Member Spotlight: Vanessa Chiasson of Turnipseed Travel

Meet Vanessa Chiasson – an award-winning blogger, freelance writer, and digital strategist.

Vanessa is the former Chapter Leader of Ottawa Travel Massive. She publishes Turnipseed Travel, which focuses on affordable travel, with her photographer husband Ryan.

How did you get into travel?

Following a 2-week trip to Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui, which required me to use all of my frugal planning skills to stay on budget, I decided to write it all down. I had always wanted to be a writer and actually started my first blog in 1999, but was never sure what direction I wanted.

When I realized I could easily combine my passion for writing and travel, I was hooked. I wanted to write more and travel more, as much as possible.

What tourism problem are you solving?

As a travel blogger, people always ask me “Are you going anywhere good this year”? And I know what they mean – they want to know if I’m going to Rome or Paris or on a glam safari.

But as a travel writer, it’s my job to see the “good” in all destinations, to shine a light on those underrated, underappreciated parts of the world.

I especially like putting the small towns of Canada in the spotlight. There are a lot of fantastic (and affordable) destinations out there that, for whatever reason, never seem to get the attention they deserve.

How are you creating a positive future for travel?

By encouraging people that there is no one right or wrong way to travel. I hate the idea of “be a traveler, not a tourist”. There’s nothing wrong with being a tourist.

I have a world of respect for people who work hard, sometimes for years or even a lifetime, just to afford a week or two of being a tourist with a group package in Europe or the Arctic or China.

In my opinion, it doesn’t matter how you travel or label yourself. So long as you respect the location and the locals, that’s all that matters.

Travelling is about interest and curiosity and acceptance, not passport stamps or suffering.

How can the Travel Massive community help you?

With suggestions! One of the series I have on my blog is the $200 Travel Challenge. I like to see if two people can travel for two days and just spent $200 in a particular destination. Yep, that includes safe accommodations with hot showers, three meals a day, and activities.

My proudest $200 Challenge moment was including lobster into to the budget for my Boston trip. But I’m always looking for more worthy destinations – either places that people don’t realize are affordable, or pricey places that need a bit of investigation to unearth some frugal finds.

Where do you seek advice? Who’s your hero?

The biggest influence on my personal and professional life was Evelyn Hannon of Journey Woman. She was an absolute trailblazer in the world of travel blogging and digital media. If you run a travel blog, you owe her a tremendous debt, even if you don’t know her name.

I was fortunate enough to travel with her to Turkey in 2015 on a press trip and I learned so much. Like how there is incredible power in just randomly chatting with someone and asking them for a photo.

Or that nothing is as important as getting a good night’s sleep – so go ahead and skip a boring dinner when you have an early morning flight. And just be curious.

Absorb everything you can and soak in the beauty of the ordinary – a cute baby, an unexpected flower, catching two guys at a pub in an arm wrestle, the way the rain splatters on the window of a tour bus.

– Thank you, Vanessa, for your contribution to Ottawa Travel Massive’s community over the years and happy travels!

Follow Vanessa on Travel Massive and check out her blog to learn more about her experiences.