Road Blogs

Look, a lot of us want to share our story. Some of the things we, as travelers, get to do just feels so surreal sharing it with friends and family (and any one else online who finds us) just makes it seem more real. Not a lot more real, but just a little.

For many of us, a blog or Facebook page is how we keep in touch with people back home, and how we let them know we’re okay. But the simple truth is – keeping up a blog or page while on the road can be work. How much time and effort are worth it?

For most travelers, people on the road to see things for themselves and not to serve any of the many causes out there, keeping up a blog or page or any online presence should not, not ever ever, interfere with your trip. It’s your trip, not any of the people back home who will be living vicariously through the things you do. They might also worry, but if you were going to let their worry stop your trip, you wouldn’t have left in the first place.

So how much is too much? When I was traveling full time (something I am returning too quite soon) I would take one day, every week or so, and sit at the computer to write out blogs, with the occasional article or book. When I had wifi, I would upload all the blogs and articles that were completed, but that frequently happened while I left my netbook in a hotel somewhere and went out exploring. Occasionally, I would have both wifi and be writing, but not usually. Since I could write a lot on my one day and didn’t worry too much about type-os (I am much better now, which is probably frightening to most of you), this let me manage 3 blogs a week most of the time, the blogs running a few weeks behind my actual location.

Things are different if you are traveling for something. If you have a cause, sponsors, or are traveling to raise money or awareness for something that is important to you, then you have to take the time to promote your trip while you are traveling – even before you start traveling to be honest. Keeping up with all the media and blogs and other things needed to keep people engaged in your trip is now something which you will have to set time aside for on a regular basis, and plan your trip to allow you to have time and connectivity.

This is one of the reasons I don’t travel to raise money for things. I am too unfocused as a traveler and know my own limitations.

So, how much you want to keep up with social media and forum posts and blogs (not to mention vlogs, which take much longer to complete) is really up to you. But try to remember to stop and enjoy the moments of your journey. Even if you do need to keep awareness high about your trip, don’t limit yourself to only looking at it through the lens of a camera.