Why People Travel Blog and Why They Stop
by Suzanne Reisman

The funny thing about travel and blogging is that they are both slightly anti-social while they also create new social connections. Think about it: a long trip can lead you to meet new people in different places, but at the same time, the traveler loses connections at home. It's clear that many people have come to use travel blogs as a way to keep in touch with important people at home. At the same time, blogging, whether about travel or on any topic, is a very solitary activity. The blogger sits at a computer and taps away instead of spending quality time with friends, family, whoever. Yet blogging also forges new relationships as strangers get to know one another by reading others' blogs. Quite a balancing act and a nice prescription for burnout, if I do say so myself. So why do travelers blog and why do they stop?

On the positive side of the equation is India Ink. Basia Kruszewska, Ph.D. has maintained a blog on her trip to India for 3 years. She writes that "My blog is a way for me to stay connected with family and friends while in a far-away land, and to share my experiences of this journey with them... My only aim is to tell you what's going on inside my head, and relay what I'm seeing and hearing on this journey. It's not the purpose of this blog to tell you everything there is to know about India. I don't claim to be objective or thorough or unbiased. It's just me talkin' here, and sending you an electronic postcard!" A perfect definition of a travel blog - I could not have said it better myself!

Sometimes the scale tips too far to the other end. In WarsawtoParis, Anne has been blogging since April 2005. She's been at it for almost a year, and yet she recently noted that it has become a bit of a drag to blog about her activities. How many other bloggers are out there who don't have the courage to admit they need a temporary break? I hope that Anne will come back. Her pictures are wonderful.

So many bloggers suddenly stop posting. Full Circling the Globe by Nancy White is another great blog with lovely photographs of things she saw on her travels. Sadly, it has not been updated since October 2005.

Anyway, I thought these were interesting blogs that illustrate what we all struggle with - the need to get away, the yearning to keep in touch with those left behind, and how these can create new pressures that we we need to escape.

Submitted by Suzanne Reisman (view blog) on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 12:01
Posted In

Comments

 

Interesting post!

It is really interesting, the urge to blog while traveling, but how it seems contrary to travel and then spend time blogging when you *should* be exploring!

I'm glad some people do blog while traveling though, because it gives us such wonderful worlds to explore online!

Submitted by Liz Rizzo on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 10:23
 

Blogging vs. Writing

It's interesting to think about the difference between blogging and writing, in this context. I started blogging for the same reason a lot of travel bloggers do - to share my adventures, but I kept at it because it turned out I am, at heart, a writer.(Though god help me, I am stricken with wanderlust too. I can stop traveling as easily as I can shut up, which is to say, not at all.)

Travel blogs are chronicles of adventures - when the adventures end, often the blogger feels no need to post anymore. If there's a writer lurking within, then the end result can be something very different...

Nerd's Eye View

Submitted by Pam on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 10:58
 

Excellent points

I know that my travels become part of my blog at large, so that may be a difference - I didn't set it up to only record my travels. The scary part is that when I am traveling, I am always making little notes to myself about what merits a mention on the blog. It's like I never leave it behind, nor do I want to, although without getting out and exploring there would not be much to write. Either that makes me a writer (which would be pretty cool) or a blog addict...

Suzanne, BlogHer Contributing Editor - Travel & Recreation
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

Submitted by Suzanne Reisman on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 14:31
 

Both!

A writer AND a blog addict!

We were camping in Jasper last summer. We got back to our campsite and couldn't get near it because it was infested with elk. What did we do? Okay, okay, we did watch the elk for a while, but they were committed to grazing right next to our tent. We drove in to town so I could update the blog.

Junkie. :)

Nerd's Eye View

Submitted by Pam on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 23:29
 

Writing about travelling

Just last night I wrote a post on my blog about the countries I've visited and about my retrospective blogging of travelling I've done. When I travelled I always felt the need to write about it so I could look back in time to come and remember the little things.

When I was staying in various backpackers there were quite often people either writing postcards or in their journals. These days they would be stuck in front of the computer blogging and emailing I guess.

Writing down stuff, for me anyway, gives me a chance to reflect on what's happened and I need time out from exploring anyway.

Submitted by jaycee on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 14:47
 

Oi, and if you knew how many

Oi, and if you knew how many draft posts I started for my travel blog, but never posted, you would hit me over the head into conciousness with an organic carrot. I have some great shots from NYC from 2 weeks ago, great stuff from Rome, from all over the world.

Guilt. Ah, the guilt! :-)

N

Nancy White
Blogher Contributing Editor, NPO/NGO
Full Circle Online Interaction Blog

Submitted by Nancy White on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 19:49
 

Absolutely, Nancy! I've

Absolutely, Nancy!

I've been all OVER the place lately, and so overwhelmed with everything I'm doing and seeing (even in my own backyard, much less on the road) that I can't seem to focus enough to get it all down. I hear conversations that I want to record, and think of things I want to say, and once I sit down to "remember" them in print, I'm not sure where to start. All too often, I don't start at all.

It's true. I have blogging ADD. I've been away from blogher for more than two weeks, and I'm very uncomfortable about that.

I'm back on, though, and hopefully I'll be back to my responsible, co-editing self. Apologies - and thanks for holding up more than your end of the bargain, Suzanne. Your posts and thoughts always make me - in turn - think. Laurie

Submitted by lauriewrites on Tue, 03/07/2006 - 22:15
 

PS

I also find this to be part of the challenge of keeping track of blogs in this category for blogher. But one of the cool things was my discovery of the "time-limited travel blog", that lives on the Web as a (semi-) permanent record of some great trips. I've linked to some already and no doubt will again int he future.

Submitted by lauriewrites on Tue, 03/07/2006 - 22:17
 

What great discussion!

Thanks everyone for weighing in on this. While I knew I was not alone in my blog AND travel addictions, it's great to have proof!

Suzanne, BlogHer Contributing Editor - Travel & Recreation
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

Submitted by Suzanne Reisman on Wed, 03/08/2006 - 18:12
BlogHer

© Copyright 2008 BlogHer | Terms of Service