Interview with Matthew Kepnes

This month Rob Savage catches up with world traversing travel blogger, Matthew Kepnes ‐ also known as Nomadic Matt. They chat travel tips, the next big backpacker thing, Ally McBeal and more. Check it.

OK ‐ just to get warmed up. Trip Advisor or Wiki Travel?

Neither. I use other travel blogs or I ask people for recommendations on Twitter. This approach is much more accurate, up to date and the information comes from people with opinions that I know to be good.

How would you describe what you do in ten words or less?

I travel around the world and blog about it.

And now in as many words as you like ‐ tell us about Nomadic Matt, the website behind it and everything else!

I started the website simply as a means to blog about my trip ‐ to my friends and family. I lost interest for months on end but when I went home, I had the idea in my head that I could use a website to be a famous travel writer. Well I’m not a famous travel writer but I turned the blog into more of a website about travel, where people get tips and advice in addition to hearing about my own travel tales.

I love what I do because it affords me the opportunity to travel around the world and more importantly, it connects me with a whole community of people who are just like me. It’s nice to interact with people who love travel as much as I do, plus it hooks me up with tour guides in the cities I visit. Who doesn’t want the insider tips when they visit a place?

You wake up one morning with one choice. A lifetime as Paris Hilton’s purse bound pooch or endless employment as the personal bottom wiper of George Bush. What do you go for and why?

I’d go with Paris Hilton’s pooch. That way when she stepped out of line, I could bite her. Maybe that way I could also make her say: “That’s hot” less often. Seriously ‐ how many times could you stand hearing that phrase before going postal? Also she’ll probably feed me Kobe beef and caviar.

What are your top five books of all time ‐ travel related or not?

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Do you think Ally McBeal was a good or bad thing, for your home city of Boston?

I was young when the show came out so I don’t really know, but as they say no press is bad press.

What’s the best website ‐ after nomadicmatt.com, for the planning stages of an independent trip?

Well can I say my other site ‐ how‐to‐travel‐the‐world.com ? If that shameless self promotion is no good then I would say Boots N All is great in terms of planning ahead. The folks at Matador have really good tips, as do the guys behind Indie Travel Podcast.

Where’s the next big backpacker destination ‐ in your humble but well travelled opinion?

I’d say Laos but it’s sort of exploded in the last couple of years so I guess it’s no longer on the precipice of being the next big thing. If I really had to pick a place, I’d say West Australia. There are a few backpackers there now but no where near as many as you see on the east coast. I suspect in a few years you’ll see a ton of backpacker options, but right now it’s a little sleepy, in the best way possible.

What’s next in the travel writing pipeline for you?

I’m penning a few articles on European cities, Travelling and Twitter, the Eurorail pass, and I’m trying to do a few videos too.

Rough Guides or Lonely Planet?

I like them both but as a creature of habit I tend to use Lonely Planet more often. On the flip side I do love the Rough Guides to North and Central America. I’d say both publishing houses have their strengths and weaknesses.

‐ Rob Savage

PS, PS, PS! Matt’s running a great series of competitions where you guys can win an iPod touch, 100 dollars, and three, free nights at a hostel! All you have to do is check it ‐ here. Good luck!

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