What’s, ‘The Liebster Award’, I hear you ask, and I’ve asked myself the same question on a number of occasions. This time when Suzanne from http://www.globehousesitterx2.wordpress.com nominated me for the Liebster Award, I thought I’d better shake the complacent, cobwebs out of my hair, and try to do something about accepting the nomination.

I’ll start firstly by apologising to previous bloggers who have also nominated me for similar awards. On the previous occasions my technological fears and phobias took hold. I kept promising myself I’d honour the person nominating me and my blog for such an award by responding as I should have. However, time passed by, and before I knew it accepting the award, and thanking the person who had nominated me had left my radar. So, I hope I do better this time.

This time I’ve looked up what the awards all about. Did I understand it? – not really, except to say that it’s sort of an award set up by fellow bloggers to acknowledge bloggers like myself, and show a bit of recognition for what the nominated blogs do to enhance the lives of, not only the blog writers, but also of the blog followers. (Goodness, I hope I’ve understood correctly).

So, thank you Suzanne from http://www.globehousesitterx2.wordpress.com
(and thank you to the other people who have also nominated me in the past).

I think I’m supposed to provide links to Suzanne’s blog, and to the Liebster award, and to the bloggers that I’ll be nominating later in this post. And I’m afraid that’s where my inadequacies take over. I’m bloody useless at this techno stuff – and getting my head around how to add links – well, if I could be writing my blog using old fashioned pen and paper I would be. About as good as this techno stuff gets for me is to be able to type up my blog and add photos. Trying to get my head around more than that ends up leaving me almost frozen in panic, and sort of ends up as ‘white noise’ in my head. So, I’ll do the best I can to follow the rules of accepting the award, but apologies in advance for where my inadequacies get in the way.

I’m supposed to provide 10 random facts about myself. I hope you will all make do with the facts provided in the above couple of paragraphs – basically, I’m a bit of a numpty when it comes to technology. Putting that to one side though, I do love blogging. It enhances my life by getting me off my butt to do things. When I am doing, ‘stuff’, I look at what I’m doing in more detail, and better than anything – blogging connects me with other bloggers, and I get to experience a whole new world through the written words of others.

Next, I’m supposed to write a bit about my favourite blog. There’s soooo many, but I guess my stand out favourite, the one I can’t wait to open and read as soon as an email alerts me to a new post is http://www.livelaughrv.net. Oh, Ingrid – I do hope I managed to get your blog address down correctly. Ingrid has what she terms is a modest sized fifth wheeler. I think it’s 32 feet long – which by Australian standards is a whopper. You guessed it, Ingrid lives and travels throughout America. She writes beautifully, and more than anything I’ve ever read, or seen before, Ingrid’s photos, and writing has inspired me to want to see her great, big, wonderful country for myself. Thank you Ingrid – your writings are always a pleasure to read. I think Ingrid already has quite a large following, so although her blog is the one I get most excited about when I get the email alert, I haven’t included her in my ‘pay it forward’ nominations.

And now I need to answer the questions posed to me by Suzanne in my nomination, so here goes:

What country, city or continent would you most like to visit and why?

America – read my paragraph above as to who and what has inspired this desire. Thank you Ingrid.

What was the most inspirational time in your life so far?

When Paul and I decided to sell up and travel full time in our fifth wheeler. The dream life didn’t last – but the planning for it was amazing. Alas – the reality of the trip itself was interrupted by family commitments. Eventually, it all became to hard and we’ve since settled back into a normal, house dwelling existence.The excitement of the commencement of ‘living our dream life’ though lives on. Would I do it again – perhaps? but I think Paul’s happier as a part time RVer, so probably part time is the way it’ll continue.

What are you passionate about?

So many things. I guess one thing I’m nostalgically passionate about is breast-feeding, and the restrictions put on people by outdated and incorrect belief systems – but that’s a whole story on it’s own.

What is your favourite book, and why?

A Town Like Alice – I just love it.

What is your favourite time of year?

Definitely anytime of year when the skies are blue, the sun’s shining and there’s water near by. Hence, when winter comes to the south west of Australia, you’ll see us hitched up and travelling north. We try to follow the sun.

What other interests do you have besides blogging?

Beaches, forests, gardening, cooking and card games.

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Definitely the beach, but I love forests too.

Where did you go for your most memorable holiday?

Mmmm!! that’s a hard one. I have three holidays that are all stand outs. In no particular order they are as follows:

Esperance, around 20 years ago with another two couples for ten days camping in Cape le Grande national park. 

Coral Bay with brother and sister-in-law and a few other couples to celebrate Paul’s and my 50th birthdays. We rented a house that accommodated 10 people, and had a great time – including snorkelling with the whale sharks. What a buzz that was.

Langkawi – staying at Casa del mar for Christmas a few years ago. Just Paul and I, a very, very belated honeymoon. On our first honeymoon we had both Kelvin and Alice, and Paul’s mum and dad in tow – the joys of a second marriage!

Do you prefer a sunny or a rainy day?

Sunny – every time.

If you had a day all to yourself, how would you spend it?

Most likely in the garden

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Okay, so that’s my questions out of the way. My next task is to pay it forward and nominate a few other blogs for the Liebster award, pose some questions for them to answer,  and to comment on their blog to let them know. So here goes.

These are a few of the blogs I enjoy following (there’s plenty of others, but these ones have smaller followings, and are ones that for some reason or another, I can relate to the most):

I’m sure they’d all appreciate you taking a look as to why they stand out to me, (I only hope I manage to get their blog address down correctly). In no particular order:

http://www.inpursuitofadream.com      (fellow caravaners in the UK)

http://www.weavingon.wordpress.com      (caravaners in Australia)

http://www.andaontour.wordpress.com      (world travellers – currently in my place of birth Christchurch)

http://www.caravancorrespondent.com     (Glenys travels Australia – her writings are of a professional standard – very, very good)

http://www.amindfultravellerblog.wordpress.com     (always a good read)

http://www.boomingon.wordpress.com     (a writer from Canberra, and the first blog I ever followed. Provides a good insight into Australia’s capitol city and it’s surrounds)

And last but by no means least, http://www.lovingthefiftysomething.com  (I just love Sam’s writings. Sam has recently sold up and is now living on a houseboat in the UK. Please, my own UK followers – you really must connect with Sam through her blog. She’s an amazing writer and photographer who will teach you things about your home country that you never knew).

And now for some questions of my own for each of you to answer (I think there’s supposed to be ten, but five will do, and you are welcome to pick five more from the questions I’ve answered above for Suzanne):

1. Do you remember where you were, and what you were doing when you heard about the death of one of the following: Elvis Presley, John Lennon, or Princess Dianne?

2. Are you a ‘tours person’, or do you prefer your own itinerary, and why?

3. How do you prevent yourself from getting into a rut?

4. Are you a Christmas, or a New Year’s person, and why?

5. Christmas colours – traditional red and green, or other?

And I think that about wraps it up. Thanks again Suzanne for the nomination, and apologies if I didn’t quite get some of it right.