Meet A Travel Writer: Interview With Natalie Preddie From “The Adventures Of Natty P”

Today we’re talking with Natalie Preddie from the website The adventures of Natty P. Looking at Natalie’s website and social media you’d never think that she was once on a path to becoming a dancer and actress but I guess fate had other plans. Natalie has been featured in quite a few publications including The Toronto Star, Travel and Leisure and CAA Magazine. She’s also a regular guest on CHCH Morning Live. She has also received quite a few awards in her career thus far including Travel Writer of The Year for a series she did on on Norfolk County Tourism as well as being recognized by the Canadian Public Relations Society as Young PR Pro of the Year.

Tell me about yourself, where you grew up and what did you do before getting into media?

I grew up in Cambridge, Ontario. I have a younger sister and brother and super supportive parents who love to laugh and dance. We laughed and danced a lot. I went to a performing arts high school in Kitchener before moving to London, England at the age of 19. My goal was to be a dancer/actress on the West End stage. I didn’t quite go as planned to so I went back to university, also in England.

How did you get into blogging and did you start out as a travel writer?

I knew I wanted to do something in media but I didn’t know exactly what that was. I hosted a show and managed my university radio station, wrote for a few blogs (as well as my own) and just said yes to any broadcasting or writing opportunity that came up. I traveled a lot and explored a lot. I didn’t get into travel writing until later in my career.

How many trips have you been on this year and what has been the most memorable?

9- we’ve been busy! I would say that St. Lucia was the most memorable. The island is breath-taking and so unique. I think I actually cried at the beauty at one point.

I know you have a little one, tell me about him and how do you balance traveling with the mommy life?

He is amazing. He is funny, cheeky, curious and loves to laugh. I am so overwhelmed with how much I adore him. It’s hard trying to balance travel and mom life. We are together all the time: music classes, gym class, play dates. I write and answer emails while he is sleeping. Having him means that I can’t always get to the events I would like to and a meltdown sometimes means that I need to reschedule meetings but such is freelance Mom life. And I wouldn’t change it for the world. I can’t always take him with me when i travel and I feel really, really guilty about that. I sometimes wonder if I am being a good enough Mom….but I am a working Mom whose job IS travel and so, it is just a reality. I also have some great supports in my life especially from my husband. I couldn’t do what I do without him, he has always supported and encouraged me when I need to travel so I am very lucky.

It is still tricky trying to give my best to both my family and my career without compromising either. It’s a constant balancing act.

Have you taken your son on any trips with you? If so, where was it and how was it?

Yes! We did Ontario Southwest beaches, New York City, Ottawa, Fort Myers, Quebec City. The trickiest part is probably managing sleep but he is a pretty good travel buddy. He likes to explore and discover new things so a new destination is exciting for both of us. NYC is an AMAZING city for kids btw.

I’m sure in the beginning you’ve done your share of writing pitches to PR companies. What’s the one piece of information that must be included in a pitch?

What can you offer that no one else can? Why you?

What’s the most common misconception people have about travel bloggers?

That we are always on vacation! Our press trips are not lying around all day. We have packed itineraries, interviews and social media obligations.

What are your top 3 pieces of advice you’d like to share with new bloggers?

Always say yes.
Be patient. It doesn’t happen over night and it will take time to build an audience.
Don’t undervalue yourself.

What if money was no problem and you had two weeks, where would you go and why?

Back to St. Lucia. Stunning. Amazing people, food, beaches and rainforest, mountains and chocolate. It is such a wonderful island. There is so much left for me to discover there! Diving. Snorkeling. Hiking the mountain. Making my own chocolate. Visiting nearby islands.
OR
Tanzania followed by Zanzibar. I have never been to either. I would love to take my son and husband on safari. My son just got his animal sounds down and I want to show him how beautiful it is. Being on safari and seeing these animals in the place where the world began is the most humbling experience. That beautiful big black night sky full of stars fills you with awe and forces you to get introspective. Zanzibar is meant to have stunning beaches so finishing a trip with snorkeling and diving off of Africa’s east coast would be perfect!

You know I’m all about the food, what has been the best thing you’ve eaten while travelling?

Oh. That’s a tough one. I’ve had a lot of delicious meals. There is something to be said for street food in Bangkok though. A fresh pad Thai is a religious experience. Sooooo yummy.

If you weren’t blogging what would you be doing?

Hmmmm. Maybe still trying to be an actress/stay at home mom. Still exploring.

What’s next for Natalie and what are some of your plans for 2018?

I don’t know exactly what’s next and I think I like it that way. I want to continue to freelance write, blog and hopefully, delve further into tv and video. I want to continue to show people different ways to travel and how explore new destinations.
I really really want to encourage new moms to travel. So many women are intimidated by travel and It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. Whether it is taking a group of moms on vacation or teaching them how to do it, I want to help new moms explore and enjoy travel with their baby.

I want to say a huge thank you to Natalie for taking the time to answer my questions. If you’d like to keep up with all of her adventures you can always head over to her website, or find her on Twitter, Facebook, or, Instagram.