Seven Links in one day

You know when all the cool kids are doing something, but you’ve not been invited to take part, and so you decide that not doing it is the super cool thing to do? And then someone comes along and invites you, and you realise that your original plan was rubbish, and you slink in, smiling gratefully for the invitation?

Well, this post is a bit like that. Thanks to Amanda of A Dangerous Business for bringing me out of the cold ;)

So what the heck is this all about? Well, it seems that a site called Tripbase decided that bloggers needed to big themselves up a bit more than they already do. I know. I already force my posts upon you in a variety of social mediums. But still. All the cool kids are doing it. So here’s the idea: I share seven of my favourite links with you from the site’s deep, dark, cobweb filled archives. Then, I nominate some more bloggers to do the same (hopefully there are some out there who haven’t taken part by the time I get round to publishing this).

The whole world as a result becomes a better, more enlightened place. Everyone wins. The end. So without further ado, here are my seven links to my seven posts, starting with:

My most beautiful post: New Zealand’s Spectacular East Cape

Already I can tell this is going to cause me problems. I’m not sure what a beautiful post is supposed to look like. I am going to go with the idea that a beautiful post should contain beautiful photos, rather than beautiful, poetic imagery in the form of words. Because, truth be told, I am probably a bit better at the former than the latter.

My most beautiful post from a photography perspective is, therefore, (probably), the tale from my trip around New Zealand’s East Cape, which is a part of my series of predominantly photography themed posts.

My most popular post: Glacier country in photos

In terms of raw pageviews, my photography based post on New Zealand’s glacier country easily wins. These are certainly up there as being some of my favourite shots from my time in New Zealand – the scenery was absolutely stunning.

In terms of interaction with readers and commentary, well, my post popular post also happened to be:

My most controversial post: Encountering Racism on the Road

I thought this post was going to be controversial when I posted it, and it was actually a bit scary to do so. Writing about a topic such as racism is always going to be a mite tricky. I was, therefore, somewhat surprised (and delighted) at the overwhelming support that I got in the comments, and the overall agreement on the subject. Thanks to everyone for taking part in this one :)

My most helpful post: Travel blogging tips from the experts 

Whilst some of the guides I have written on the subjects of photography, technology or off road driving have garnered positive feedback, I think my most helpful posts have actually not been written by me. Instead, they have taken the form of interviews with some of the more successful and inspirational travel bloggers out there, giving their tips and advice on how to run a successful travel blog.

I am talking about my series on travel blogging tips from the experts, which has featured some really excellent advice and tips from nearly twenty bloggers ranging from Gary Arndt to Matt Kepnes to Caz and Craig Makepeace. If travel blogging is something you are interested in getting into, then this series contains some real insights.

A post whose success surprised me: A visit to Hitler’s Bunker

Who would have thought that my visit to one of the lesser known bunkers used by Hitler during the war would get so much search traffic attention, and result in, probably, a lot of people unhappy that they didn’t find the location of Hitler’s arguably more famous Berlin based affair.

Still, the message here is that if you want Google to send you lots of search traffic, write about an evil dictator.

A post that didn’t get the attention it deserved: Road Sickness

Well, since my list of invites to award ceremonies is mysteriously empty, I feel I could nominate pretty much the entirety of my blog for this one ;). As it is, I feel my post on road sickness perhaps wasn’t as well received as I would have hoped.

Personally, I thought a tale about me being covered in vomit would go down well with my readers. Presumably, my readers found this a little bit graphic, and glossed over it. I should stick to Hitler if attention is what I want…

The post I am most proud of: Why Travel?

I haven’t written a great many posts that I file under the “Personal” label, but in many ways, these are the posts that I am most pleased that I am able to write. These are the ones where I peel back the skin of my life and attempt to share with you some of my more personal thoughts and ideas.

This being a personal travel blog, I should probably be doing this more often, but the truth is, these kind of posts are hard to write and often scary to post. As it is, my post on why I chose to travel has been one of my favourites.

And that is pretty much that. The only thing left for me to do is nominate some more bloggers to take part, who aren’t already on the ever expanding Tripbase list. In no particular order therefore:

Two4Travel - @Two4Travel
No Onions Extra Pickles - @NOnionsXPickles
Travelogged - @Travelogged
Ross Roams - @RossRoams

Great reads from February 2011

February, I’ve noticed, is a short month. Now that it has whizzed on by, it is time for another round up of some awesome travel writing from around the web.

Even though the month was short, the content has not been sparse. I have nonetheless managed to whittle down my favourite bloggers to these five posts.

Each of these posts really shone through for me, raising themselves above their brethren in some way or another. Perhaps they made me laugh. Maybe they tore at my heartstrings. Maybe there were great tips, or ponderings on the inner wonder of life. Whichever of these they were, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did!

