Born in the UK and raised in the Seychelles, Laurence is the man behind the very popular travel and photography blog 'Finding the Universe'. A traveller, photographer and blogger, he documents his experiences and shares his photos to inspire others.
Laurence has been travelling non-stop since his first adventure in Australia in 2009; he started his blog a year later in the year 2010. Laurence has travelled through Australia, New Zealand, the US and Europe.
He is the founding member of the Professional Travel Bloggers Association. He has also been named among the 'Top Ten Travel Photography Bloggers' by USA Today. Moreover, he has been featured on CNN and National Geographic, and has spoken at numerous travel and blogging conferences on varying topics.
In this interview, we asked him about his travel experiences. Here is what he had to say.
What is your travelling style? What do you look for when choosing a destination?
As a photographer I love to explore new places that are likely to be photogenic, so anywhere with stunning landscapes is always going to be near the top of my list. I like to travel independently with my partner Jess.
Words or photographs? Which of the two you rely more on to inspire others?
Photographs! I love to inspire people to visit the places I've been to, and find the best way to do that is through stunning photography.
You have a vast collection of brilliant pictures. Which destinations you loved shooting the most? Any destination you would like to visit time and again for clicking pictures?
I don't normally like to pick favourites, but New Zealand is an incredible destination for photography. It has everything - landscapes, gorgeous skies, incredible mountains. It's just perfect.
You seem to love road trips. Your first adventure was a road trip around Australia in 2009. Which one has been your latest and how have you grown as a (road) traveller between the two?
I did a mini road-trip across Europe towards the end of last year. I'm hoping that my next road trip is going to be across the USA if everything works out. I'm not sure I've changed much, although my Australia road-trip was pretty intense in terms of accommodation (living in a tent for a year!), and these days I tend to have a few more creature comforts… and power sockets!
2014 was a pretty exciting year for you. How do you see 2015?
I think it's just getting better every year. In 2015 I plan to get married, I've got some great projects on the go, and I hope to have even more adventures.
You love beaches and you grew up in Indian Ocean's beach paradise, Seychelles. Do you visit Seychelles often? Which are your favourite places/beaches there?
I haven't been out to the Seychelles since 2008, which is far too long! My favourite beach would be AnseIntendance, which is just stunningly beautiful. Anse Source D'argent is another favourite - home to a series of Bounty ads back in the day.
USA Today Readers Choice award - You have been voted as one of the world's top 10 travel photography bloggers. Any particular set of pictures or destinations that you would accredit the award to?
I don't think so - my audience just seem to love my landscapes and in particularly my cloud shots. I'm not a fan of clear blue skies - I love my skies to have some exciting clouds in them!
Jess has her own travel blog. Which of Jess' travel stories you feel most inspired with?
Jess did an amazing trip to Africa and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, which I find tremendously impressive. I love hiking, but I've never done anything that challenging.
You seem to love Paris. What is that you like the most about the city?
Gosh, where to begin. Paris is just so romantic and photogenic. It's a city that you can endlessly explore and be surprised and excited by.
You are moving between Europe and the US at the moment, with a base in Europe being the goal soon. What can your fans expect from your current travel?
Well, I hope to spend some time this summer exploring the US, and then towards the second half of the year we'll be touring Europe, with trips to Russia, Italy and Spain currently on the cards. Our immediate future has us exploring a bit of California, and then heading to Europe for a few weeks for Jess to get her first taste of both Spain and the UK, which is going to be a lot of fun!
This interview with Laurence Norah is a part of Travel Trolley's ongoing 'Best of the Travel Bloggers' series. We are interviewing popular travel bloggers who encourage and inspire people to travel. Check out all the bloggers we have interviewed and learn about their interesting experiences, adventures, travel stories as well as useful holiday tips.
