Are we "bores" with our travel stories? (page 11 of 16)

What a mix of opinions on travel journals and blogs! 😄

Pitting "useful journal" against "personal journal"—fair enough! You mention caricature, but you’ll probably agree that the two can blend... sometimes one or the other, sometimes both. A journal can be written in the first person, share feelings without being narcissistic, and still include practical info that readers can pick up along the way or separately.

Concretely, a review of a destination, what we felt here or there, is subjective and really only concerns the author.

Concretely, yes... but it can also give a hint (or even influence) if the reader seems to relate to a certain way of traveling.

As for the "useful" side you seem to favor, you yourself call it "maybe less interesting"... so that ties into the boring part! 😉

The useful can’t have any purpose other than to inform... more or less well, more or less clearly. It can’t be linked to the pleasure of reading, but rather to a certain convenience. This way of delivering information has its place just as much as the more personal journal, but isn’t it easier to find info in a guidebook, go straight to the page you need, or the right section online? It’s true you won’t find everything in guidebooks, but how many journals will you have to go through before finding the info you want?

Anyway, we’re going in circles... 😏 There’s something for every taste, and what seems boring to some will be appreciated by others!

😉 totally ming, just like we often go in circles on a forum! I agree with what you're saying, you agree, everyone agrees, it's a party!! 🙂

everyone does what they want..

You wouldn’t think so reading you...

it’s not about traveling down to the last millimeter, but about knowing a little more about the place you’re visiting.

So why pile on the details before leaving?

The people who dig up the most precise info are usually the ones who can’t imagine a trip without first putting together a hefty road book—even if the destination is super touristy and well-marked.

I say sharing info is more useful

Missing a letter: I say sharing info is more useful to me

talking about your life or your trip is more subjective.

Yeah, generally speaking. That’s partly what makes it interesting to me.

I said no, you said yes..

Even if I rearrange the words, that’s not what I said...

Just that a travel journal is more gripping than a litany of prices, schedules, or (good or bad, depending on taste—super subjective too) addresses if it’s got that little something extra that hooks the reader—whether it’s words, humor, photos...

A travel journal can be just as boring as an informative one, but that’s okay because by the first message you realize it and don’t read the rest.

And a travel journal will stand the test of time, while an informative one has a built-in obsolescence as short as a mobile phone’s—even shorter if the country starts its tourism boom.

The term "airport novel" came up in this thread... it could make a great theme for a novel set in a train station, with all its social interactions, forgotten luggage, delayed trains, and travelers missing their rides.

It's the story of a returnee who, by reading him, you understand why he chose another mode of expression: video. And since one must justify their inclinations, he claims it’s superior to others. To the point of seriously considering summarizing entire countries in a single video without commentary.

Someone who awkwardly hijacks (the first to write 'video') the topic of this interesting discussion for the thinly veiled benefit of his blog. To the point of getting tangled in his own ideas.

He first gathers opinions from the crème de la crème of the 'Thoughts' section (one displaying intellectual dishonesty) and then from the forum’s elite, as he puts it.

A Narcissus unaware of himself.

(I hope the click-throughs live up to his expectations).

I often criticize practical posts for being limiting.

Okay, but what makes a travel blog appealing?

The same thing that makes a travel journal appealing—a style...

For a uniquely practical side, I don’t see it.

Maybe a style too, but with even more talent to make it go down smoothly.

Actually, I think the truly practical side of a trip is found more in answers to questions you ask than in a generic travel journal that isn’t necessarily tailored to your own needs.

By asking questions, you usually get more precise, up-to-date info that aligns better with your way of traveling—aside from those few old-timers who ramble on, and you never know if they’re talking about their 1970s adventures or their quiet trip from yesterday.

After all, an author doesn’t necessarily write to be appealing. But also to relive their trip and keep the memory in an easily accessible virtual space.

For a purely practical side, I don’t see it.

On the contrary. When planning my trips, I start from the principle that for any weird place or unusual experience, there’s someone who’s written about it on their site. I check out dozens of blogs looking for gems, and then I dig deeper into my research, using the power of Google (with the - operator). Of course, there are plenty of blogs I skim through quickly. But others grab my attention more, and I even end up checking out other destinations...

Actually, the misunderstanding or miscommunication might come from the fact that no one gives the same definition to "travel journal" or "practical guide"...? Travel-oriented websites with loads of practical information are rarely just a list of prices... there’s always some text behind it, a hidden opinion, an experience. And the information on these kinds of sites is something we need at one point or another: which path should I take to get there faster? Which part of the beach is better for snorkeling? Or where am I most likely to see a particular animal in a park? I want to go to Caño Cristales in Colombia—how do I book, which agency seems good...? And all the answers provided by useful blogs come from experience. So yes, consulting "useful" blogs saves a *ton* of time. It’s kind of like passing on knowledge: you struggle to find info, and when you get back, you think of others so they don’t struggle like you did or waste time like you did. You share the info you wish you’d had before leaving... When planning a trip, a practical guide (or practical blog) is often the best source for all this info. It has nothing to do with planning down to the last detail. A paper guidebook will rarely, if ever, tell you that taking this little path on the right gives you a much better view, for example, or that there are other cool spots to visit, or that in this part of a coral reef, there’s a moray eel hiding, or that going this way helps you avoid a scam... in short;

And a travel journal can certainly be well-written, to the point of grabbing attention or admiration or even inspiring a calling... but personally, I’ve read so many blogs or travel journals searching for info and never found anything—no style, no useful details, just "I went there, and I loved it"... that I have a really bad impression of them. They’ve never helped me plan a trip. Like you all say, a site that blends a travel journal with a real writing style *and* practical info—and does it well—is the ideal, but those are rare...

