Why Blog?


Three and a half years ago, I discovered blogging can be a really great alternative to sending postcards.  No need to have the correct currency for purchasing stamps, no  searching for mail boxes in unfamiliar places, plus the images you share are what you have actually seen while traveling.

Blogging is far easier than emailing, especially if you are sending photographs.  I learned the hard way that if you send a photo in ONE email to multiple recipients, your usage is calculated by multiplying the size of that attachment times the number of recipients.  When you blog, you only burn through the MBs it takes to upload and post the attachments. BIG difference, especially if you are blogging from someplace without free internet or with a very SLOW connection.

My blog has become a way to stay in touch with my family and friends while traveling–to share the excitement I feel when discovering new places, people and cultures with those who, for whatever reason, don’t wander as much as I do.

I will confess to being concerned that my blog might appear to be too “look at me, look at ME and what I’m doing”.  I also recognize that my life might not be so fascinating to others.  Sometimes it isn’t all that fascinating to ME, if the truth be told.

Then I discovered other bloggers.  It took a little effort to slog through all those financial blogs to find the retirement ones focused on making the most of this wonderful and exciting stage of life!  And I realized that I thoroughly enjoyed how my new virtual buddies shared their thoughts, experiences, travels, photos.  I’m following a diverse group of essayists, humorists, travelers and photographers. That made me think that maybe, just maybe, others would enjoy my contributions as much as I enjoy theirs, and helped me get over my New England reticence.

An unexpected blogging bonus was meeting one of my favorite bloggers face to face when we both happened to be in San Francisco at the same time.  (If you ever wondered why any one would want to visit Antarctica, just spend a little time perusing her posts on Travelpod. )  One of these days, with a little luck and a lot of planning, Nancy and I will share an adventure that won’t be virtual.

Next week I’m off to Mexico for another Global Volunteers adventure.  I hope you’ll come along!

 

Published by

Shelley

I am intensely curious, with a spirit of adventure that is tempered by my very strong aversion to anything with potential to cause pain. I love travel, photography, reading, gardening, yoga, music and propelling myself through space (biking, dancing, walking, dancing while walking). I've never considered a lack of proficiency in any of the previous activities to be a hindrance, counting on abundant enthusiasm to make up for my shortcomings.

11 thoughts on “Why Blog?”

  1. Shelley, if you hadn’t mentioned me I was planning to comment that it was great to meet you and Mike in San Francisco. Your blogs are so YOU that I felt I had known you for ages! Enjoy Mexico and the welcome break it will bring from your latest snowstorm. I’ll look forward to reading your posts.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, I felt exactly the same about you. I glad that we are now Facebook friends so I don’t have to depend only on your blog to find out what you are up to.

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    1. I’m glad you will be my virtual companion, although one of these days we be doing the same VBT trip, and we can think up the quiz questions together over multiple glasses of wine.

      In August of 2011, I stayed at the Hotel Vitranc in Podkoren, and have photos similar to your blog photo. How many months/years did I miss you by?

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      1. Oh for crying out loud – we went in Sept 2012. Wasn’t it fabulous? We LOVED our guides – Damien and Matej (probably both misspelled). Wouldn’t that have been something to meet serendipitously in Slovenia?!?

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      2. Damjen was our guide too. When he and his girlfriend had a connecting flight through Newark, we picked them up at the airport and had them spend the night with us. He’s one of my Facebook friends so he lets me know when he’ll be in the area. All us biker chicks love him!
        Samo was our other guide.

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