Jil Eileen: Travel influencer on her most dangerous experience, her trip through Germany & money-saving tips

Interview with Jil Eileen – She is one of Germany’s top travel influencers and inspires people every day with impressions of her travels and her life. Jil is always on the hunt for new adventures and wants to show how valuable life is and how beautiful the world is. With her positive nature and passion for travel, she inspires her community every day and shares her life with them on Instagram and in her blog. We spoke to her to find out more about her and her passion. Find out what she has already seen and experienced, what her biggest and most dangerous adventure was and what she experienced on her trip through Germany!

Jil Eileen: Her life traveling around the world

FIV: As can be seen in your Instagram feed, you have already seen and traveled to many countries. Which of these destinations have been your favorite so far?

Jil: Phew that’s a very difficult question, I’ve already traveled to 63 countries and each one had something special in its own way. I couldn’t decide where I liked it best, I would go to every country I’ve been to again.

FIV: On social media and on your website, you talk almost exclusively about travel. How did you develop this passion? What excites you most about traveling?

Jil: I’ve always been very adventurous and loved getting to know new places, cultures and people. In 2018, I quit my job and set off alone with a backpack to travel the world. Even before that, I had always planned my days off and vacations so that I could travel as much as possible, but once I had traveled full-time, I was hooked. What excites me most about traveling is discovering new places, feeling the freedom and being myself.

Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it, so why not share what makes me happy with you!

FIV: You are only 26 years old and still very young. How do you finance your many trips? How frugal are you and do you have any tips for our readers on how to travel the world cheaply?

Jil: I saved well in advance for my year solo trip around the world, I had 3-4 jobs at the same time and was really hard-working. So I was always able to put a lot of money aside. It’s very important to always keep in mind that ‘every little helps’. This applies to saving and spending. Before you save nothing, save at least something. Then it may take longer to reach your target amount, but you will still reach your goal. And when it comes to spending, it’s the other way around, if I think ‘oh, that’s only €5’ for every little thing, then that can be quite a lot at the end of a trip. I always write down every € I spend on my trips to get an idea of how much the trip has cost me so far. If I’ve budgeted well then I can treat myself to something, if I haven’t budgeted well then I can just eat oatmeal for 3 days 😛 I’m now self-employed and can live off my travel blog and online store, instead of working hard and saving up in advance I now travel and work in the meantime.

A day with Jil: adventure or relaxation? Mountains or pool?

FIV: What does a perfect day on vacation look like for you? Are you more of an active person or do you prefer to take it slower? Chilling by the pool or climbing in the mountains? What type of vacation are you?

Jil: I am the active traveler, I love hiking, climbing in the mountains, surfing at the sea & have so many ‘bumblebees in my butt’ that I always want to do something. Of course I also like to lie by the pool or the sea, but that tends to happen between activities.

FIV: What has been your most exciting experience on your travels so far? Was there ever a particularly exciting event or did you perhaps undertake an unusual activity? Paragliding, bungee jumping or something like that?

Jil: I have experienced a lot when traveling but the first activity that comes to my mind is a hike in Hawaii. The Olomana Trail, also called ‘Three Peaks’. A very dangerous hike that gave you an absolute adrenaline rush and was just so much fun, even though you were pushed to your limits.

Germany tour: route, tips & what the country has to offer

FIV: A few months ago, you and your boyfriend went on a tour through Germany. How did you come up with this idea and how did you plan the tour? Was there a fixed route or did you set off spontaneously?

Jil: We’ve already seen so much of the world but not yet our own country. We wanted to change that, so we did a lot of research and looked at everything Germany has to offer. We thought about a route in advance and then drove to the places we had picked out. I sometimes went with my boyfriend, but sometimes with friends too.

FIV: Tell us something about this tour. Which destinations did you head for and which sights did you want to visit? Would you have thought that Germany has such beautiful places to offer?

Jil: I have to admit, I underestimated Germany! I never thought I would see such amazing places in my own country. We went hiking on the Moselle, in the Black Forest and in the Palatinate Forest, we discovered stand-up paddle boarding on Lake Constance, we went swimming in the lake at Eibsee in Bavaria and we couldn’t stop being amazed in Saxon Switzerland. At the age of 25, I made it to the German seaside for the first time 😛

FIV: As you can see in your Instagram feed, you went camping and slept together in the car. What was it like for you to live in such a small space? Would you do it again and recommend it to others?

Jil: It wasn’t a problem for me, you just get to know each other better and bond more. We furnished our car a bit with a topper on which we slept, hung curtains on the windows to darken it a bit and have privacy, and decorated it a bit comfortably. Apart from that, we of course had a gas stove and everything we needed for camping 🙂 In the beginning or to get out spontaneously, the car is the perfect alternative. In the meantime, we have converted a van, moved in and are traveling through Europe.

Insider tips & goals for the future

FIV: Where was the best place? Do you have an absolute insider tip for us? A special place, a sight or perhaps even a secret route?

Jil: I liked Saxon Switzerland best, the landscape there is really breathtaking and you can go hiking for days and always see something new 🙂

FIV: What is your absolute dream destination for the future? You’ve already seen a lot of the world. Is there still a country or perhaps even a specific place that you dream of visiting at some point?

Jil: There’s a lot to be honest, but Namibia, the Philippines, Peru and Sweden are at the top of my list.