Traveling and Dying — the Real Risks in Life: Go, See, Write

Who knew that stairs could be quite so dangerous? I’ll certainly be treating them with newfound respect now I’ve read this article, as well as coating myself in minced liver and heading off to play with Great White Sharks.

In this article, Michael takes it upon himself to dispel some of the myths around the dangers of death whilst travelling, with a special focus on diving. This is all backed up by some impressive numbers and research, and presented in his own inimitable style.

Pilgrimage to the Birthplace of Buddha: Hole in the Donut

Barbara has a wonderful writing style which conveys her experiences in a way that makes you feel you can almost reach out and grab them.

This post, about her pilgrimage to the Sacred Gardens of Lumbini in Nepal, is a great example of her writing, and a worthy read for anyone interested in Buddhism and this part of the world.

Real World Travel Tips: Johnny Vagabond

Wes, of Johnny Vagabond, has been travelling for nearly a year now, and has decided to share what he has learnt from his experiences thus far in this often humorous post.

There is a superb selection of tips contained within, from dealing with touts to getting lost, and should contain something for every traveller out there. If all else fails, I guarantee you will at least get a smile from his cardinal rule!

Confession: I can’t stand Luang Prabang: Adventurous Kate

I’ve been reading Kate’s blog for a while now, and one thing I have noticed is that she doesn’t mince her opinion or fail to report thoroughly on her adventures. She’s certainly a party girl at heart, and that comes across strongly in her blog. Reading about someone having an awesome time is always guaranteed to bring a smile to my face.

Kate tells it as she feels it, and in this post she stirs up some controversy by failing to see what the fuss is all about with Luang Prabang. As with many of her posts, the comments field is also worthy of a read, if only to see the risks you run when posting your heartfelt opinions.

When Tragedy Strikes a Place You Love: A Dangerous Business

If you spend any time reading Amanda’s blog, you will quickly come to realise that she is a big fan of New Zealand. And who wouldn’t be? This post details how the recent devastating earthquake in Christchurch, with a death toll already creeping into the hundreds, really affected her, despite her now living on the opposite side of the globe.

It’s an interesting read as to how travel can make us feel more strongly about tragedy affecting the places we have visited, and hence warranted inclusion in my favourites of the month.

Bonus mention: Photo Roulette

This isn’t a piece of travel writing per se, rather, it is a photography competition open to all travel bloggers. Each week the host chooses a theme, and bloggers from around the world submit their photos for that theme. The host then chooses a winner, and the winner gets to host and choose the theme for the following week.

This is an excellent place to catch up on some wonderful travel photography from around the globe from some truly talented folk, so if you’ve had enough of words for the time being, head on over to the current round and take a look. Previous rounds are also linked (currently it’s up to eleven), so there is more than enough to keep you busy for a while to come. Enjoy!

Well, those were some of my favourite reads for February 2011. If you liked these, you may also like January’s list. I’ll be doing this near the end of every month so if you spot (or write!) something that you think I should be including for March, either post it in the comments, let me know on the Facebook page, or head over to the contact page. The only criteria is that it needs to have been published during the month of March.

Great reads from January 2011

At risk of giving myself a task that I have to stick to, (always a concern) I’m going to do my best at publishing a monthly look back at some great writing that has amused, inspired or interested me from the online travel blogging world. These could be articles that tell a great story, share useful information, or have some great photos.

This month, I’m starting off the series with a range of writings, from tales of bribery, to ponderings on meditation, to saving money: Chiang Mai style. There’s a mix of well known sites through to smaller, newer blogs, and hopefully, something here to tickle every fancy. Enjoy, and see the text at the end for how to get your article considered for next months roundup!

When to bribe, how to bribe, do you bribe: Todd’s Wanderings

The sticky topic of corruption and bribery is the subject of this post from Todd, and he manages to take a contentious issue and turn it into a genuinely amusing read, as well as featuring one of the more amusing lines in travel blogging that I have read for a while. I won’t spoil the surprise, head on over and give it a read for yourself!

What is meditation?: Ross Roams

I’ve only recently come across Ross’s site as a result an interview he did with Amanda over at A Dangerous Business. This article might not be for everyone, but it is a pretty interesting read looking at what Ross gets out of meditation, and how it has helped him both in his travels and his life. I’m looking forward to reading more of his travels.

Budget travel in Africa: yTravelblog

I have spent some time travelling in Africa, but it has either been with family or friends, so I’d never seen Africa as an easy budget place to travel. Caz disavows me of this notion, with an excellent article on how her and Craig achieved seven months of travel on what could be described as a seriously economical budget. This article is one of a series, the others are excellent too! 

