Ahhh, it’s that time of year again. 2013 is coming to a close, prepare yourselves to be flooded with tons of redundant round-up blog posts.
13 Best Photos from 2013 – 13 Best Travel Moments from 2013 – 2013 in Highlights – (or my personal favorite) 13 Amazing, Free Trips I Took as a “Professional” Travel Blogger in 2013 That None of You Could Ever Afford, Suckas!
Sound about right?
God, gag me.
I know what you’re thinking, pot calling the kettle black much, right? While 2013 might have been the best year for me to date in terms of travel, I am not the kind of person who needs to round it all up and rub it in your faces. That’s not my jam. If anything, 2013 was the most incredible year for me because I learned a ton of lessons, grew as person, followed my dreams and a bunch of other deep shit.
But if I learned one important lesson, it was to laugh at the haters.
2013 was an incredible year for my blog, where my audience grew and grew, and I suppose it makes sense that along with that growth trolls would start to appear, little by little.
Though I need to be honest here, I think I get more trolls than the average travel blogger, which I’ve learned to be ok with because I know they’re just jealous muahahhaha!
Ok, not really. I know I get a lot of hate for three reasons – 1. I have no filter. 2. I have an opinion. 3. I say what I think.
And you know what? I wish MORE bloggers did that. I made a choice years ago with this blog to keep it real, to be honest, and to say what I REALLY think about a place, no matter what. In this day and age of online everything, honesty makes all the difference.
And come on! Is originality dead, people?
Besides, being PC all the damn time is boring, and nobody wants to read that. At least I don’t.
A year ago I wrote a post about the 10 best hate comments I’ve ever gotten, and the response I got was astonishing, in fact, it’s STILL astonishing – I get messages all the time from people relating to that post. Not bloggers necessarily, but people who could relate to the hate.
Whether it’s a coworker, a client, or a so-called friend, everyone has a hater or two in their lives, no matter how nice you can be. Nobody’s perfect, and those who act like they are, are just pretending.
Dealing with hate is something everyone can relate to.
It’s not a question of getting rid of the haters, it’s a question of how you DEAL with them. This is something that took me 12 months to learn. That’s why I wrote a that article a year ago – for myself, how to tackle the hate, how to not let it get me down, and ultimately learn to laugh at it.
I used to get so upset when I got a hate comment, sometimes I’d even cry. But what good does that do? Learning to laugh it off builds confidence too.
Source JennyCreates on Etsy
I’ve seen some fellow bloggers get some whoppers of a hate comment, and in general they go two routes – 1. They don’t say anything, nose in the air they are above that petty crap or 2. they say thank you for your comment.
I have no pretensions here; I’m not that mature. While I am polite and gracious on my posts on other websites and publications, Young Adventuress is MY space where I can drop f-bombs and say whatever I think. Hello, isn’t that the point of a blog?
So when someone leaves me a hate comment that I notice, I feel I am well within my right to answer honestly. You give me your opinion, I’ll give you mine. Be prepared.
So instead of a boring recap filler post, I’ll do my best to entertain you with my own misfortunes!
So without further ado, let’s see who made the cut for 2013 for my hater hall of fame!
1. The Solo Female Traveler’s Manifesto
This.
2. Five Foods to Avoid in Spain – this was a guest post from me on LandLopers
**In my defense, two points – firstly, this was not my regular audience and therefore were unaccustomed to my blatant sarcasm, frequent irony and general bluntness, and point two, this was picked up and translated by a very famous Spanish foodie website here WITHOUT talking to me first and basically ripped me a new one because they didn’t understand what I was saying, riling up a crowd of angry pitch-fork wielding non-English speakers who already were inclined to hate me AND were unaccustomed to my blatant sarcasm, frequent irony and general bluntness – pero os perdono gilipollas.
Translated “Well, I completely disagree with this “wonderful” lady who doesn’t know anything and acts like she has never set foot in Spain….God, I’d like to gag her!”
Me – GO AHEAD AND TRY!!!
