Melanie from The Wandering Darlings
Posted on by Debbie

What happens when you have a spectacular daughter out there?

It’s time to meet one of my favourite bloggers, Melanie from The Wandering Darlings.  I must declare, she also just happens to be my eldest daughter 🙂

Welcome to another edition of People of Interest where I get to share some interesting people with you, my interesting readers. I post these on Tuesdays.

And that’s what happens when you have a spectacular daughter out there! I get to share her with all of you 😊

So in this series, I’ve invited my guests to answer a set of 10 questions and at first I used their responses as a guest post while I was away on holidays. I’m now home from my travels, but I have so many more interesting people to share with you, I figured I’d just continue on until the end of the year.   It’s a great way to share the love around and introduce interesting people to other interesting people.

So far I’ve interviewed my sister Sharon from Musings from the Cold; Donna from Retirement Reflections; Louise from The Year I touched my Toes; Miriam from Out an About; Shaun from Clockwork Clouds, Sue from Travel Tales of Life.

I then changed it around and interviewed myself, as it was my birthday last Tuesday.  This week I have my lovely daughter Melanie from The Wandering Darlings to share with you.

 Guest Post Series: Melanie from The Wandering Darlings
Melanie from The Wandering Darlings
Melanie from The Wandering Darlings

1. What do you enjoy most about blogging?

I enjoy the creativity of writing and creating ideas and content that could help or inspire someone somewhere out there. I also like that I get a voice to talk about the places I have been, want to go and to share stories from people all over the world.
 
Since blogging I’ve also made some amazing and supportive  friends within the blogging community. That wasn’t something I was expecting when I started but has been a godsend!  I’ve learnt so much and been able to use some of these skills within my day job.
 

2. Your blog is about travelling – where did the description come from?

My blog is a travel and expat blog but its also a place for me to talk about places I’ve been to, places I want to go to and the good and bad bits of living abroad. I’ve always loved travel, writing and photography and in January this year thought I would finally get it started and the blog was born. There’s only so much your friends and family can bear when talking constantly of your travels, so I thought I should just bore the internet.
 
I called the blog the Wandering Darlings which is a name I had in my mind years ago if I was ever to start a blog or a business. Wandering symbolises travel (obvs) and Darlings comes from Peter Pan or more specifically Wendy Darling. She liked travelling to Neverland but she also knew she had to come home and I think that is like me.
 
I love travelling and having adventures but I also like being able to go home and have the best of both worlds.  I made it Darlings instead of Darling as I was always hoping to have it include other travellers sharing their stories.

3. What plans do you have for your blog in the future?

I want it to continue to evolve and include more ideas and stories of destinations. I am launching a new series soon called 10 Photos in … and this will help give more visual insight into places to visit within certain destinations. Like any blogger I would love to be uploading more content more frequently but sadly life gets in the way so I have been including guest posts about places that I’ve not got to yet.

 

Bristol and balloons
London
Copenhagen

4. What’s your favourite post and why?

I have two (if that’s ok).

The first is My Letter to my travelling parents as its one of my more heartfelt posts and celebrates two major influencers in my life. (awww and it’s such a sweet post too…proud mother moment here)

I also like a post I wrote about the changes in the technology as I just find it so fascinating how much the world has changed and how social media influences expats and travellers.

5. What’s your biggest achievement in life to date?

I guess my biggest achievement would be moving countries (twice). I’m about to celebrate 11 years living in the UK this December and to think I moved here a fresh faced 23 year old expecting to only be here a few years and now 11 years on I have a career, own a home, have a huge circle of friends and have been able to see so much of the world, is something I am really proud of.

6. What do you like to do outside of blogging?

I like travelling – be it to a National Trust property down the road or an adventure in a far flung country. I am a bit obsessed with photography. I play football in a ladies football league and love my awesome team. As much as I like travelling I’m also a bit of a homebody and love pottering round my house with the fiance and our little house bunny Bruce.

Fiji's clear waters
Fiji sunset
Fiji Islands

7. What books do you like reading and what are you currently reading?

Unlike everyone in my family I don’t really read books regularly. I can feel the look of disgust of my family reading this. Sorry! I’m more of a film buff than a book reader.

8. Where’s your dream holiday destination?

My dream holiday destination would be Canada, India or Iceland. Have long wanted to go to all of these places but just not got there yet. I would ideally want to go with my fiance or with my family but it would be a bit of a trek but I guess Canada and India are kinda in the middle of Australia and UK. Kinda.

St Kilda Melbourne
St Kilda Melbourne

9. List five things that you won’t leave home without.

My phone
My flip flops/thongs even in winter
Purse
Passport
Notebook and pen

10. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met?

I think my grandparents (all 4 of them)  are the most interesting people I’ve met. Hearing how different the world is today from when they were young. It must be crazy to see the changes when they were young TVs were in black and white and now there is technology that they would never of even imagined could be invented.

I love looking at the pictures and the things they have done with their lives.  One of my grandma’s moved from the UK to Australia when she was 16 and had to start a new life. I struggled doing that 23 so to imagine how she did it at 16 is crazy.

