Interview with travel blogger Earl Baron aka Wandering Earl

Wandering Earl at the Bengtskär lighthouse

Wandering Earl at the Bengtskär lighthouse in the Finnish archipelago – photo by Earl himself

Earl Baron, better known as Wandering Earl on the Internet, has turned his passion for travel and learning into a full-time nomadic lifestyle. Earl has visited more than 70 conutries on 6 continents and therefore has a rather unique view of the world as a travel destination. Click here to read how Earl views his own lifestyle.

Recently Earl made a brief visit to Finland. His blog post about his stay in Finland caught my eye here at Sail in Finland! Earl seemed to have had an experience of Finland that rang very true and correct. You can read Earl’s blog post here and video about his stay at the Finnish lighthouse Bengtskär here.

I was intrigued by the post and asked Earl for an interview to elaborate a bit on his Finnish experience and Earl kindly accepted.

Sail in Finland (SiF): Thank you Earl for taking time off our busy traveling schedule for this interview, very happy to have you on Sail in Finland. Here is a quote from you blog post:

“.. the fact that Finland lacks the must-see attractions,
the ‘wow’ activities and the life-changing highlights that we
often seek out when we choose a destination to visit …

To me this rings very true. As travelers still often hunt for those “wow-moments” and must-see attractions, what drew you to Finland in the first place?

Earl Baron (EB): In the field of travel blogging, not much is written about Finland and I personally enjoy visiting destinations that don’t receive as much attention as some of the more popular locations around the world. And since I’ve been based in Romania for most of this year, I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to travel to Finland. I was quite curious as to what I would discover in a country that I basically knew and heard very little about before my trip!

SiF: So I gather that you didn’t have any specific preconception of Finland in your mind when you came?

EB: Yes, I really had no idea what to expect. But at the same, my 13 years of travel have taught me that every country, every city, every town and every village on the planet has something to offer. So with Finland, I went in open and ready to learn and interact with people in order to find out what this country was all about. And of course, it didn’t take long at all for me to start enjoying one positive experience after another. I was amazed at how such pristine nature was accessible everywhere I went and how each destination I passed through offered such a unique adventure despite the country having only around 5 million inhabitants. What I learned the most is that Finland needs to be talked about and written about more than it currently is because it’s a destination that more travelers should have on their list of places to visit!

SiF: Was there some specific moment or event that really defined your stay in Finland?

EB: Yes, this would be the night I spent at the Bengtskar Lighthouse. Just walking around those rocks on my own, listening to the sea and the wind, climbing to the top of the tower and staring out towards the horizon and then sleeping in such quiet and peaceful surroundings was simply unreal. This one experience was as therapeutic and rewarding as any other I’ve ever had in all of my travels around the world.

SiF: With your experience as a global traveler, I gather that your experience in Finland was rather unique. For whom would you now recommend a visit to Finland?

EB: Unlike many destinations, Finland actually appeals to quite a wide variety of travelers. Whether you prefer hopping around from town to town, venturing far off into nature, participating in adventure activities, having a quiet relaxing holiday or focusing on something such as local cuisine or history, there is an endless number of opportunities in your country. I really can’t think of any group of travelers that would not enjoy a visit to Finland.

Wandering Earl Kayaking on an inland lake near Tampere

Wandering Earl Kayaking on an inland lake near Tampere – photo by Earl himself

“I really can’t think of any group of travelers
that would not enjoy a visit to Finland.”

SiF: Thank you Earl, very much appreciate your views!

You can follow Earl on his quest around the world on his blog here, on Facebook here or on Twitter here. Hopefully we will see Earl back in Finland soon!

If you are a travel blogger and you are interested in sailing and the Finnish archipelago and lakes, feel free to contact Sail in Finland via the questions link here!

Map icons courtesy of Nicolas Mollet/CC license