About cloudberries and coconuts
Hi there! Nice to meet you.
Thanks for taking the time to pop by my travel blog.
I’m Nina, a woman from a small town in Norway and I caught the travel bug almost 30 years ago.
I am also the creator of Cloudberries & Coconuts, a travel blog born through support and love from friends and family.
My love for travel started quite early, much thanks to my parents. We would go camping in neighboring countries as a child and i would find it incredibly fascinating that they had different candy and ice cream in the shops
My wanderlust was first ignited when they took me on a road trip to Italy. I was mesmerized by the travel itself. I loved everything about it. The long hours in a car without airconditioning. the food, the people!
And I think subconsciously I decided right there in a boiling car in Italy, that this, this is living.
Fast forward 30 years and those long hours looking through a window of either a car, bus, train or plane are still my favorite time for reflection, heck even a 10-minute tram ride will do to put me in a travel mood.
My second travel awakening was experienced when I went on a backpacking trip to SEA with a friend in 2003. In so many ways a life-changing experience. We landed in Bangkok and my senses were overloaded the moment I stepped outside the airport. That wall of heat that met me there has through the years become like a warm welcome, but on that first trip it was but the first of many mind-blowing moments along the way as we spent the next three months venturing Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Bali.
Travel is such an amazing experience that offers us the chance to learn not only about different cultures and places but also to discover more about ourselves. I believe that we can all become better and even more responsible travelers, by being mindful of the impact we have on the places we visit, and showing respect for the people and their way of life. As we journey further and stay longer, we also get to witness the less glamorous sides of travel, but this allows us the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the world around us. Meeting new people provides the best way of appreciating diversity and travel can truly be an enriching experience that brings us together. Let’s cherish the moments and embrace the experiences that traveling has to offer.
What I love most about travel is that it constantly challenges both my perception of the world and my fears. And I have quite a few things I am nervous about, like heights, fire, bothering people, open ocean, doing things that are new to me, well a few things. Dear introverts, traveling can be tough, but fear not! It is also incredibly rewarding, and guess what the world is full of great people and there are ways to travel and not be limited too much by fears. And I will try to help by sharing some tips and tricks I have learned through my years as an anxious, introverted solo traveler.
Let’s explore the world in a way that suits your personality!