An interview with.....
Johnny Ward from Onestep4ward.com
Johnny Ward is from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland and since 2006 has been travelling around the world. His website is reaching towards 100,000 visitors a month, yes that's right 100,000, amazing isn't it.
Johnny was more than good enough to give us back here in Uniquely Northern Ireland a few moments of his time recently.
Hi Johnny , readers may not know you are from Northern Ireland - can you tell us a bit about yourself, your website Onestep4ward .com and when your travelling adventures around the world started?
Sure, I'm from Country Down, Northern Ireland. I grew up in a small town called Kilkeel. I think it's the desire to leave that place that gave me my inspiration to travel so much! The website came about because I had traveled so much, to really crazy places, and I was fed up hearing the same stories from everyone else so I thought instead of moaning about it, I'd do something about it.
Since you started in 2006, you have travelled to 96 countries and wrote as you travelled. If you had one or two special favourite memories of all those 96 countries which ones would spring to mind and why?
There are so many-
- Climbing Kilimanjaro,
- Diving with great white sharks,
- Local villages in Papua New Guinea,
- Snowmobiling across glaciers,
- World Cup finals,
- Northern lights.
I'm pushed to choose!
Your website, Onestep4ward.com has grown spectacularly and is being visited by 100,000 people each month . Could you have ever envisioned when you started touching the lives of 100,000 people monthly worldwide?
The traffic has reduced a little since I've been concentrating on other online businesses but it's still pretty high, it blows my mind to be honest. But I'm happy that my travels can inspire so many others to follow their dreams too. It's really humbling.
All this has happened over a period of time and I'm sure as you mention times were tough. What would you say has been your greatest personal strength in achieving what you have achieved in such a short time?
The desire to redesign my life. I knew slaving away in an office wouldn't fulfill me, so I didn't accept that lifestyle, I knew there was more. So I never gave up, and now I'm lucky enough to be able to travel indefinitely.
I really like your inspirational quotes section -if you had one inspirational quote that has stood out that is a personal favourite, what would it be and why?
"You're never as young as you are tonight" I love it. It says so much, but in essence it means do what you dream of now, because tomorrow is promised to no-one.
You are originally from Northern Ireland-were you back recently or have you any plans to return?
I was back from Christmas actually, and I'll be doing the same this year. It's great going home, but after a week or so my feet start to get itchy again.
What were your favourite sights and memories of living in Northern Ireland?
I come from a single-parent family, so I have a great relationship with my mum - that's something I'll always look back on favourably. All the football and hockey we played, and all the booze we shouldn't have been drinking would feature highly too.
Anything else Johnny before you head off ?
I've traveled far and wide, but i'm proud to be from Northern Ireland. I see it as my duty to educate the world in the problems our wee country has, and how finally we seem to be coming through those.
We hope you found this interview and Johnny's travel and success inspiring as we did . We want to thank Johnny very much for taking the time to talk with us, and wish him all the success in the world with all his online ventures.
It is great for Johnny and fellow travellers from our little part of the world inspiring others to follow their dream.
Please do check out his site today at Onestep4ward.com.
Thanks Johnny!
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