Meet the Nomads – Ian Ord of Where Sidewalks End

Ian Ord is the blogger behind one of the blogs that you should bookmark if you love going to off the beaten paths and if you want discover hidden gems behind popular destinations. Ian visit and writes a lot about these places (and hope that he continues to do so).

Another unique thing about Ian’s blog is that he documents some personal challenges that he set for himself and it’s really inspirational so you should go check it out as well.

Ian is originally from Canada but calls Bangkok a second home as of now. He’s currently exploring Southeast Asia (as of the time of writing) bringing his audience to various destinations that are not often written in guidebooks.

Learn more about Ian and join him in his adventure at Where Sidewalks End.

Before you click away, check out my short interview with Ian.

How did you discover your passion for travelling?

I’ve always been a wanderer, ever since I was a toddler, really. I think my true passion was able to blossom, however, when I decided to hitchhike across Canada. It was the summer of my 16th. A friend and I took off and made our way from Toronto, all the way to Victoria, BC. The route we took was clocked in around 4750 kilometres and took about 3 months. My life was forever changed. I had become a nomadic soul.

What’s the most horrible experience that you’ve had on the road?

Hmmm. I’ve been mugged – actually in Victoria. That’s what ended my hitchhiking career – at least for that trip. I’ve had malaria – that’s no fun. I was attacked by an Elk – not fun, but pretty funny in retrospect. There’s certainly been a number of things that haven’t gone according to plan – but that’s the best part about travelling, with the right attitude. You learn so much more about yourself and your capabilities when put into hard life situations. It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s what you do in turn that will define you.

What’s the best travel experience that you’ve ever had?

The best travel experience I’ve ever had. I’m glad you waited until at least the third question to drop the ball. haha. I try to gain positives from all my travels. Granted, as a reader I know how boring an answer that is… so let’s go with swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines! no no, wait – that’s been done. Swimming with sharks in the Galapagos? nah.. too cliche. Polar swimming in Antarctica? ok – it seems I’ve just learned that swimming is associated with all my best travel experiences – so let’s just say, swimming around the world. 🙂

What’s the biggest realization that you’ve got out of travelling?

Well, I just realized that swimming is part of all my best travel experiences! haha. I’d have to say that the more you travel and learn about yourself, the more you realize you’re capable of accomplishing. Now I’m not claiming that I’ve accomplished everything I want to in life – far from it in fact – but I have learned that I CAN accomplish ANYTHING. Heck, a man just jumped from outer space to the earth and survived!!! You just want to learn a language already spoken by millions of people. I’m pretty sure you’re capable of it!

What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?

This is a good question – though one which might be tough to answer now, as I’ve been doing it more than half my life now. Most of my family has just accepted it, or even started doing it themselves, and most of my friends are friends because of it. I have stopped seeing it as a leisurely activity, and chosen a path where this is just how I live my life, perhaps just as the nomads in Mongolia don’t feel tied to a certain location, or the gypsies in Europe. Granted, my lifestyle is a little more mixed with modern amenities, such as staying in hotels and working online, but now I think it would be hard to think of a life where I felt ‘stuck’. My motivation is my passion. My passion is of all the amazing things the world has to offer. People, Places, Things. It’s all at our fingertips 🙂

is a silly and hypothetical one. If you would be given a chance to travel with a popular person or a celebrity, who would it be and why?

Funny – I’ve never been into celebrities as such. A lot of people talk about pop-culture: Favourite actors, favourite directors, etc etc. No offence, but that stuff bores me. I love good movies – but couldn’t care less about the people’s personal lives beyond that. I suppose if I had to choose, perhaps a less conventional celebrity, it would probably be Charles Darwin. He travelled the world in the Beagle, and saw more things than probably anyone else before him could lay claim. He discovered much, and had to piece together all these findings. Theories and everything aside – I bet he’s got some crazy travel stories to tell!

Where’s your favourite place in this planet and why?

This is a difficult question. I really really love almost everywhere I’ve been on a fairly level playing ground, for their own reasons. Just as choosing a favourite experience, how does one choose a favourite destination when there are so many elements that go into that! Food, People, Festivals, Landscapes, Wildlife, Culture, Language, everything! I’m going to say that my favourite place on the planet has yet to be discovered.

What’s your best tip for newbie traveller?

My best tip for a new traveller? Trust people. The first advice I got before leaving on a big trip was “Don’t trust anyone”. Thank goodness I ignored that. If you don’t trust anyone, you’re going to come across as untrusting, and probably pretty sketchy to others. Yes, there are bad people in the world. Yes, you might run into them on your travels. Yes, you might also run into them in your own home! This is a Fact. Did you not initially instil trust in the person you now call your best friend? What makes them different from anyone else in the world? We’re all human and all are doing the same thing. Journeying through life. The people you meet on the road could turn out to have more in common with you than anyone you’ve met before! Keep yourself open to that, and you’ll be sure to have some pretty unforgettable experiences.

What’s the funniest and silliest thing you’ve ever done while travelling?

Hmmm – the funniest thing I’ve done while travelling. I think it may have been the cross-dressing contest I entered in Noosa, Australia. I was staying at a hostel, and they were giving away tickets to the Whitsunday Islands! The catch – you and a random partner had to cross dress and do some pretty questionable acts (nothing R rated, but still a little too whacky for publication) which lead to me wearing almost nothing but a g-string. I’ll leave it at that. Oh, and no – I didn’t even get the tickets!! but I think I got a few drinks bought for me that night! haha

What do you think about yourself?

I think I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me. hahaha I think I’ve learned so much while being on the road. I’ve learned I’ve got so many strengths, and have also been humbled by my weaknesses. I feel that I’m a good person, and try to be good to all those around me, as I’ve learned that no matter what they say “what goes around, comes around” and karma is a B*tch (but only if you’re naughty!). I think I’m pretty fly, for a white guy.

“Where Sidewalks End is an off-the-beaten-path travel resource. I try to find places that you just don’t find in the local guide books, but are often favourites amongst locals of an area. It’s got a healthy mix of personal challenges, reviews, and interviews as well. My main objective is just to inspire and to empower people to get out of the routine, and take a chance on themselves, and the world :)” – Ian Ord

Photo Credits: All pics are provided by Ian.

Next: John and Craig of Flashpack at Forty Previously: Sabrina Iovino of Just One Way Ticket For more interviews with travel bloggers, check out the archives of Meet the Nomads.