“I’m glad you are alive but you so easily could have died and it would solely be your fault.”
Me – Ouch, now that was just mean!
“You’re an idiot! I hope you learnt a valuable lesson.”
Me – Hey be nice. There are only 4 people in my life who are allowed to call me an idiot ,and you’re not one of them. Besides, I was 19, which is pretty much the same thing.
5. 10 Things I Really Wish People Would Stop Doing on Airplanes
“Have you heard the term “you get what you pay for”? All your troubles can be resolved, simply by purchasing a business class ticket or better yet a first class seat and forever quit your complaining. Maybe use all those air miles you’ve racked up to upgrade from economy next time. You lack a ton of common sense and have publicly embarrassed yourself with these whiny comments.”
Me – It has nothing to do with what class you’re in, this was about how people behave and the total lack of respect people have on planes, no matter where they’re sitting. From your bitchy comment, I’m guessing you fit the bill perfectly on at least 2 of these types of people.
6. 10 Things I Really Wish People Would Stop Doing on Airplanes
“The one thing I don’t get is the peanut thing. People really shouldn’t expect others to change their lifestyles to revolve around their own issues. I am a vegetarian and despise the smell of meat products, trust me those are nauseating and waft around the cabin like crazy, but I would never try to tell someone else what they can or can’t eat in public. It’s my issue, if I can’t handle it I should not fly. It’s up to the person with the allergy to remove themselves from a situation that will trigger adverse effects.”
Me – What the actual FUCK?!
If you smell or touch meat, you don’t die. If I smell or touch peanuts, I very likely will die. HUGE DIFFERENCE. Saying I should never fly because I was unlucky enough to be born with a life threatening illness is horrible and you should be ashamed of yourself. Being a vegetarian is a choice, having a severe peanut allergy isn’t.
7. How to NOT to Be a Douche Online
“For someone writing a blog about how not to be a douche online, you do a pretty good job of being a total douche!”
Me – I guess I had that coming, but in the meantime, please clarify my exact douchiness.
8. The Do’s and Don’ts of an Iceland Road Trip
“While I liked some of this post your comment about bathrooms makes me livid. Travelers ignore this part! One of the most incredible things we found in Iceland was the wide availability of public restrooms- all clean!! We traveled the ring road and deep off it into the westfjords and did not once desecrate this gorgeous country!
In fact, I read an article earlier this fall all about how terrible the “foreigners going the bathroom everywhere despite wide access to toilets” has gotten. This is terrible! You are encouraging travelers to abuse the country. This is terrible advice! And couldn’t be more incorrect.”
Me – Oh ok, I’m sure you know our itinerary better than we do, and you of course know where the rest stops better than the Icelander who planned the trip with us. I can’t stand high and mighty comments like this, makes me want to punch a wall.
“You come across as somebody who can’t be arsed to do some simple research! Your the one at fault for All of the above incidents! Don’t get me wrong, I too dislike Ryanair but fair is fair! They never hide any guidelines, if anything they advertise then more than most airlines, you get what it says on the tin from them. Budget airline!!”
Me – Your opinion is invalid since your grammar is appalling.
10. Trouble in Luxor: My Experience Getting Harassed in Egypt
“We really don’t need such awful articles like this! We need our country to stand up against people like you who tell tourists not to come. Show some mercy you terrible American!”
Me – Stop putting words in my mouth! Gah! I hate it when people say I said things when I didn’t! I didn’t say people shouldn’t go to Luxor, I just said that if you’re a blonde girl with a bosom, cover up and prepare to get hollered at. A lot.
11. Top 5 Reasons Why I HATE the Auxiliar Program in Spain
“It’s true that I may have a moan about the programme to a close friend, but that is completely different to writing a blog entry, and something … that is written in such an immature way.
If you wish to be jokey and sarcastic, then change your writing style, or put a disclaimer, explaining yourself. If you wish to be taken as a serious narrator of life in Spain, then terms such as “d-bag” and other inappropriate words should be taken out of your dialogue.”