They have also shown us an amazing example of love and family. Relationships require work, compromise and support and through everything they have all been through, especially in recent years, they have shown you are always stronger dealing with life together. They are all the best and strongest people I know and I am so fortunate to still have all 4 of them inspiring my life.

Melanie’s links – please feel free to go check her links out and follow her on social media:

Thanks Melanie for playing along with me in my People of Interest series. Despite being your mother, I learnt a few things!

I especially love Melanie’s answer to Q10, it’s such a good response and she really does have a lovely relationship with both sets of grandparents.

Melanie is our eldest daughter – we have three girls who are all grown up living interesting lives!  She lives across the other side of the world from us but we are in regular contact and visit each other as often as we can.  In fact my husband and I are planning a big trip next year and I’m already looking forward to spending time with her! She’ll get sick of me hanging around before I get sick of being with her 🙂

Melanie and Debbie
Melanie and Debbie

Melanie and I would love to hear your thoughts on her post, so feel free to leave us a comment below and we’ll be sure to respond.

So there you have it – another Person of Interest!  Next up I have another great blogger for you to meet before taking a break over Christmas and New Year – stay tuned.

Thanks for your visit and remember that life is an adventure.  Our family’s motto is ‘To travel is to Live’ and we encourage everyone to live their best life possible.

Enjoy the holiday season ahead, however you celebrate and thanks for all your support.

Deb 🙂

You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.

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Debbie in rock chick mode

Everyone has a story to tell! Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. She never imagined being Granny Debs would bring so much joy to her life! You can read more of Deb’s story here

46 Replies to “What happens when you have a spectacular daughter out there?”

    1. Thanks so much Jodi! She’s a real delight and I’m very proud of her. It was great to feature her today especially as it’s getting close to Christmas and I’ll miss being with her this year. My sister is travelling so she’ll actually be with Melanie on Christmas Day. It’s often commented that the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree I regards to our looking alike!! Merry Christmas to you and thanks for all your support this test, I truly appreciate it ❤️

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  2. Hi, Melanie – It was great to read about you on your Mom’s blog. I’m glad to see Canada on your top ‘dream travel’ destinations. If you ever make it out to Vancouver Island, please let me know (…..and please consider bringing your Mom with you. I would love to meet both of you)! 🙂

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    1. Hi Donna, thanks for your lovely comment and suggestions about travelling to Canada!! We will definitely get there one day 😊. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed Melanie’s answers to my questions, I’m very proud of her and all she’s achieved. Xx

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  3. Deb, what a great choice to have your gorgeous daughter in the starring role this week. It’s clear you’re very proud of her.
    Melanie, great to ‘meet’ you here and to learn more about you. Clearly travel is in the family genes. We share the same bucket list destinations, I’ve always wanted to go to Canada and Iceland too. Hope you make it there one day. Happy Christmas and happy traveling to you both in 2018. 🙂

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  4. You are very lucky to have such a wonderful daughter Deb, and I’m sure your other kids are just as great!. Glad to hear you are a fellow thong/flip flop wearer in Winter too Mel.
    Merry Christmas to you both and enjoy this festive season with your loved ones. Xx

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    1. Thanks so much Lorelle! I am so lucky to have 3 gorgeous daughters and I’m very proud of them. Melanie is the only one who blogs so we share a common interest. Thanks for your Christmas wishes, and I hope you also enjoy this special time. Xx

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  6. V. excited to see you soon Mel and to be able to spend Christmas with you! I know it won’t be the same as having your Mum there – but we’re so alike I bet you’ll hardly notice 🙂

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    1. Yes, it’s all our fault she has moved so far away! It’s been fun sharing her answers in my interview series. Thanks for your visit and comment, it’s always lovely to hear from you 🙂

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  11. I love reading about how Melanie named her blog. It makes so much sense when you know the story. I’m glad one of your favorite activities outside of blogging is travel – otherwise she’d have no new material! I love how adventurous she is.

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  15. What a lovely post – and so great that it is a family affair. I think that my favourite thing is that Melanie says the most interesting people she has met are her grandparents. Melanie, I am about to head over to your blog too. Merry Christmas to your whole family xxx

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    1. Thanks Claire, I loved her answer to that question the most too. She is very special and I am missing her as we get ready to celebrate Christmas here at the warm and sunny beach. Wishing you all a merry Christmas too. Xx

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  17. How lovely to get to interview your daughter – and to have another blogger in the family. My DIL tried blogging for 5 minutes and lost interest so I’m the only one who “gets” it in my world. Also interesting that she still sees Australia and her family as “home” when she describes her blog name (at least that’s what I assume she meant!)

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  18. I love Melanie’s blog & the love for family always shines through. My favourite post of hers is also the letter she wrote to you & your husband- so lovely. Love the idea of 10 Photos in posts. Love Melanie’s photography too, so I’ll look forward to that. I’ve also always loved her blog name & the reference to Peter Pan is ace. Oh and I’ve also dreamed of going to Iceland too. One day for both of us hopefully x

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  22. This is a really lovely post. Your questions are great and it’s a really nice way of getting to know more bloggers. I like how blogging runs in your family with you, your sister and daughter! Have you done a post with your answers to the questions?

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  23. Pingback: Sizzling at 60 – Meet Sue! – Deb's World

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