Making money with your travel blog: Travel blog challenge

There are various strategies for making money out of a travel blog, ranging from selling expertise in the form of an ebook, to selling text ads, to sponsored posts, and more. These can be complicated and confusing waters for the novice travel blogger to start swimming in – luckily Amar Hussain has come to the rescue with a three part series detailing the sorts of options out there, the pricing, and how to deal with and attract advertisers.

As well as the actual articles, the comments from other bloggers are a goldmine of information. If you run any kind of blog and are wondering what this monetization thing is all about – this is a must read!

Chiang Mai on the Cheap: Unbrave Girl

If you ever read advice on how to write a successful travel blog, it will list all sorts of things you need to do. These involve being concise, adding lots of photos, and the mystical world of SEO. When you visit Sally’s site, on the other hand, you will see that it is entirely possible to run a great travel blog by happily ignoring all of the rules, and waffling on endlessly about cookies and pants.

This entry focuses on how to experience an Asian city on the cheap, and comes with some slightly disturbing imagery of the pink leather kind. I did warn you. So does she.

Well, those were some of my favourite reads for January 2011. I’m planning on doing something like this near the end of every month – if you spot (or write!) something that you think I should be including for February, either post it in the comments, let me know on the Facebook page, or head over to the contact page. The only criteria is that it needs to have been published during the month of February.

Why I write

I have already told you why i travel. And I've told you about my parents, who are a source of inspiration for a lot of the things I do. I will now continue this theme, and tell you what drives me to write about these things, to take the thoughts that swirl around in my head like blown shards of paper, and transcribe them here for the world to see.

Writing, for me, is a largely cathartic process. It is a means to order my thoughts and marshal some semblance of sense from them. I have written, in some form or another, for as long as I can remember. Sometimes in diaries, sometimes in e-mails, sometimes in the sort of poetry that you don’t actually share with anyone in case you get locked up for crimes against paper. When I walk, or listen to music, I find myself wandering the worlds of my imagination, and penning paragraphs in my mind. Sometimes I feel they are worth capturing, even if only for me.

Travelling is something that can cause one to go through a variety of experiences that have an impact. Some of these are big, some are small. Some are good, some are bad. All of them will have some kind of effect. By writing these things down, I can share what that may have been. Often I can understand them better myself. Maybe other people will relate to them. Some of the things I write, therefore, will come across as diary entries. Others, when I want to share the wonder of a place, will seem like tourist guidebook entries. Sometimes I just have some photos that I really liked, that I thought may brighten up a day. There is no grand plan here. Not yet anyway.

Of course, there are more selfish sides to it. Having a permanent (as far as one can these days) repository of my experiences serves as a sort of online memory backup. Even if no-one reads these things I write, in years to come I can look back and remember things that the sands of time have perhaps filled over in my mind. I can see the sort of person I was, and compare that to the person I have become.

It’s also narcissistic. The thought that other people may enjoy what I write, even go so far as to comment, or share my ideas, to find them interesting, amusing or somehow applicable to them, conveys a sense of acceptance, that the world is looking on and that people care. That I may be different in some of the choices I have made, but I am not alone.

There is the inkling that one could make money from it, although I believe that making a living from writing is something that is one of those dreams that is nice to have, but all of my hopes should perhaps not be pinned to that mast. The passion of writing may wane if it becomes something I have to do, rather than something I love to do. As it is, I currently like writing about what I am thinking about, or what I have experienced. If this strikes a chord with readers, then that is wonderful. It’s too early on for me to have decided how to expand on that, if at all. Yes, there are a few ads on this page. The odd Amazon recommendation. I have a variety of social media presences, that you can see on the top right of the page. None of these, as they are, are likely to fund my life going forward in any serious way though.

I also read a number of other blogs. I have started to share some of them here. My favourite kind of travel posts to read are those which are introspective, featuring folks who are sharing the things that they have found out about themselves through the medium of travel. Of course, this isn’t for everyone. Some people want to know about the destination, what to see, where to go. They want the value you get from the insights of someone who has been there, without the naval gazing. These exist too, and are probably the ones from which their authors can make a more reliable living.

So. A lot of words. In summary I find that for me, writing about travel from a personal perspective ends up being a balance between sharing the emotional impact of a place or experience, which will no doubt differ from person to person, and sharing the awe of the world and its physical spaces. I may look back at this in ten years and ponder over my youth and naivety, but, well, at least I will have something to look back at.

I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. And don’t forget, this is a two way street, the comments box is always there for you to share your thoughts if these posts make you feel something, whatever that may be.

Five great reads on New Zealand

I am pretty excited. In just over five weeks the next phase of my adventure will begin, as I depart the slowly darkening skies of Europe, and arrive at the slowly lightening skies of New Zealand.

