Favourite Travel Blog Posts for the Week of Oct 11

Easy Sunday reading

Here are my favorite travel blog posts for the week. Each week I’ll be choosing my favorites to share with you so you can read all the other fabulous travel writing that is going on out there in the travel blogging world. I have stumbled, tweeted, liked and commented on each post and I highly recommend you to do the same. Each week I am aiming to highlight a post that features different travel topics. These are some of the areas I am looking at:

• travel inspiration/why travel
  
• travel video
• travel story
• travel photography
• travel destination
• travel tips
• travel blogging tips
• travel thoughts/philosophy
• Expat travel
  

If you feel you have a post that you would like me to read, make sure you draw it to my attention either through twitter, or post your article submission URL in the comments below, and include what category you want to be considered for, although I could place it into a different category. I will retweet and stumble all posts that are submitted.

Travel Story

The Crush Part 1 A Story of Estonia and Love by Jeremy at Budget Travel Intentions

Jeremy is going to leave you hanging with this travel love story. He writes beautifully of his crush on an Estonian girl and we are left to see what is going to happen on their first “date.” Will this nervous college kid win the sharp witted, aloof girl over?

Travel Photo

Canvas of Light Photography by Daniel at Canvas of Light

This is a link to Daniels Photos for October. His photography is just stunning. It is really worth you becoming a subscriber of his website and a fan of his fanpage.

Travel Destination

Dili Timor Leste by the Tony at Its Good Overseas

This is really not a destination that would be on many travelers bucket lists. It is always great to read about off the beaten path places to go. There are some great photos that show what the daily life of Dili is like. Tony has a great Aussie sense of humour which, although may go over the heads of non-Australians, to me gives me quite a chuckle.

Travel Tips

10 most common RTW planning mistakes by Theodora at Travels with a Nine Year Old

These are great tips for anyone planning a round the world adventure. I think we have made everyone of those mistakes. So don’t be like us read this post and learn from the experts.

7 Reasons to stay at hostels by Travis at Flashpacker HQ

Travis has given a great list of reasons to stay at hostels. This is exactly why we love to stay at them. The atmosphere is great, the price is cheap and the locations are usually in prime position.

Travel Inspiration

Lessons I’ve Learned in 29 years by Jenny from Where is Jenny

Even though this is a post about lessons learned from life, I have put it under my travel inspiration category because it is really inspiring and most of these lessons I myself learned through travel. If you read my comment in the post you will find a great term that goes with lesson 22.

Travel Thoughts

This time Last Year by Adam at World Travel For Couples

Adam talks about his return from traveling around the world and how he is adjusting to life back home. This post oultines perfectly the emotions you go through and the challenges you encounter when trying to “settle” back home. The most powerful part of this piece is when Adam speaks of his inability to write about travel for so long- he turned his back on it as he found it unbearable to face the fact that he was not doing it. This happened to me. I shut down for 2 years and my life fell apart. Never turn your back on your passion, you can find other ways to live it- and life will rejoice with you as a result.

Travel Blogging

Travel blogging vs Travel Writing by Gary Arndt at Everything Everywhere

Not too long ago I wrote a very topical piece on Why I don’t Want to Be a Freelance Writer I think Gary’s post has outlined perfectly the differences between travel blogging and travel writing and it affirms for me exactly why I am focused purely on my travel blog.  I think travel bloggers come more from the mindset of an Entrepreneur- you have to think like this to stick with it, deal with the hard work and challenges and build your own brand. For some reason I could not post a comment on Gary’s post so I will put here what my comment was

“I think you have outlined perfectly the differences between travel blogging and travel writing. These are exactly the reasons why I stay away from freelancing. I wrote a post about this a few months ago that attracted a lot of discussion- it seems like quite the topical piece!
I read in a comment above that travel bloggers are entrepreneurs and I agree. I think you have to have that mindset to be in this game- it takes a lot of hard work, which may not get recognized for years. Blogging involves a lot of building your own brand. I love how you point out that in the blogging world, your readers are following you as opposed to following the stories. I couldn’t tell you the byline of one article I have read in a magazine from a travel writer. I’m not interested…. but I know the names of many travel bloggers, who I follow, because I like them and their story.
Blogging is about selling a brand and yourself. I love how I can just be myself on my blog, I can write what I want to write. I think there is so much power in this. And if you can do it well then you will have great success. People follow people.
Thanks Gary- nice to read this post and affirm my I’m on the “write” track with my thoughts and actions
P.S I’m not saying their is anything wrong with freelancing either- just not right for me”