Aspiring Travel Writer of the Week: Kari Pinkerton Silcox

Blog Name & Start Date: Kari Silcox launched Happy Coconuts Travel Blog in May 2015

Bio: I sold my house, quit my job, and moved to Costa Rica without a plan. Now I am busy chasing dreams that are hard to catch, as I blog about my travel adventures. I am a full-time blogger and travel independently. Our first month in Costa Rica we had only 4 nights booked out of 30. We prefer to meet people and ask advice on where to go, eat, and stay, and this usually leads to hidden gems and better prices than found online. I consider myself a travel blogger, travel writer and travel photographer and have been doing this for 14 months.

Home: Oregon originally but currently Costa Rica

Countries visited: 7

Continents visited: 3

Top 5 destinations on my travel to do list: New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, New Orleans, and Peru

Earliest travel memory: camping with my family

Favorite Travel Writer: Elizabeth Gilbert

Favorite Travel Blogger: Juls Amor

Favorite Travel Photographer: Mitchton Maitland

Favorite Travel Website: www.twoweeksincostarica.com

The trip that turned me from a vacationer to a traveler: My first major travel experience was a high school class trip to France for a month. Being so far from home and forced outside my comfort zone helped me to see how infinite the world truly is. I knew then that I did not want to live my life in one small corner of the Earth.

The trip that turned me into a travel blogger: A year ago my husband and I moved to Costa Rica. Every day we go on hilarious adventures, learn life lessons, and have near-death experiences (a recent encounter with Costa Rica’s most dangerous snake, a 6-foot fer-de-lance pit viper comes to mind…) But we have done more living in the last year than we have our entire lives and this experience is beyond worth it.

My first steps to become a travel writer/blogger/photographer: I began by emailing stories to family and friends, and after much encouragement from them I decided it would be easier to put it all in one place where everyone can follow it. I didn’t share it at first, not wanting the pressure, but slowly I have grown a strong following and am delighted to have an online journal of these life-changing moments.

The social media platform driving the most traffic to my site is: Facebook. My advice is to join groups and make connections, swap likes and shares

Favorite Travel Blogger Facebook Group: Female Travel Bloggers

#1 Organization I recommend for new bloggers: Writers Unite!

If only I had the time, I’d do/finish…… : I would finish my book! Or at least 1 of the 5 books I currently am writing in my head.

Kari’s top tip for aspiring travel writers and bloggers: Write about things and adventures that inspire you because that is when your talent shines.

Kari’s best travel tip for travelers: Don’t make too many plans, learn to ride the waves of your trip, and make sure to spend some time doing absolutely nothing on each vacation you take.

Connect with  Kari Silcox

Kari’s website is no longer published.