Firstly, for those who haven’t read your blog before – can you explain to us a little about what your blog is about?
Hello everyone! I’m Kisty Mea and I’m a blogger/web designer from Singapore. I run a personal and lifestyle blog called The Style Mermaid. I like to write and share about my personal style, travel adventures, design inspirations and random thoughts.
Why did you first decide to set it up? How long have you been blogging for?
I started blogging when I was 13 years old. Having a blog was my form of escape from the ups and downs of being an adolescent. Growing up is hard, and my blogging was my outlet. In time, blogging became one of my greatest passions in life and by 2008, I moved to the popular (micro)blogging site called Tumblr and the rest is history.
How are you preparing your for your trip?
I’ve been busy fixing my documents for my VISA application and to be honest, it’s the only thing I can think of lately. But after that, I can finally start researching about the places I want to see and how to get there and the so on.
What are you most looking forward to?
There are so many things to do and see in United Kingdom, let alone London. It’s so hard to choose just one. I’m looking forward to ride the London Eye, take a photo of the mysterious Stonehenge, and maybe catch a glimpse of the Queen during the Trooping The Colour!
As you probably know, the Big Blog Exchange is all about ‘changing the world, using the power of blogs’. How do you think you and your exchange can help change the world?
Exchanging countries and culture will help us understand the world better, and we can change the world by sharing our newfound perspective. I truly believe that travel will help us realize that we all come from different places, races, and culture, but at the end of the end, we are all the same. And that is the message we hope to share to our readers and followers in this blog exchange.
How do you plan to record your trip? Are you going to be blogging through video, pictures, written words or all three?
I’m going to use all, mostly utilizing different social media channels. I’ll be using videos and written words for real-time updates, since I don’t think I’ll have time to edit all of the photos I’ll be taking throughout the day. But once the trip is over, I’ll be posting several photo diaries of my adventure.
Are you excited at the prospect of swapping blogs?
Yes, I’m very much excited. Sophie and I are into different things, and through the swap, we get to introduce new other things to our readers.
Is this your first time travelling or have you travelled before?
I’ve travelled before, but this is my first time to travel outside Asia.
Have you heard about Hostelling International before, or is this your first experience with us (have you said HI to the world yet)? Are you excited?
Yes, I’m excited! I never had a chance to stay at a hostel before, so yes, this is my first experience with Hostelling International and I’m sure it’ll be a good one.
Are your readers excited about your trip? Have you been blogging in the run up to the exchange?
Yes, my readers are so excited for me. Some of them even told me, during the live draw, that they feel like they also won the contest. They’re looking forward about my photos of United Kingdom. I haven’t blogged properly since the announcement of the exchange, but I will in a few days. I’ve been so busy with the application.
What tips can you give for your exchange partner? What can he/she explore in your city/country? Where should he/she go? Or what should they do?
Singapore is relatively safe and quite a charming country in Asia. Since Singapore was colonised by the British, I think Sophie won’t have a hard time adjusting since they pretty much use the same terms (lift = elevator).
If Sophie seeks that adrenaline rush and a splashing good time in Singapore, I’d recommend she go to Sentosa Island. There are a lot of sport and swim activities there; including several fun rides in Universal Studios.
Some tips:
- If you spend at least S$100 in any establishment, ask for a GST Rebate. You’ll be able to get that rebate at the airport.
- The public transportation is very efficient here. We have an EZ-Link card; it works pretty much like London’s Oyster card but not all cabs will accept it. If you want to ride a cab and you want to pay via credit card or EZ-Link, hail a Comfort (blue color) or CityCab (yellow color) cab.
- Singapore is a foodie heaven; so make sure she gets a taste of their Chicken Rice or Chili Crab.
What do you find most rewarding about being a blogger?
Being a blogger means you have a voice. Through your blog, you can indirectly touch someone’s life without knowing him or her personally and although they are not required to do so, it feels good when these people would take the effort to let you know what you’ve done for them.
Just being yourself, you can change the world using the power of blogs.
The Big Blog Exchange 