. You worked in the Australian media industry, but when you turned 30 you decided to leave. Was this a lifelong plan?
I wouldn’t say it was a lifelong plan but it was definitely a lifelong desire. I was lucky enough to have always had a lot of annual leave while I was working and always used it to slowly explore the world. The problem was that, like a drug, I became addicted and needed a bigger and better fix each time.
Looking back on it, it was probably inevitable that I would have to quit my job and travel without deadlines to satisfy my urges. I never knew exactly when I would do that but as soon as I made the decision I knew it was the right thing to do.
3. Your blog is a great testament to your travels. Why did you decide to start it, and is it hard to keep writing? What have you learned from writing down your experiences?
I started writing it for two reasons, both of which are intertwined somewhat. Firstly it was because after working as a journalist for ten years I was scared to stop telling stories. For so long I’d been able to broadcast things I thought were interesting to millions of people – and I didn’t want to give that up because I saw a real value in that ability.
And, secondly, I was worried about having no direction or purpose if I just started travelling indefinitely. As it’s turned out, my experiences have been much richer because of the blog. It’s meant that I’m always looking for unique and interesting things to see… or trying to find out more about people and places so I can find out if there’s a good story there.
4.Finally, we’re featuring Turkey at HolidayHype this month. I believe this is your next destination. Do you want to tell us about where you’re going & what you’ll be seeing?
I hate to admit this because it goes against a lot of what I stand for, but I’m going to Turkey firstly to lie on a beach for a few days with some friends and recover from a busy time in London during the Olympics. But then I’ll be on my own and am planning to explore the west coast and end up in Istanbul. I’ve set myself a mission as I travel to visit every UNESCO World Heritage Site there is, and there are some fascinating ones in western Turkey including Troy, which I used to be fascinated in as a child.
Thanks Turtle, all the best to you in your travels!
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