Caribbean Blogger Spotlight: EatExploreLive

Eat Explore Live is currently on hiatus. Catch up with Caribbean Blogger and marketer Carey on her new venture  For Women,to Women a platform dedicated to millennial women.

 

Eat Explore Live is a blog I discovered through twitter a few months ago. What I loved about this blog was that it was an adventurous perspective to travel in the Caribbean. Quite often, travel mags cover islands from a tourist perspective, but beyond the gates of the resorts renown to most tourists, there is a rich culture which many (including myself) have yet to experience. Quite frankly, when I’m visiting Jamaica I visit family and hardly take the time to really travel to the other parishes and see all of the island’s beauty.

Even people who live in the islands don’t seem to explore their own island or others just because we’re so caught up with own lives. Carey’s fresh perspective of and islander writing about her excursions and travels from her perspective, you get to see more than just the norm and it makes me want to venture out on my next visit!

Get to know Caribbean Blogger, Carey is the creator of Eat Explore Live as she shares how she started her blog, her favorite travel spots and travel essentials.

Tell me about how you started blogging?

I am an adventurous person — where I am always willing to try anything new even if it is only once; I’m a big risk taker. In addition to that I am a lover of life, food, travel and grand adventures and have a special place in my heart for Caribbean culture and lifestyle. I thought “Why not create a blog that embodied all the things I loved?” I never thought about creating EatExploreLive until after completing my undergrad studies, where unemployment, the boredom of staying home and doing nothing was driving me insane. So I thought, hey why not create a blog – it was just the right time to do it all and the passion for all the things I love have been growing ever since.

At the moment I am the only blogger, but I invite other travel and lifestyle bloggers to guest post. I have gone as far as to create a special feature for guest bloggers, ‘Food and Travel Experience’ – to date I have featured Gaby of Sands and Stilettos and Ornella Verde. But of course, my arms are wide open to welcome other likeminded bloggers on board – One of the objectives this year, is to recruit a team for EatExploreLive, so of course, you will hear about all of this has it happens.

What started your passion for travel?

Honestly, I am not sure but I convinced my adventurous side has contributed to it greatly. I think that fact that I love a life with some dynamics, the love of travelling has found its way in my heart. Travelling adds to the dynamics of life. There is always something new to see, do and explore.

Name some of your favorite travel experience?

Well, I haven’t travelled as much as I would like to, but I’d say my first trip to Trinidad had to be one of favorites. I didn’t really know what to expect when I heard about the island. But after being there I got so indulged in their lifestyle and culture and was intrigued by how diverse it was. The first trip mostly involved me getting to know the island, where I enjoyed travelling and exploring the island. From visiting Maracas Bay, enjoying Bake and Shark from none other than Richard’s, going downtown POS plus trying my now favorite Doubles and other Trinidadian foods. My first trip to Trinidad also trapped me with Soca. LOL. Seriously, I got to appreciate the island, the people and the culture a whole lot more. It was a splendid trip for me.

Also my first trip to England was a spectacular one for me. I enjoyed touring parts of the country – from historical site visits, sight-sighting, shopping at flee markets on weekends and dining at Caribbean restaurants.

 

What are 3 essential must have items when you travel?

My mind is always running a million miles an hour, which means I am always thinking and always seem to have a new idea every time, especially when travelling. I am always thinking about what next to do and how I can make my life and brands more interesting, so carrying a notepad and writing instrument is extremely essential for me. Also, I am a sucker for great reads, such as fashion, lifestyle and travel magazines or inspirational/self-help books so I always have at least two (2) reading materials with me while travelling and of course I have to have my music (it keeps me alive on a long flight). And of course, a stylish bag for travelling, whether it is a tote or mini bag to hold my essentials (travel documents and my quick bites).

How has blogging changed your perspective on travel?

I have always loved the Caribbean and knew there was much to offer but after blogging I have gotten way more interested in travelling the Caribbean islands – to experience the cultures and lifestyle. I realize that many of us Caribbean people don’t know our islands and more readily gravitate towards travelling to other countries rather than our own. So with blogging, I have been more interested in making others aware of what the Caribbean has to offer for a worthwhile travel and cultural experience. So, I try to pin down our own island people for special features on the blog, for them to share their travel experiences and the lifestyle of their islands with our wide scope of readers.

Additionally, I realise that I am bit more observant than usual when travelling, thanks to blogging – I am always using myself and other persons travel experiences to share with readers. Also, anything spotted and is of interest I am always try to share that as well.

With blogging, I have gotten a little more spontaneous and open-minded too, where I realise that I would want to just get up and travel, so I am more interested in wanting to go events that I would never attend before.

Being that you live in the islands, how does that frame your blogging angle?

It has made me want to focus more on the Caribbean being that we have so much to offer. At first, I wanted to focus on travelling, culture, food and lifestyle from a general angle, while giving hints of the Caribbean. But of late, I have steered my blog in the direction of making others more aware of the Caribbean through my own experiences, where I live for sharing the Caribbean’s diverse culture and lifestyle to the wider world.

It has also made me more interested in getting to know what our own people like about their island and the Caribbean culture and lifestyle – where we try to sell our islands through the people who have experienced it themselves, this is highlighted through the blog’s special feature ‘Our Island People – Travel and Lifestyle’ formerly ‘You are Featured’.

What do you hope to achieve through you blog?

I’d love Eat Explore Live to be one of the Caribbean’s leading travel and lifestyle blogs, which is the ultimate source for tips and advice on food and places of travel, where we will make it one of our priorities to recommend places of accommodation, attraction and spots to dine for that lasting and unforgettable experience. While also giving our readers exclusive information, tips and guides on what to wear where, the must attend events across the Caribbean, the must have travel essentials, where to shop for travel essentials plus all they need for a worthwhile travel and cultural experience.

What do you hope people get out of reading your blog?

I want our readers to know that there is beauty in travelling, exploring, experiencing new cultures and lifestyles. Through our blog, people will always know there is something new to learn and experience in life, where we place value on appreciating and loving life – where we encourage you to ‘Make Life Worthwhile’ through exploring, discovering, appreciating and fulfillment.

What are some of your favorite blogs to read (don’t have to be travel blog)?

I have too much, but I must share that I am avid reader and lover of Songs of Style (a beautiful blog for fashion, travel and lifestyle lovers), FashionBombDaily, Sands and Stilettos (they capture the travel and lifestyle of Dutch Caribbean beautifully), Who What Wear, She Finds, The Zoe Report and Refinery 29 (another perfect lifestyle blog).

What do you do when you’re not blogging?

Blogging, thinking and planning how I can improve my life and brands for the better. I am always coming up with new ideas (sometimes too much, I think), so I am always planning what next. I currently maintain two (2) other blogs, For Women,to Women and ExclusiveUMPF – so blogging takes up a lot of my time. But apart from my blog life, I like to read magazines, inspirational and self-help books that fill my soul plus I enjoy travelling every chance I get, indulging in different cuisines, attending art and music festivals and enjoying all the moments of life.

What’s next for Eat, Explore, Live…what can we expect in the future?

Better content. New features and unexpected changes. I’d love to invest in a channel – travel and lifestyle channel for the Caribbean. One of the greatest achievements for us would be to publish a travel and lifestyle book (which would be fulfilling and extremely amazing). And we’d love to build a strong team of like-minded bloggers from across the Caribbean (which we will be working on this year). But as I said, look out for unexpected changes and improvements.