CELEBRATING 8 YEARS OF BLOGGING WITH ASKSPLODZ

Happy Birthday to Splodz Blogz! I started this blog eight years ago this week, following a decision over New Year 2010 to just start writing. I didn’t have an outlet for my words or photographs at the time, and so Splodz Blogz was born. Fast forward to now and it is still my space to talk about all kinds of things, these days focusing on the outdoors, adventures, bucket list experiences, and anything else I fancy writing about. Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun?!

(The pic >> is the first pic I shared of myself here on Splodz Blogz!)

Over the years I have celebrated my blogging birthday by having cake, making videos, and writing all kinds of random things. This year, in an attempt to do something a little different, I thought I’d do a Q&A. Well you know, I can’t always have my own ideas! I asked on twitter if anyone had any #AskSplodz questions over on twitter and, well, my followers came up with some crackers. I’m not sure everyone took the request quite how I had intended, but here we are, I’m going to give answering these questions a go…

AskSplodz

https://twitter.com/kateejamieson/status/946301478918123520

Hey Kate. Erm… okay! To be honest I don’t think Bear Grylls could grill bears. He probably has people to do that for him. And anyway, who would want to grill a bear? Surely a long slow cook would be better?! Although as bears are my better half’s favourite animal, I think I would just have to set it free…

https://twitter.com/photosbyjwarb/status/946302629528899584

I’m sorry to disappoint any of you risk takers, but I’m actually quite risk averse. I never head out without knowing where I (think) I’m going, having the right gear, and making sure I have the right skills for the adventure I am having. I do take more personal risk when with a guide or a group in which I know there are skilled people who are there to instruct me, trusting their knowledge and expertise; this might be when I’m scrambling or climbing or trying something new. I’m not interested in pushing myself to my limit without the proper equipment or training. Having said that, I do rather like standing on the edge…

If money and time were no object then the one adventure I’d like to have this year (or any year, really), is to go on an expedition to the North Pole and the South Pole. I know it sounds ridiculous, I am well aware that the likelihood of me reaching the poles by any means is about as high as summiting Everest or going into space (the latter of which is also on my bucket list…), but the dream is there and I guess I never know what might happen! Unfortunately for me money and time is a huge object, as it is for most people in this world, and so I will stick to slightly more achievable adventure aims… I will be very happy with a year with plenty of time outdoors, lots of hiking, and maybe one or two new experiences thrown in for good measure.

(- 2 , – 3)

I can use Google too…

Great question! And very relevant J I don’t think there is anything better than extending an invitation to someone to actually come with you when you are doing something you enjoy. How can they refuse?! So, if there are people we know in real life, you know, friends and family that live near us or we visit regularly, then the easiest and best way to encourage them outdoors more is to invite them to join you. Suggest a walk in the countryside close to your home, head to a country park you can meet at easily, show them your favourite cycling (or motorcycling) route, or even suggest you wander down town with the promise of coffee at the nice little café on the corner. How do you do it?

One of my favourite snaps from the last year of blogging. Walking the West Highland Way.

I’ll keep checking the #AskSplodz hashtag on twitter and if I get any more questions I’ll do another one of these sometime. And in the meantime I’m off to find eight candles to put in a slice of leftover Christmas cake…