Interview with an Affiliate: Heart My Backpack

Silvia joined Manawa as an affiliate in 2019, at the very start of our affiliate program. Originally from Massachusetts, USA, Silvia has been living in her adopted home of Norway since 2015. Heart My Backpack is a comprehensive & inspiring guide to Norway & the Nordic region including Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Sweden and Svalbard. Heart My Backpack also features a whole host of off the beaten track travel destinations including Albania, Burma, Iran, Mongolia and Uzbekistan.

What was the inspiration behind starting the Heart My Backpack blog?

In 2013 I went backpacking for four months through Central Asia with two friends and we decided to start a blog to share our trip with friends and family. We would handwrite our blog posts in a journal, and then about once a week we would find an Internet cafe where we could type up the posts and upload some photos. Back then there weren't many women traveling through the "Stans," so we began to get lots of messages from other women asking for advice, which then inspired me to continue to write about my travels through other lesser visited destinations.

What made you want to join Manawa as an affiliate?

Joining a new affiliate program can be a lot of work, finding relevant links and offers that appeal to my audience. I remember Manawa contacted me with a long list of links to activities in destinations that I had already written about. This made the whole onboarding process so easy for me that I didn't have any reason to turn them down, especially when I looked through their suggestions and found myself wanting to try most of them. Manawa has such an interesting catalogue, perfect for travelers looking for unique experiences - which is often the reason people turn to travel blogs for advice in the first place.

What are your favourite destinations for outdoor activities in your adopted home of Norway?

Tromsø is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights, not only because there are so many northern lights tours available with trained guides, but also because the climate is quite mild compared to other places so far north. I also always tell people to make their northern light trip about more than seeing the aurora, as nature is unpredictable and there are no guarantees. And in Tromsø you can fill your days with many other fun winter activities like whale watching, fjord cruises, and dog sledding, so you'll have an amazing time even if you're unlucky with the northern lights.

Lofoten might be the most beautiful place in Norway, which is impressive considering how stunning the entire country is. Lofoten is a dream destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with incredible hikes, rock climbing, boat trips, kayaking, etc. And if you visit in the winter you might see the northern lights!

And of course I have to mention my new home of Bergen. I moved here last year after four years living in the north, and I've been pleasantly surprised by how different living in the south is. Bergen is a much larger city than Tromsø so visitors will find more urban offerings here, but the city is also surrounded by incredible fjords and mountains, making it a fantastic nature destination as well. You can go on hikes right from the city center, and take a day trip to Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord. My favorite village along Sognefjord is Balestrand, which you can visit on this boat tour from Bergen.

Outside of Norway, what’s your favourite destination you’ve ever visited (we know there are many!)?

Oh wow, I'm not sure I can choose a favorite. But my favorite place I visited in the past year was the French island of Corsica! My friend from New York joined me for a two week road trip around Corsica and we both fell hard for the island. I was blown away by the beaches and mountains (and I live in Norway!) and the villages and towns there are so pretty. We visited in September, so we avoided the summer crowds and heat but still could enjoy sunny days sailing off the coast, hiking, and relaxing at seafront cafes.

Of all the Manawa activities you’ve tried as an affiliate, which one was your favourite?

I'll never forget taking a hot air balloon in Mallorca. I love Mallorca so much, and it was incredible seeing the island from above! And my favorite winter activity must have been taking a reindeer sleigh ride at a Sámi camp outside of Tromsø. Reindeer are so comical, and I think it's important for anyone visiting Arctic Norway to learn about Sámi life there.

In your view, what are the advantages of the Manawa affiliate program?

I hugely appreciate the personalized attention Manawa offers. With hundreds of blog posts on my site, it can be difficult to keep all my recommendations and links up to date. But my Manawa contact does most of the work for me, emailing me if I have any outdated links, or even if a tour I've recommended is close to selling out for the season, so that I can switch the link to a tour with more availability. It's definitely thanks to this personalized guidance that Manawa is my highest earning tour affiliate program.

And finally, which destination is next on your bucket list?

I would love to visit French Polynesia! On this cold, rainy morning in Bergen I sure would love to be on a catamaran sailing off the coast of Moorea.

Thank you to Silvia of Heart My Backpack for the interview! Find out more about the Manawa affiliate program.