With this in mind, I have been doing some research into my destination. Obviously, a Lonely Planet has been purchased. They aren’t referred to as travellers bibles for nothing. The internet has also been a wonderful source of inspiration and ideas. I thought that a summary of some of the better pieces I have read recently to whet my appetite may be in order, to give you an idea of what is to come.

Top 7 Natural Wonders of New Zealand’s South Island (Travels with a mate). From giant round boulders, to glaciers, to penguins. New Zealand’s South Island clearly has a lot going for it on the natural wonders front, and this article handily sums up a top seven not to miss out on.

Five best drives in New Zealand (backpackingmatt). I fully intend to be purchasing some sort of vehicle, so knowing where to drive to is kinda handy. Matt documents five drives he thinks are unmissable. With a year before me, I think I should be able to take them all in.

Five roads less travelled in New Zealand (A dangerous business). When I’m done with the five best drives, I expect I’ll still have a bit of time left over.  A year is a long time. I’ll want to get off the beaten path. Luckily, here is a post documenting five less travelled roads. I know, it’s as if these folk know I am going.

Great reasons to visit New Zealand (nomadicmatt). Matt does appear to be a popular name in travelling circles. Or at least in the travelling to New Zealand and writing about it circles which I am currently swimming around in. Nomenclature aside, Nomadic Matt has taken some time to put together his reasons to visit New Zealand, covering a variety of aspects beyond just the natural beauty of the place. I know, I hardly need more reasons, my ticket is already booked. Nothing wrong with more excitement though. Happily, Matt has catered to my possible needs already, with a list of New Zealand travel tips.

33 Reasons to visit New Zealand (tntdownunder). If all of the above hadn’t already excited me, then this list of thirty three reasons certainly does. Whilst some of the ideas are a tad out of my forecast price range (helicopter trips to glaciers?), the ones that aren’t (visiting Mordor!) sound excellent.

Well, hopefully this has been interesting for you. If you are aware of further content on New Zealand, or have written a piece yourself, feel free to bring my attention to it in the comments below! Also, if you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to check out my summary of summaries that I published last week, which rounds up the best of the weeks travelling content, as picked out by other travel bloggers.

A travel bloggers travel bloggers list

See what I did there? I created a confusing and inappropriately apostrophe free headline for this article. Brilliant. So what is it all about then? Well, it turns out, much to my surprise, and probably not to yours, that I am not the only person travelling and writing about it. I know.

Apparently there is this whole world out there of people writing, and travelling, and travelling, and writing. Some folk do these things at the same time! A complex feat I imagine, much like rubbing your stomach and gently ruffling your hair in synchronisation. Anyway, I felt I couldn’t let this mind blowing fact just float off into the breeze. No. I felt I should share it. But which travel writers do I tell you about?

Well. I found out that not only do other travellers blog, some of them even take the time to blog about other travel writers. I thought I could cunningly jump onto this trend, and blog about other travel writers who blog about other travel writers. Folk out there have done all the really hard work of trawling through a multitude of travel themed posts, and picking the particular highlights. So all I have to do is provide a list of the lists. A meta-list as it will. Hopefully this will start to make some sort of sense at any moment. To the list (of lists) we go!

Adventurous Kate – Kate has been putting together a list of her favourite travel blogs on a weekly basis for a long while now. This week she has found posts on Vodka and the Olympics. Last week it was Zorbing and travelling blogging basics. Other weeks have been just as good. An excellent read of reads.

Travelling Savage – Keith searches the web every month for the travel writing that he finds, in his words, “inspiring, informative and provocative”. His summaries, which he titles “Bloody Good Travel Writing”, are exactly that. I have linked to his July ‘10 post, but I suspect an August update will be coming soon.

Travelling Canucks – The travelling canucks, also known as Nicole and Cameron, have done a weekly update on their favourite travel blogs for the last couple of weeks, and I figure that if folk keep reading it, they’ll keep writing it! Worth a read.

yTravelBlog – Each week Caz and Craig feature a list of their favourite blogs from the past week, focusing on particular travel themed topics, ranging from travel tips, to photography, to inspiring ideas. You can also draw your attention to your favourite posts for consideration, if you so wish.

Top 100 Independent Travel sites – If the above aren’t enough, here’s one to pass a few days of your life. Brendan spends what I can only imagine is an inordinate amount of time compiling a list of his top 100 Independent travel sites, based on Alexa rankings combined with his personal secret formula. Which he details in more er, detail, on his site. Enjoy that one, it’ll keep you going for a while.

Hopefully this has helped you discover some new sources for travel themed writing. Humour aside for a brief moment, it’s always a pleasure (and often an inspiration) going out and seeing what other people are doing and writing about. It’s a big old world (and web) out there. If you feel I’ve missed another brilliant list from the above, do let me know!