The Outstanding Blog Award!


Hey everyone,
I recently picked up The Outstanding Blog Award thanks to a nomination from Ann-Kathrin at The Wandering Explorer Travel Blog. This is my second WordPress award and hey, it feels nice, especially coming from a talented blogger like Ann-Kathrin.
As the tradition goes, I have to answer her seven questions and then nominate seven other well-deserving blogs. I’ll start with Ann-Kathrin’s questions:
1. How long have you been blogging?
I’ve been scribbling on these pages of mine since 2015 when I first created my WordPress account in a Beijing cafe. At the time, I had no idea this would become a travel blog, nor indeed that it would lead me to finding my true calling.
2. What made you want to start a blog?
I had loads of free time and, fresh out of a divorce, I was in a period of suffering. I knew I needed an outlet to express myself, so when a friend told me about WordPress, I thought what the heck.
All I had then was a patchy collection of short stories called Incidents in India. They definitely needed some work, hence that became my first blog project. Back then my site was called Leighton Literature. An artist friend of mine, Johnny Paintbox, made the logo and homepage cover out of Papier-mâché.
3. How do you decide what to blog about?
It took years for me to figure out a proper system for my blogging. In the beginning, I put out a few collections of short stories and some album reviews. I used to interview singers and rock bands for a living, so that seemed to make sense.
The turning point was when I came up with the idea of cataloguing every single location I’ve ever visited. Thus My Travel Reports was born, a project that’s kept me more than busy these past years. I have written over five hundred so far, with hundreds more still unpublished. So the what to write about thing kinda takes care of itself, plus there are more short story collections I’d like to do at some point.
4. What has been a topic that you considered blogging about but haven’t (yet)?
I have several ideas for a different kind of travel series up my sleeve, but really no idea if and when I’ll get round to it. If I ever get on top of the travel side of things, I’d also like to do some movie reviews.
5. How much time do you usually spend writing and editing a blog post?
It’s getting longer and longer! Last year I settled on a new template for my travel reports. Basically, longer, more detailed, better photos. It all takes so much time. For a short travel report, let’s say under 800 words, I can knock one out in 3-4 hours.
For my longer pieces (typically 1400-2000) I need two days, chipping away at it on and off. As I have now settled on a posting routine of every 48 hours, this works out pretty well.
6. What is your favourite post on your blog so far?
This was a question recently posed to me in an interview I did with Andy’s World Journeys. It’s tough, as I often change my mind depending on my mood. Today I would settle on the following six, three travel reports and three short stories. Forgive me this luxury.
Travel Reports:
Ivy Guesthouse & Restaurant, Siem Reap.
Short Stories:
Bring Your Own Bog Roll (Slovakia).

Like It Too Much, a short story from Qatar.
7. What have you learned along your blogging journey?
So, so much. First and foremost, I’ve learned how to string a sentence together ha ha. I’ve also learned a lot about photo editing, SEO and blog design.
Moreover, I think the blog has done heaps for my personal growth. Writing up these reports and stories often feels incredibly therapeutic. Processing those old experiences and framing them within the context of whatever was going on in my life at the time, good and bad.
As the rules dictate, it’s time for my nominations! Let it be said right away that I don’t want anyone to feel obliged to do this. Maybe you’ve already done too many of these or perhaps you’re snowed under with work, blogs, life etc. I just decided to go with seven blogs that a) are among my favourites and b) I didn’t nominate the last time around.
They are:
For those who are up for participating, here are the Rules:
- Provide a link to the creator’s original award post.
- Answer the questions provided.
- Create 7 unique questions.
- Nominate up to 10 bloggers.
- Ensure that they are aware of their nomination.
The Questions:
1: What’s the best accommodation you’ve ever stayed in? Did you have to pay an arm and a leg for it?
2: What’s the worst joint you’ve ever stayed in? All the grimy details please.
3: Which of your articles holds the most special place in your heart? Why?
4: If you could share a secluded desert island beach with just one person, dead or alive, who would it be? And why?
5: If you won the lottery tomorrow and could build your dream house anywhere in the world, where would you go?
6: What does the WordPress blogging community mean to you?
7: What are your personal hopes and plans for 2021? Any blogging goals?
——
Thanks to everyone who continues to support Leighton Travels! Your readership, likes, comments and shares mean a great deal to me.
34 Comments
Congrats to you!
Thank you!
Congratulations on your award
Thanks, Sheree.
😎
👍👍👍👍
Congrats on the award! I’ve enjoyed following along on your adventures around the world.
Thank you, appreciate that!
Very well deserved indeed. I follow lots of blogs and yours is one of the best. the way you put people right in the experience the excellent photographs and the overall design is top notch. keep up the good work and keep striving to improve
Hi Ken, very kind words! Thanks for following my adventures, hoping to bring you many more!
Congratulations on your award and thanks for the nomination!
Thanks John, I appreciate your readership!
Add my congratulations to the list. Well deserved. Any chance you’ll answer your own questions for us?
For you Memo, I can drop the answers in an email!
Congratulations!! I am happy for you. I started following your blog recently and I have to say that your report about Cambodia is very well done and rich of resources. You really deserve this award. Keep sharing
Hey, that’s a really nice message, thanks so much. Appreciate your readership!
Leighton humbled with your kindness thanks so much for the nomination 🙏 will take part over the next few days.
Thanks again and keep up the great work you do as said before all your work but especially your Cambodia 🇰🇭 posts keep my inspired to to get there all the time.
Cheers! Really looking forward to reading your post.
Our nomination post is now up thanks again Leighton
Congratulations Leighton! Very Well Deserved Award!
Thanks Leighton for considering and nominating me for the Outstanding Blog Award. It was so thoughtful of you, but I don’t think I am going to participate at this time. Thanks again, I really appreciate that.
No worries, I totally understand! Thanks for reading.
Congratulations Leighton, wish you more growth and prosperity!
Thank you very much!
Congratulations on the award, Leighton! And thank you for nominating me for this award; I happily accept. I’ll be writing it up soon, but as I’m backlogged with scheduled posts to be published in the upcoming months, expect my award post to be up sometime in May. Thanks again and wishing you a lovely day! 🙂
No worries Rebecca, look forward to reading that in May. Cheers!
Congratulations and well deserved! I enjoyed learning more about your journey, the blogging one not the travels.
Thank you very much Ruth!
Always enjoy following your travels, interesting to read how your blog has changed over the years! Love the papier-mache logo! Haha
Thanks Jason! I’ve still got the original papier-mâché logo in a box somewhere.
What a beautiful post 😍 Thank you for answering all my questions so openly. It’s lovely to learn more about you and your amazing blog.
Thanks again annkathrin!
[…] You can read Leighton’s nomination list and post here The Outstanding Blog Award! – Leighton Travels!. […]
[…] three months ago, Leighton from Leighton Travels nominated me for “The Outstanding Blog Award,” which I suppose is an award for those […]
[…] Award.” Their nomination actually came just right after Leighton from Leighton Travel’s nomination, which I’ve graciously accepted and have already published a post on it. While it […]