It is that time again!
I seemed to have missed our 6 month anniversary a while back due to being in the midst of beautiful chaos (otherwise known as Burning Man) and I feel as though there is quite a few things that have happened in the past few months. Here is our progress report!
– We are still here 8 months later! While I had no intention quitting this project, I still have to ogle about how far we’ve come. I now know that jumping into the blogging world is a crazy endeavor with an insane learning curve but we have persevered!
– We now have 1100 followers on Twitter. The funny thing is that I didn’t even notice that we had reached 1000 for a while after we hit the marker making the occasion somewhat anticlimactic. However, I am grateful for your support and love during our time here at Over Yonderlust.
– Blog Stats: 58 posts, 16 pages, 655 comments. I hated writing in college (thus being a film major) – the fact that I have survived 58 posts is astounding. I have come so far! And while Shaun has only written one of the posts, he is busy working 50+ hours every week to help save for our trip to Central/South America.
– Facebook: 270 likes – up almost 100 people from our 3 month report!
– We’re at 57% of our savings goal! We have gained 20% from our previous report. While we have taken quite a hit with me quitting my day job, all my money from working as an assistant wedding photographer and pedicabbing are going straight into the travel savings account.
Things we have been up to:
- Shaun did get the promotion at work at we had been looking forward to.
- Burning Man was a blast! If you haven’t kept up with the Burning Man Road Trip posts, you can start here.
- Shaun and I got to have lunch with the amazing Abby Tegnelia of The Jungle Princess.
- I participated in the Austin, Texas panel of Meet, Plan, Go! on September 14, 2010.
- Due to circumstances that have presented themselves and after much discussion, we have decided to push back our leave date approximately 3 months, effectively leaving on the one year anniversary of Over Yonderlust
- I (Erica) have started pedicabbing to bring in some extra funds for our trip.
- Over Yonderlust was listed as #88 on the Top 150 Travel Blogs for Students.
- We also were featured on A Pair of Panties and Boxers’ post Seven Soon to be RTW Travelers to Follow. Thanks Monica!
- We gained new mascots!
- OYL was mentioned in Traveling Greener’s 10 (More) Photoblogs You’ll love. This means the world to me. I have wanted to be known for the photography on my site and I am so incredibly honored to be mentioned with this group of outstanding photographers.
- @NoReservations replied to a tweet I made and I totally geeked out. Screenshot can be seen here.
- Our Madrid, Spain picture was featured in Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday.
I feel as though we have been successful. I never thought I would have met such amazing people in this endeavor. Thank you all!
***As you can see, Over Yonderlust looks a wee bit different. This will just have to do until I figure out how to mess with the other theme I’m working on. YAY FOR FACE LIFTS!!!!***
Congrats on eight months and all of those milestones! You guys have done so well to build this up before you head out…I started my blog a month before I left…and there wasn’t really a big travel blogging community then so no one followed along for months! Looking forward to the rest of your journey to get to your journey 🙂
Hi Erica! That’s awesome! You guys have come a long way. Maybe I should write something like this because it is hard to remember all the small stuff that makes it worthwhile. 🙂
So the no reservations tweet – that is freaking awesome! I missed this the first time around and the link in this post isn’t working. Can you send me the link so I can read it? That is killer 🙂
Keep up the great work 🙂
@Shannon: It kinda took shape all on it’s own. I had no clue it would be a year before we left on our trip. I’m so glad that I’ve had the opportunity to gain valuable advice and friends (that I can visit when traveling). 😀
@Beth: Now with working links! Next time I need to not work on my site when I had been up for 48 hours. You should do something like this! It feels good!
You guys have come along way, I’m glad to have come across your blog. I love your photography, that’s why I always look foreword to your posts. Keep up the awesome work.
@Nick: Thank you for your kind words Nick. ♥
Yay!! Great to see all you’ve done in the past eight months! It’s so exciting to see all these things accomplished and the best thing is that it is something that you’re doing out of passion and true desire… which makes it even better! 🙂
Looking forward to eight more months and counting!
Cheers!
congratulation on your 1100 twitter followers, and 58 blog posts. its quite an achievement. i am looking forward to more posts
@Norbert: Thank you!!! I can’t wait to write my year progress report right before we leave on our trip!
Zablon: Thank you for dropping by!
Love the new layout to your Blog Erica. Glad to see your over the halfway point with your South American fund. Your camera is going to get a workout down there.
Poi and Kirsty love OverYonderLust and talking in the third person!
@Jason: Thank you! It means alot coming from you. ♥ Love your work!
@Poi: Erica and Shaun are happy you like Over Yonderlust and stopped by to visit! Erica, however, prefers a more omniscient narrative.
Awwww I can’t believe I was a highlight on your list! Meeting you guys was so awesome. Man, I’d just moved back to Vegas. That seems both like yesterday and years ago. Come back!
@Abby: If we ever had the opportunity to head out, you’ll be notified ASAP!