A New Direction: the Noosa Travel Guide
By popular demand I’ve finally decided to write more about my local area including my home town of Noosa and the Sunshine Coast area.
I’ve been travel blogging and living in Noosa for five years and during that time I’ve resisted writing about my local neighborhood because I wanted my blog to have global appeal. I still do but I hope, since Noosa is one of Australia’s most well known beach resorts, that even if I cover Noosa regularly it will still be if interest to readers worldwide who’d like to visit one day.
In fact articles about Noosa should be more interesting because I know it so well and will be able to cover it in detail, bring the area to life and include inside travel tips only a local would know.
Other than this tighter focus on Noosa most of the content here will still be personal stories, travel inspiration and travel tips.
I’m simply going to cover things to do in Noosa more including places to visit and eating out because Noosa is a foodie haven and everyone loves food.
A note to Noosa’s restaurateurs:
I don’t fancy myself as a food critic and I am concerned about possible backlash if I write negative reviews about somewhere because I’m part of the community and I fear criticism too.
But I want to practice my food writing skills so I’m going to be brave and write what I think. After all, I’m entitled to my opinion and, if business owners don’t like what I write, then we will both have to learn to let go.
I think it’s important, when possible, to include some criticism or suggested improvements in any article about a meal because otherwise it would be pretty dull. So I hope if your restaurant gets reviewed you’ll be understanding about that.
It’s certainly not my intention to hurt any businesses and the opposite is true. By choosing to feature bars, cafes or restaurants here I am of course doing them a favor by shining a spotlight on them and hopefully sending more people their way.
If I have a bad experience I believe my readers are smart enough to know that it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a bad place. But I’m hoping that won’t happen and looking forward to this new direction.
Not particularly interested in Noosa? Fear not, the Noosa Travel Guide will only be a small part of Get In the Hot Spot!
The rest of the content will stay as is with a mix of travel tips, global and local travel guides plus personal stories and empowering tips to help you be more adventurous, have more fun and feel fabulous no matter how old you are.
So stay tuned because I’m looking forward to continuing to grow and evolve with you.
As usual if you have any suggestions on what direction Get In the Hot Spot should move in I’d love to hear them.
Either way, I’ll be back soon with the regular program including more about life in Noosa.
Happy travels until then!
X Annabel
——————————————————————-
Want to find out what’s hot in Noosa?
Get free email updates from Get In the Hot Spot – it’s a weekly injection of tips to help you be more adventurous, have more fun and feel fabulous along with Noosa travel and food tips too. Sounds good? Click here now to get our weekly emails.
——————————————————————-
What do you enjoy reading about most on Get In the Hot Spot?
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
14 Comments
Leave A Comment
Hot Stuff
Having honest and open reviews is so important, hopefully the restauranteurs will get behind you and place some comments and feedback to your reviews. Its like trip advisor when you see a dialogue happening between the GMs and guests, if done right can work for everyone. Would love to know if Sails is still doing a great job, always been a favourite of mine.. though its been a while now.
Hi James,
Thanks for being first to comment. I totally agree. I’ve never been to Sails but it’s still here on Noosa Main Beach. Very pricey but hopefully I’ll get to sample it for a special occasion some time :)
Great idea Annabel. There’s nothing handier than a resident expert. Do you remember when I came you took me to a fab Japanese and to the gorgeous tea shop. I would NEVER have found these on my own and they were fantastic, both of them. So I’m thrilled you’ll share your top tips on Noosa more. Loads of visitors will find it useful.
On food reviewing, I’ve steered away from that myself because I think I am so rubbish at it. So I’m happy to let people know where the best family-friendly places are in Sydney but tend not to critique the grub. I would say if it was totally rubbish, of course. The issue for me is that I am SO happy to eat anything that someone else prepares – no shopping, cooking or washing up. Why would I grumble? Genuinely I’m so thrilled.
But I think you will be able to be firm but fair about food, a bit more detached than I feel I can be. Of course there are a zillion other things to write about around your way too. Please get busy as I shall be back up sooner or later!
Hi Seana,
So appreciate your input and of course you’r one of the many who asked me to write more about Noosa to begin with! There are plenty of hidden secrets especially when it comes to cafes and restaurants because the big names tend to get covered over and over again and the small newbies don’t get the attention they deserve.
I hope I can live up to your “firm but fair” food writing – I will be doing my best :)
Annabel, I think this is a great idea. Actually with all the Sunshine Coast followers you have more of us might make more regular visitors to Noosa. Giving us reasons to visit more often seems a great idea to me. The once in a life time travelers might spend the big bucks however a weekly visitor over a life time also generates lots of revenue for the local businesses. I find your reports fair and considered and the local business should be glad to have you as an ambassador for Noosa. I hope they get behind you and support the time and effort this takes to investigate and write. Fran
Hi Fran,
It would be great to entice some of you Sunshine Coast locals up this way – we should have a Get In the Hot Spot get together too. Thank you for your lovely comment and encouragement :)
Travelling on your home turf is critical –
I always think it’s funny how while you’re madly saving up to travel to some ‘other’ far flung corner of the globe, there’s someone saving madly to visit your far flung region to enjoy and to write about!
Why don’t we all just write about where we live and save each other the trouble and the expense?!! : ;)
Hi Linda,
Lol, that’s so true.
Hi Annabel,
It only seems normal that you would become a local expert in all things food related – Eating out is one of the best and simplest pleasures one can experience – Everyone can participate and it is such a social thing to do. Love Noosa and must visit again sooonnnnnn! Hmm you may have to hit that treadmill more often with all the food tastings :)
Hi Frenchie,
I agree but I don’t like the sound of the treadmill much! I’ll be looking out for tasty and healthy eats – along with some well earned treats of course :)
This sounds like a great idea Annabel. Noosa is a fun place and there ‘s so much to do. I haven’t been back for quite a while now but I do remember how fabulous the restaurants were. It will be great to learn your favourites and secret places to visit.
Hi Jenny,
Thank you! There are some great spots and I’ll be covering cheap eats too because so many of them are super pricey.
Hi Annabel,
Great idea – and you’ve inspired me to write more about my local area too! And why not? The Northern Beaches are a beautiful part of Sydney and people are always asking me for recommendations anyway. It makes perfect sense to position yourself as an expert on the area you live in.
A word about reviews by the way – Seana and I learned a bit about restaurant reviews at Words To Go from Yelp’s community manager. She cautioned us all (as bloggers) that we were all subject to the same laws that TripAdvisor and Google Places have been tripped up by in terms of liable suits. I forgot to write down the link to the document – worth reading. I’ll search it out for you.
Hi Deborah,
Yes, it makes sense! Re the review guidelines it’s all about full disclosure (I have my own guidelines for that linked to in my legal page below) and being honest and unbiased. I think readers can see through it pretty quickly if you’re not.