Me – Do you know what a blog is?
“Amusing article..all that complaining? And I get the feeling in a word, you’re a class A C#@T”
Me – sigh, you haven’t made it until someone calls you a c*** in public, right?
13. Ok, you tell me, what’s the best hate comment you’ve ever gotten? How do you deal with the haters out there?
About the author
My favourite thing about angry hater comments, is the horrendous grammar and punctuation. I always imagine them typing so angrily and at such a speed that all hell breaks loose with the keypad. Love, love, love your responses!
Oh my gosh, Liz. I’m shocked at the audacity and lack of respect of these people! So cool of you to stand up for yourself and defend your right to free speech (on your own blog!, which makes these comments even more ridiculous)!
Everyone who comes across your blog is not going to like it. You brag for a living at the top of your lungs…with photos and you think people are just going to fawn all over you? It isn’t jealousy it’s the anger that this even makes you money. You clearly are heafty in size and as a skinny, literally starving, student it just looks like you clearly are a spoiled brat with plenty of money to spend on overeating. I would love to have you buy me an NZ brunch one day. The only reason you have a travel blog that now pays you to travel is because you had the means to travel and blog in the first place. There are plenty of epople without a MAC book, Iphone, internet connection or computer at all so this is a ‘career’ of luxury. There are plenty of real writers who have their hard work get edited down to nothing, fighting to make deadlines and write entire books. You dibble a few words on the computer, push click and then call yourself a writer. Bloggers have a stick up their ass. Just because you have a blog does not make you anything but an attention seeker. You are not any more precious than your commentors and if you can’t handle it then don’t blog.Anyone of the people commenting could start a blog tomorrow. It is an easy platform because it was developed to be! It’s like epople who are amazed that a baby can work an ipad…it was meant to be simple. You have not created the wheel here. Documenting your brattiness is annoying. They way you write sounds like a ditz-brained bimbo. Girls who blogs usually sound very vapid. It’s that valley girl style of writing that appeals to so many other White girls. Bottom line…all people who disagree with you are not trolls, losers, etc. They are your readers. They have a valid opinion. Bloggers are the original internet trolls.
Congratulations for making next year’s hate comments list! This might be the meanest one I’ve ever gotten. Good on you for being an anonymous dick – now come to New Zealand and say all of this to my face please 🙂
is everything. Unfortunately, this “blogger” is gazing so intently at her own naval that she likely won’t absorb any of these valid points whatsoever. Congrats on being privileged enough to buy expensive plane tickets and write a journal online about your extended vacations. I mean, that takes guts, talent, and hard work people! **eyeroll**
You’re so right, anonymous.
You’re hungry, so everyone else should be too, right? The fact that you have unfortunate circumstances doesn’t mean you should ridicule the opportunities that people more fortunate than you enjoy. Perhaps she should have thrown herself into poverty instead? Then the world would have been a much better place and you could stop being bitter about your own poverty.
I’m from a working class family with two hard working parents. I work full time in a low paying job and have a degree in a field I can’t get a job in. But if I want to have a MacBook or have an iPhone or run a blog or go travelling long term, then I’ll work my arse off for it instead of insulting those have already worked for it.
The fact that you think it’s okay to attack her for having more than you is hilarious considering that you are a student. People on this earth die in families so poor that they aren’t even entitled to education. Get off of your disgusting high horse. When you take away money, you’re the same as any other human being on earth.
P.S. I’d LOVE to read your blog someday. You said it was so easy, and as you can see, Liz here does not badly running hers. As it’s so easy, run a blog and feed yourself, you jealous, abhorrent person.
Haters might as well be from your entourage, some might be closer than you think!
I say “might”, I’m not saying they necessarily are. But I know the feeling.
Envy, rivalry, primitive complexes of people who feel lower than you and they can’t take it!
Real friends are people who can love you when you’re happy.
Otherwise – I don’t see why a totally unknown person who doesn’t know a thing about you would post hate comments on your site. I smell someone who knows you at least a bit and is hiding behind nicknames.