This seems dangerously close to "fund my lifestyle/hobby", but I suppose that's the nature of professional blogging.
This is a particularly interesting case to me, as Ben and I are the same age, but he threw himself into this hobby fully. I've thought about blogging in the past (never cared for the incessant and shameless photography needed for top-notch travel pieces), but I never got into it. Also, I could never keep up with his rate of travel paying cash. 2013 was a watershed year for me, but it cost a fortune. I couldn't compete with someone who must have had rich parents/trust fund as initial backers.