Wren's Worldwide Wanderings

In April 2019 I set myself the ambitious task to join the Blogging from A -Z April Challenge. I choose a travel topic, with the idea of covering as many countries I could, whilst being on the road continuously myself. You can read the posts here

 

This is what the last six weekends have looked like :

Paris --> UK --> Songkran in Phuket --> Easter in Pattaya --> Fitcation in Bali --> 

King Rama X Coronation in Bangkok --> Friend's birthday celebrations in Hoi An, Vietnam.

I am sure one day, I will look back from the armchair of my nursing home and say to whoever will listen, 'yes darling, we used to travel a bit'

If I look at the lead up to the A-Z Challenge I was also pretty busy trying to re-establish myself in my Thai life after the Summer in Australia. There was little time to prep for a month of posts. Well, that's my excuse to say it took me a while to finished and be awarded the A -Z Survivor badge!

But despite going over the deadline, I was pretty determined to finish. By the end, Wren's Worldwide Wanderings A- Z will have been to: 

Australia - Belgium - China - Delhi (India) - England - France - Golf (Singapore) - Hua Hin WTA Tennis (Thailand) - (Bali) Indonesia - Japan - Korea - Laos - Macau - Nha Trang (Vietnam) - Oxfordshire (UK) - Prague (Czech Republic) - Quintessential Spain - Russia - Sri Lanka - more Thailand - Henley Regatta UK -  Wandering Woodstock, USA  - King Rama X Thailand - Yangon  (Myanmar) and New Zealand!

1. What did you love about the challenge this year?

I really enjoyed, having the A - Z challenge otherwise I possibly would not have posted at all! I loved being able to find as many countries as possible, the only limitation was the letter of the alphabet ...

1. What would you change about it?

Personally, in future years I do need to plan ahead more.  I felt bad the day I missed my first publishing deadline and thought I could catch up on a Sunday. 

However, I was pretty determined that the A-Z challenge was not going to stop me living my best life in the moment of having my best life.

• What was the best moment for you during this year's challenge?

Working out all the different countries that my readers and I could visit together and then reading all the beautiful comments.

• What is the best comment your blog got during the challenge, and who left the comment?

Oh, there were loads here are some of my favourites, Starting with Liz A from Lawsofgravity:

'Wow, you’ve been everywhere. Okay, not everywhere, but you’ve certainly been around'.

Madrid: Ana from Naturanafotos 

Wow! You were in my beloved Madrid. I’m glad you had a nice stay .. As you say Madrid is a very cozy and cheerful city. The motto of Madrid is: From Madrid to Heaven. Many people came to visit and stayed here forever. Thank you very much for dedicating this post .. Here you have a friend …Cheers :-)))

Henley Royal Regatta UK: Angie from Tentoesinthewater: 

Wren – as one who considers the UK my adopted homeland, this is undeniably appealing, from the strawberries in cream to the people-watching (Dukes!) to observing the athletic prowess. Oh, and did I mention the hats? ... Thanks for sharing this with the gang at Mosaic Monday – we can always count on you to add a bit of posh to the proceedings!

Thailand: Pat from  MilleFioriFavoriti : 

I’ve learned so much about Thailand from reading your blog and seeing your facebook posts. It is so fascinating! I’d love to visit Thailand one day and see many of these beautiful places but for now, I’m enjoying your adventures.

Moscow, Russia Lorrie from FabricPaperThread :

You travel more than anyone I know and how lucky we are that you share your travels here and on IG. I never know where you’ll land up! Russia is a place I’d love to visit one day. Thanks for this mini-tour of Moscow!

Prague, Czech Republic Andrea from MyEverythingCorner :

Looks absolutely wonderful! Maybe one day I will become a little wanderer too…

South Korea Sara from MyWoodlandGarden :

Hello dearest Wren, I leave my comment here because I have a very dear friend from South-Korea. 

Thank you for the beautiful and interesting post!

Japan Deborah from CabinetofWonders :

What a fascinating post – you’ve totally expanded my understanding of kabuki. I hope someday to make it to Tokyo, and I’d certainly love to add this to my experience.

France Janice from Sightsat60 :

Yet another place you have allowed me to visit vicariously. Thanks so very much.

Delhi, India Karen from CrimsonKettle :

Hair raising, colourful and perfumed, what a tour!

China, Tamara from TheThreeGerbers :

Whoa, you sure are a world traveler, sitting in Paris (you’re practically next to me in that case, I’m in Switzerland) writing about China. Very interesting to hear about the melting together of the East and West!

and ending with Eileen from ViewingnaturewithEileen

Hello Wren, I am enjoying my armchair traveling with you. You have been to amazing places all over the world. I enjoy reading your post and your beautiful photos. Keep them coming.

I will Eileen for sure, I could go on and on, but in the interests of getting this post out, I'll end here. A special thank you to everyone who did visit and leave a comment, they warm my heart! 

• Will you do the challenge again?

Yes, I think it is a good way to ensure that I blog lots! Can I take the rest of the year off now? haha

• Was it well organized and were the hosts helpful? (Did you fill out the after survey?)

This is my third year of the Blogging from A-Z Challenge, so I felt I knew what I was doing (or not!) so yes, yes and yes! 

• How did you and your blog grow, change, or improve as a result of this challenge? Did you find new blogs out there to enjoy?

I have two Little Wandering Wren blogs, it helped me to clarify that one is for my travel posts (where you'll find my A - Z at Wren's Worldwide Wanderings,) this blog you are reading now, is where I chat! 

The A-Z challenge is helping me develop more content for my travel blog and increase my readership and reach. Although not massively through my fellow A-Z'ers but has provided me with the opportunity to introduce the newer Wordpress blog to my existing readership on Blogger, who has graciously visited me.

I did not have the time to visit or comment as much throughout the challenge but look forward to continually seek out new blogs when I have finished the A-Z.

• Were you on the Master List? (If you did the challenge last year, was it better this time without the daily lists?)

Yes, I am Number 143 on the master list above out of 685 blogs participating. I welcomed the opportunity to order by category and will continue to connect especially with those with either travel and personal blogs.  

• Any suggestions for our future?

The challenge for most of us is to write and visit other blogs during a one month period, I wonder if you could produce an additional badge without the month, for people like me that need to extend beyond the deadline?!

• Any notes to the co-host team? A word of thanks to Jeremy for all his hard work on the graphics? A picture with your A to Z shirt, if you ordered one?

Love the graphics Jeremy and a massive thank you to the whole A - Z team, appreciate all your work!

Well, that's a wrap for my Reflections Post, now back to V is for Vietnam. Gotta dash! I'll be over to visit as soon as I get a mo!