Maybe it’s this difference in approach—searching for info vs. searching for escape—that makes us not always agree... After that, Atila, I agree with you: running a practical blog is a double constraint because, on top of writing, you also have to keep it updated... especially when it’s just a hobby. It’s a choice you have to think about when you have a blog, because it’s true that it takes time, and after a while, it can get annoying to take notes while traveling, knowing that in two years, the info will be outdated... 🙁

I don’t quite see the connection with practical blogs and this.

When planning my trips, I start from the principle that for any weird place or unusual experience, there’s someone who’s written about it on their site.

A blog or a practical travel journal is about addresses, opening hours, prices.

Unusual experiences and weird places don’t seem to fit into that category—they feel more like part of a travel story or narrative blog. ???

Well, yes, reading "useful" blogs does save a considerable amount of time

But that’s not what makes you want to travel.

And that kind of blog or travel journal will only be read by someone who’s already planned that destination.

You don’t stumble upon that kind of blog/journal by accident. And you only pick out what you need from it.

Besides, this idea of saving time really gets me thinking. Why try to save time on something as enjoyable as planning a trip????

So they don’t waste time like you did... get there faster?... it takes time

It’s a habit...

But you rarely stumble upon a blog by accident, right? Most people who read them are interested in a specific destination. After that, they might explore the blog and read other things, but that’s often the starting point...

And sharing practical info doesn’t stop you from talking about your experiences, your visit itinerary, or telling anecdotes—it’s not all one or the other!

we’re going in circles... - "I really like travel journals" - "I’m not that interested, I prefer info to plan my trip" - "Really?? But I love travel journals.." - "Oh yeah?? No, you know... I prefer practical sites" - "Oh, is that true??? But travel journals are dreamy" - "No, practical info is useful" - "I waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant my journaaaaaaaaaaaal....!!!!!" - "Alright, fine, here’s your journal... but wouldn’t you like a little practical tip before you leave.... no???"

Talking to a brick wall... Every now and then I come to chat in a thread, but most of the time I leave exhausted from spinning in an endless roundabout!! 🙂

Generally, all discussions where people share their opinions just go in circles. Because everyone has their own opinion, the next person won’t agree, someone else will argue in favor of their own view, and in the end, everyone leaves with the same ideas. It’s like most debates: pointless.

Overall, all the discussions where people share their opinions just go in circles. Because everyone has their own opinion, the next person won’t agree, another will argue in favor of theirs, and in the end, everyone leaves with the same ideas. It’s like most debates: pointless.

There are also people who are open-minded enough to look beyond their own perspective—people you can have constructive debates with, consider others’ arguments, and even be convinced to reconsider your own viewpoint. Yes, they really exist. I’ve even been on forums where everyone was like that—kind when reading others’ posts, and it was a real pleasure to debate. It has to be said, though—it was a different time back then, since the internet is still so new.

That’s not the issue. It seems we’re discussing things in a calm and open way, but that doesn’t mean people who don’t like reading travel journals will suddenly start enjoying them, etc.

It *is* a matter of exchanging points of view—it can be interesting (which is why I read these kinds of threads), but after a while, once everyone’s shared their opinion with explanations, well, we just end up going in circles.

But you rarely stumble upon a blog by accident, right?

When you're looking for information, you might come across a blog.

But on this forum, you can read a travel journal without searching for info. Just because the title, the author, or the first few words caught your eye.

It’s not all one or the other!

A reading journal:

https://voyageforum.com/discussion/coree-du-nord-coree-nord-d144695/

An informative trip report:

https://voyageforum.com/discussion/retour-voyage-mozambique-conseils-pratico-pratique-d8705456/

More of a reading experience:

https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=7237396;#7237396

More of an informative post:

https://voyageforum.com/discussion/4-jours-istanbul-d9230242/

Only the 2nd and 4th will have readers looking for specifics.

hey cold (or should I say, hey runny nose?), I’m stepping slightly out of the discussion (which seems endless and ultimately pointless) to ask you what you think makes the key to a constructive discussion?

Because let’s be honest, some people—once they jump in—it just goes in circles… and even if we admit we can understand certain points of view, the person (or people) in question stubbornly keeps repeating themselves and making others repeat things endlessly… (and I’m sure they think the same about the other side). It’s tough under those conditions not to get annoyed, not to slip into personal judgments (because you start wondering if the person is all there), and to stay constructive, right? On an open question like this, everyone gives their opinion. Once they’ve shared their take, both sides clash to make the other admit that one point of view is better than the other. Everyone digs in. Once both sides realize they can’t change the other’s mind, we move on to the phase of "I’m judging you because if you don’t get it, you must be stupid"… and in the end, everyone looks at each other and says… "Wait, what was the question again?"…

On an open-ended question like this, everyone gives their opinion. Once they’ve shared their views, both sides clash to make the other admit that one point of view is better than the other. Everyone digs in. Once both sides realize they can’t change the other’s mind, we move on to the "I’m judging you because if you don’t get it, you must be stupid" phase… and in the end, people just look at each other and say, "Wait, what was the question again?"…

That’s actually a pretty good summary of the usual process! 🙂 But honestly, at a certain point, what the question was doesn’t matter at all! What counts is the debate (or should I say the free-for-all!) and, above all, the clash! Some TV shows thrive on that!

That’s actually a good summary of the usual process!

And even then, VF is a model of its kind (thanks to moderation). I’ve been hanging out on forums since the last century, and the early days—especially on unmoderated forums—were way more brutal. We were closer to trench warfare than a casual chat...