City travelers, here’s a new interview with one of world’s best travel bloggers, sharing his favorite city destination and travel experiences
Meet Robert Schrader, editor of travel blog Leave Your Daily Hell. Up and running since 2010, his blog was little more than a repository for his personal rants – more “hell,” less “leaving.” But when he began to travel, Robert noticed that he had a knack at writing travel articles that were both informative and inspirational – entertaining and empowering at the same time. Over the past half-decade, this unique combination has won him more than 150,000 monthly readers.
Robert, your best city trip so far?
It’s hard to say overall, but I really enjoyed the two days I spent in Osaka, Japan back in January. Remember that terrible book/movie “Eat, Pray, Love”? Well, a visit to Osaka allows you to do all three of those in one day, without any of the schmaltz.
Your tips for city travelers heading the same way?
In spite of its huge size and ultra-modern façade, Osaka’s blend of cuisine, culture and heritage is surprisingly accessible. Spend your morning at the spectacular Shitennoji Temple, a traditional shrine surrounded by skyscrapers, before taking Osaka’s old street car line to Sumiyoshi Shrine, whose real highlight is the food market just past its first torii gate.
Watch the sunset from stunning Osaka castle, then fill in the street food holes you missed at neon-filled Dotonbori, before heading to the Umeda Sky Building for a priceless nighttime view of Osaka’s sprawling skyline.
As a professional travel blogger, what makes a city worth visiting?
It’s about balance. I love skyscrapers, but I love trees just as much. I love modernity and convenience, but there’s something to be said about tradition, and having to work for your reward. The need for good food and plentiful culture goes without saying, but they need to be more than good – they need to be totally unique to the city I’m visiting.
Your five ingredients for the perfect city trip?
- Modernity
- Tradition
- Design
- Chaos
- Infrastructure
Which apps are essential companions for a modern city traveler?
Honestly, I mostly make do with my Web browser, Google Maps and Google Translate. Some other apps make travel easier, but very few niche-y apps are global. Yelp is great in North America and Western Europe, for example, but is pretty useless in other areas.
Would you consider yourself a responsible traveler?
I could certainly be more responsible. I mean, I don’t litter or accept unnecessary packaging with my purchases, and I usually use the same bed linens and towels for the entirety of a given hotel stay, but I don’t go out of my way to be green.
Thanks, Robert.
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