Are You Blogging Your Travels?

By Raj DashBlogging

In the blogosphere there are obviously many different styles of writing. One style that I enjoy is the first person account of an experience – particularly if it’s about visiting a restaurant or most especially about visiting some place. Travel writing has been popular in print for a long time – just think how much advertising newspapers get in their travel section – and my research suggests that it’s popular online as well, and very competitive.

What’s particularly interesting is reading the exploits of a new breed of traveler sometimes known as a digital bedouin (wanderer) or digital nomad. This types travel either for fun or work (conferences, workshops, meetings), carries around the requisite gadgets, and blogs about what’s going on pretty much every day. They either carry a laptop/ UMPC with them, or they go to local Internet cafes when available. The Internet makes this possible, and some people have embraced it.

Now text and a few pictures is great content for the average personal-travel blog post, but what would be even more interesting is audio or video content. These don’t have to be added as frequently, since uploads might be cost-prohibitive while you’re traveling.) Video and audio would heighten the experience and let readers “live vicariously” when they can’t themselves travel. (Just be sure to respect local laws about taking pictures or video. And if necessary, save audio and video for uploading later.)

I’m not saying that you should go out and start a travel blog – there are thousands already. But if you travel more than once a year and have the opportunity, try (near) live-blogging your experiences on your personal website. If you’re talking about, say, a new media expo and your site is about new media, then live-blogging, audio and video content won’t seem out of place. Even if you’re going on vacation to get away for a while, some of your regular readers might enjoy following your experiences.

So do you travel often? Do you blog about your travels on your personal/ professional blog? You don’t have to be planning traveling to 100 countries to tell us something interesting about your experiences.

11 thoughts on “Are You Blogging Your Travels?”

  1. Gary: 40 countries already! That’s great.

    AtlasRider: Motorcycle trips always fascinating me. You’re enjoying the open road. I’ve only ever met 4 people that did long cycle trips from Canada through the USA, and all agreed that despite the downsides, it was an experience.

    I have to remember to check in on all these sites.

  2. I’ve been documenting my motorcycle trips using video and now mapping as well. You see what I see and where I am and it updates throughout the video. A new twist at the vlogging traveler.

  4. Markus: Yes, absolutely. Especially if you live in a town/city that has something of interest. City blogging is a growing niche as well.

  5. Even if you are not traveling to far out places it is worth reminding that also local spots can be of interest. If you are concentrating on local issues in your blog it is even more interesting.

    For you a place might be an everyday spot. For visitors it might be a once in their life experience.

  6. UltraRob: 3,000 miles! Wow. How will your legs not be rubber at the end of the first 20-hour day?

    Travelerfolio: It seems like you’re having quite an adventure

  7. Yes! I love blogging my travels in interesting places around the globe. I also post as many fascinating photos as possible to share with everyone. With 100 over posts for places like USA, Europe, China (including photos of before the earthquake-stricken Sichuan), Malaysia and Vietnam (coming up very soon as I just returned two days ago), I welcome you to visit my travel blog now and leave comments so that I can make improvements too. Please go to Travelerfolio.com

  8. If my travels have to do with cycling or the outdoors, I generally blog them sine those are things my blog is about. If I travel for business, the most I might do is say I’m on the road. I’m going to be crewing for a 3,000 mile bike race in a couple weeks. I’m going blog as much near real time as possible. Since the racers are on the bike over 20 hours a day, it could be challenging.

  9. Thanks for dropping by, Chris. I’m going to try to remember to follow your travel writing. I enjoy travelling, but not airplanes. So most of my travel is limited to car, train and bus. In other words, I don’t have much to say travel-wise, so I enjoy reading what others have to say about their travel experiences. I have to commend you on your goal to travel through 100+ countries in your lifetime. Very fascinating.

    Maybe you’ll put a book together? Especially a coffee table-style photo-book? You’d probably amass enough writing and photos to fill many, many books. In fact, you might even be able to sell your future travel books on your site, not just promote them there.

    Good luck with your travels.

  10. Hey Raj, thanks for the link.

    I would really encourage bloggers of all kinds (including business-oriented bloggers) to write about their own travels. I have been surprised that a lot of my audience does not really travel that much, but for some reason they are interested in the travels of others. So even if you aren’t going to every country in the world, which is my personal goal, don’t be shy about posting your photos and travel entries from wherever you go.

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