Hi, I’m Amanda!
First of all, thank you for landing on my blog and being curious enough to want to know more about me.
Here is my story and how this blog came about:
I Started Off Traveling with a Full-Time Job (and Anxiety)
When I first started traveling in my 20s, I had anxiety over how to plan, where to go, and where to stay. It was overwhelming, and it kept me from traveling far more than I’d like to admit.
Planning was a way to work through my travel anxiety, assure myself that I had a plan and a place to stay, so that I could take those first steps to the airport.
It’s even trickier to travel while working a full-time job, but I did so, taking several trips every year, making the most of my weekends and vacation days.
Then I Moved to Scotland!
Now, with many trips behind me (and several spreadsheets later), my confidence was built to the point where I left everything and moved clear across the world from California — to Scotland.
I visited Scotland three times before deciding to move there in 2025, and I’ve become more obsessed by the day.
I’m currently dedicating a full year to exploring this beautiful country.
I truly believe that travel has the power to change your whole life!
Why I Started This Travel Blog
I started my blog, Wanderful Plans, in 2023 in order to have a space to share all of the on-the-ground research and meticulous, Type-A planning I do for every trip.
I love writing, and I studied it in college. I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in creative writing.
Blogging has been a natural fit and a perfect creative outlet.
My blog has grown from a few hundred views a month to almost 50,000 views a month in just over two years.
Who This Travel Blog Is For
Like many of you, travel is a priority for me. It’s something I have to do. That feeling of chasing new horizons and exploring new-to-me places is like nothing else.
No matter where you are in your travel journey, whether taking your first international trip or your 100th, I am here to deliver my extremely detailed posts to help you get there.
As someone who has dealt with travel anxiety, overthinking about every single thing, I know what it’s like to just want more information about a place before you go.
And that’s what my blog is here for. To tell you all those little details you won’t find anywhere else.
Like:
- What do I need to know and decide on to get my manga portrait drawn in Kyoto?
- And when you walk in the torchlight procession in Edinburgh, will everyone be staring at you?
How This Travel Blog Is Different
I’ve learned a lot on my blogging journey (and am still learning), but my number one goal remains to tailor my content to help you, the readers, plan your travels.
- EVERY post on this blog is written by me based on my own first-hand experience.
- I spend hours crafting each post to make them as helpful and as detailed as possible.
- I also take my own original photos (sometimes with the help of a travel partner).
- I don’t go on sponsored trips and I pay my way every time I travel, meaning you can trust that my opinions are very much my own.
I’m incredibly honored and grateful for every single reader who has come across this blog.
It means the world to me, so thank you for stopping by!
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A quick disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and book through an affiliate program, I receive a small commission at no cost to you! Read more about my privacy policy.
Even More About Me: Q&A
Where are you from?
I grew up in Southern California, U.S.
How many places have you been?
So far, I’ve been to 8/195 countries, 15/50 U.S. states, and 25/63 U.S. national parks.
What’s your favorite destination you’ve been to and why?
My favorite would definitely be Edinburgh, Scotland, a city I loved so much I actually moved there!
Where are you going next?
I have immediate plans to visit several more countries in Europe and Asia.
Do you have social media?
I’ve been personally stepping away from social media the last few years for various reasons but mostly because it’s so time consuming. I find that my time is better spent working on my blog. If you’d like to stay in touch with my travels and updates, you can subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Pinterest. 🙂
What camera do you use to take your photos?
- My starter camera was an Olympus PEN E-PL8, and I used that for years.
- In 2022, I upgraded to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III, which I love.
Both are lightweight, mirrorless cameras, perfect for traveling. The built-in WiFi on both cameras makes it super easy to transfer photos to my phone on the go (no USB cable needed!).
What lenses do you use?
I own four lenses and primarily use two when traveling because they are so lightweight:
I also own the Olympus kit lens that came with my first camera. And a zoom lens, the Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6.
What is your travel style?
- I love traveling to discover nature, history, culture, stories, and food.
- I am an incredibly thorough traveler and try to do as much as possible anywhere I go. I often revisit places I love in different seasons.
- No matter where I go, I always seek out nature — that’s the recurring theme in all my travels.
- I like hiking and will usually add a scenic hike or two to my itineraries. (I have a goal to visit all U.S. national parks, and am nearly there with 25 visited so far!)
- I love touring historic places and learning new things. If there’s a castle nearby, chances are I’ll be visiting it.
- I go to sleep early, so I’m not a source for night life, and then I also wake up early to get a head start on the day and enjoy cities without the crowds.