Travel Blogger Interview Series – Trudy of Next Step Happiness

Each month, we post a fun interview that we conduct with fellow travel bloggers that we’ve met either during our travels or through online blogging communities. On Dates in the States, we want to showcase these wonderful people so you can meet them, too!

This month we’ve interviewed Trudy of Next Step Happiness. She’s created a website all about her lifestyle, travels, and her adorable foster dogs.

If you are a travel blogger interested in being featured in one of our upcoming interviews, please contact us!

 

1.) Tell us about yourself and your blog. Where are you based out of?

Hi There! I am Trudy and the face behind http://nextstephappiness.com/

I’m based out of California and am a mother of 3 adult girls. One of which is married and has blessed me with two beautiful grand-kids. I have been married to the same guy for 30 years. We got together when I was 17 years old. Time really does fly by!

I started this blog in April of this year (2018). I actually had the domain name for 6 months prior to that, but I was taking classes and prepping before going live with the blog.

 

2.) How did your blog begin? What is your niche?

I was actually going through depression while becoming an empty nester. So, I started on a self discovery of “me”. I joined a healthy eating group which then turned into so much more! I received personalized mentoring from one of the best groups of women whom are based all around the world. They gave me the confidence that I needed to start this blog, the tools to discover “me”, and who I am without raising kids. That is when I turned the thought of blogging into more of a reality. My mission was to help others going through empty nesting or any other stressors in their life. Also, to help them re-focus on themselves, get outside, explore and to find who they really are inside.

My niche is travel, adventures, hiking, kayaking and fostering dogs.

 

3.) We LOVE your furry Fosters page, how did you get started with fostering dogs? What shelter do you foster for?

Thank you! I love fostering dogs. During the beginning stages of empty nesting, I decided I loved animals so much that maybe fostering would be really fun. I had seen a local rescue, Foothill Dog Rescue, that needed help and I sent them a message. It wasn’t long after that, I became a foster. This rescue is so amazing! They travel to overcrowded shelters and grab dogs that would otherwise be euthanized. They also grab senior dogs that the fosters end up taking on for respite care. They try and go to these overcrowded shelters once a week if they have enough fosters to care for them.

So far I have had 4 fosters and will be getting a 5th very soon. My very first foster was a tough case. She had been abused and had a rubber band embedded very deep into her nose. It looked like the rubber band had been over her entire mouth previously, but she had managed to get it off her lower jaw so that she could open her mouth. The part that remained on her nose was so tight it cut through her skin. It was also very infected and she ended up needing surgery to remove it. It was so sad! I fell in love with her and so did my husband – so yeah, we adopted her! You can read her story here! 

 

4.) What dogs do you have with you right now that are looking for a home? Do they travel with you?

I don’t have any fosters with me right now, but expect to have one coming in soon. This was my last foster “Linguine” who just left my care and was adopted.  Isn’t he cute? He’s a 2 month old Terrier mix.  There are lots of other puppies and adult dogs up for adoption right now. Visit the shelter’s website for more information here.

When you are a foster you pretty much take them with you everywhere like you would your own dog. Some fosters take them paddle-boarding and others jogging, etc. The rescues really wants these dogs trained and socialized by the time they are adopted.

 

5.) What kind of traveler are you?

I consider myself to be a a little bit of everything, but mostly an adventurer. I love exploring new places locally and across the world – which I haven’t done, yet, but I will! I don’t mind if it is by car, plane, boat or train – all of it is new and exciting and something that I think my readers would really love. I like to find things that not many people have been to or done so that I can give them a fresh idea.

 

6.) What was your most recent trip?

I traveled with my husband out of the country for the very first time. We went to Canada. I have to tell you, it was absolutely stunning! We went to Banff and surrounding areas. We visited Revelstoke, Golden, Canmore, Jasper, Lake Louise, Yoho National Park, Banff National Park and Calgary. I am starting to blog about it now and here is my first post: Day trip in Canada ending with a roller coaster down a mountain. Yep, you read that right..a roller coaster…down…a…mountain! It was a blast.

 

7.) How do you prepare for a trip?

This last trip, I started a list of everything that needed to be done and checked it off. I also printed out all the information for our hotels, hikes, car rentals and such that we wanted to do. I then bought a map of the areas and put all of this information together in a folder. I started out with the first two days pretty detailed as to what we would do. Then left some days blank. I left them blank because you never know what the weather will allow for. So, you may have to change up your schedule accordingly.

 

8.) Do you have any good travel tips you’d like to share?

My biggest travel tip is just make sure to research the area you are traveling to for fun things to do. Make a list of everything that sounds good and then narrow it down. Otherwise, you waste time on researching things while your there instead of getting out and exploring. Also, if your traveling to National Parks, find out about park passes before you go. This way you avoid the long lines. 

 

9.) Tell us about your “Coffee Dates” page on your blog!

This is a fun category. However, just to be clear, I am not the coffee drinker! I know right? Why have a “Coffee Dates” page? Well, I LOVE hot chocolate and my 3 girls LOVE coffee. I leave it to them to give me their input on the taste of the coffee and I give my input on all the unique places we find. Here is one of those places: A Delicious Find in St. Helena, California.

There are so many cute, fun places to go and have coffee with a date or friends. I hope to give my readers some new ideas on places they may want to go someday.

 

10.) What is your next destination?

My next destination coming up is actually this month. I will be traveling to Zion on a blogging gig. I reached out to an owner of a gorgeous cabin and asked if she would like to collaborate. I will be taking quality photos of her cabin and blog about it in exchange for a deep discount. Most of my family and I will be staying at this beautiful cabin for a family vacation. We’ll be hiking and exploring as much of Zion as we possibly can during our stay as well as Bryce Canyon and other surrounding areas. I look forward to finding some new unique places out there to share with my readers as well. Keep an eye on my blog for those posts coming out at the end of the month.

 

*Just like Shane and I, Trudy has found a way to travel almost free by offering blogging services in exchange for benefits. We attend events, stay at hotels, and eat out at restaurants complimentary and have turned our success into an online course. In our online course, you can learn the ins and outs of the process it takes to market yourself to businesses. We give you free email pitch templates, help you in your responses, coach you in growing yourself and your blog, and so much more. This course is offered at dates-in-the-states.teachable.com OR by becoming a Level 2 Patreon at patreon.com/datesinthestates.

For a limited time, we’re offering our email pitch template to our email subscribers so you can contact businesses on your own terms to receive complimentary services just like Trudy will be doing this month!

Join our email list here and receive it right away!