Curiosity-led travel through people. Street life and conversations. See the world: in your body. ✨
Hiya 🤗
Travel isn’t a competitive sport - it’s not about collecting countries or keeping score (well, maybe a little bit. I stick pins in my map of the world as a visual reminder - it’s motivating). It's about the experiences we share and conversations that help us see the world differently.
I used to highlight pages in my Lonely Planet guidebooks and ticks towns off as I passed through, but these days, I’m motivated by going deeper, slowing down, and getting under the skin of a place. Living like a local, making friends, learning a bit of the language, and understanding the history and culture.
Connecting to places through people and their passions is what makes travel memorable.
I’ve set myself a fun challenge: Project 195 — a journey around the world through conversations. 195 interviews inspired by the countries of the world. (I’ll map it!). It’s a long-term creative project I can really get my teeth into.
Inspired by the football, random acts of kindness, and conversations with strangers — on trains, in coffeeshops, hotel bars, and walking the streets. Backyard adventures (1066 Country where I live) and abroad. I’m building my own Bayeux Tapestry of the world, stitching stories together — one conversation at a time.
In a nutshell, I love a good story.
I believe in the power of writing to connect people and create a more compassionate world.
Travel inspires empathy — tiny steps towards world peace. 😁
And that’s the best way to see the world: in our bodies. — Beat poet, Gary Snyder.
Who’s asking the questions?
I’m Nika — travel writer, wanderer, work in progress.
80s latchkey kid and solo travel fangirl. I’ve been writing online since ‘99, self-employed since 2005, and building on Substack for six years.
Curious about everything and figuring out what I want from my next circle round the sun. What are my dreams now? How do I want to be spending my time?
How do we build bigger, bolder lives that make us feel more alive? The journey we’re all on.
I still pour myself a hefty cup of ambition every morning. “I’m burning up, not burning out!” to quote our beloved Dolly. But I also want to do things differently in my second half. Simplify, let go, travel more, and enjoy our one wild and precious life. Travelling is when I feel most alive and free.
My daughter Julieta is at uni so I’m an empty nester free bird for now ;) Looking forward to more shared and solo adventures — time to live out of my suitcase for a bit.
Figuring out how I can work, wander and keep a home base because, as she reminded me the other day: “I still want my own room!”
Roots and wings are the greatest gifts we can give our kids — and ourselves.
A home you can be part of, fly off from, and come back to. It starts with us listening to each other’s stories.
NT xo
For curious people building bigger, bolder lives — and feeling the tug of wanderlust.
Subscribe to enjoy:
✈️ Curiosity-led travel stories and photography
✍️ Hastings Writers’ Café - coworking by the sea
🌍 Project 195 - interviews from around the world
Friends of BT (Paid)
💬 Subscriber chat
✍️ Writing and travel opps (intel, pitch calls)☕️ Virtual coffee chats - share ideas, open doors, support each other
Founding Members
You get everything above, plus you’re supporting indie travel journalism and helping me pay it forward.
Special thanks to Nige Cook for his support. Writing his first book: Quantum Field Theory Demystified. Go Nige!
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Gold star for reading this far! 🤩
If any of this resonates with you, let’s have a chat about ways to work together.
Positive-impact stories for brands and Substack support
→ See my services: nikatalbot.io.
Wall of love
I was impressed with how much you connected to people and the place when you were here. You’ve got a gift for it. Not everybody is comfortable striking up conversations with strangers. — Marianne Lehnis, Founder, The Green Techpreneur
A really helpful newsletter for the intersection of writing, the digital world and entrepreneurship, which can be a lonely place for many of us. — Ann-Marie McQueen, Founder, Hotflash Inc
See the world: in your body ✨
