Are we "bores" with our travel stories? (page 14 of 16)

a concrete example: a travel journal about India, telling the story of the Taj Mahal, showing photos; no interest to me, I’ll just go on Google, type Taj Mahal, and I’ll know and see way more. But the story with a photo of the meal eaten at the restaurant after visiting the Taj Mahal—that, as someone who loves Indian cuisine, interests me. I won’t find that on Google.

in that case, I find it way more interesting than all the travel journals that are just copy-pasted from guidebooks

Often with texts that are poorer in vocabulary and expressions. And on top of that, terrible photos taken in a rush with a phone. Everything’s there: the blur, the bad framing, the off-center shots, no focus, cut-off feet, etc.

The craziest part is the number of people who gush and congratulate the author for their "beautiful" photos. Hard to tell if it’s their eyes or their brains that are damaged—or both.

For me, it’s a mystery: those who praise both the participants who share great photos *and* those who dare to post a mess of images you wouldn’t even want in your attic. Yet they’re not running for office or anything. Oh well, some questions will just remain unanswered!

I totally agree with you! What I love reading in travel journals are personal anecdotes. For history or geography lessons, I’ve got Google and *Le Routard*!

And you’ll forgive my profile pic with a 45° horizon 😄

And you’ll forgive my profile pic with a 45° horizon 😄

Gladly, since it’s not a photo but a selfie. Plus, with a bit (if I may say so) of editing, you can get this:

I deliberately didn’t retouch it because, well, it’s a selfie, and we’re always more forgiving with selfies. Plus, when you straighten the horizon, the framing is just awful—cut right under my head. Otherwise, I’m *very* careful about wonky horizons! 😄

Uhhh, it's the guy taking the photo and you're the one in it.

So not a selfie...

The issue with this photo, retouched or not, isn't the chin. It's the cropped background.

Normally, a selfie is to say "I was here."

But here, well, we have no idea where "here" is.

It could be any beach, anywhere...

Oh, don't stress about it like that! On the one I posted for my travel journal, you can clearly see which beach it was. It's just an avatar photo, to put a face to a username.

The issue with this photo, edited or not, isn’t the chin. It’s the cropped background.

A cropped background is pretty much unavoidable with a 45° angle shot... Otherwise, you’d have to photograph with a short focal length in "fisheye" mode. The downside of "fisheye" is that it gives the photo a spherical look 🙂

I’m reviving this discussion, which still seems relevant given the various comments on some travel journal topics and others.

New feature for VF travel journals:

- Limit of 300 photos (economic reason)

-- /--

The travel journal will be displayed in the thread of categories with the first photo uploaded.

I think it’s important to choose this first photo carefully. It’s what will make VF members want to click—or not—along with the introductory sentence.

Besides, it seems to me this applies to all opened topics.

Hi Agnes,

New feature for VF travel journals: }[...]

Display of the journal in the thread of categories with the first photo saved.

I think it’s important to choose this first photo carefully. It’s what will make VF members want to click—or not—along with the introductory sentence.

Nope. In neither of my 2 travel journals is the hook photo the first one I posted.

Catherine

The first photo posted is the featured photo unless the VF team replaces it with another one. (Well, I think it’s the VF team and not a random choice.)

Not sure if all discussions and travel journals are read by the moderation team. So, to make sure the featured photo isn’t like the one in this journal, it’s better to put an enticing photo as your first one...

a photo that’s a little tempting...

Like that photo of Korean pork soup with hard-boiled eggs... That one really grabs you! 😉

New messages were written about travel journals, but not in the right topic. I’m taking the liberty of reproducing them here along with their authors’ names:

Jojoone1:

Yep, yep. Thread where I’d already chimed in Cool It’s true that when I reread myself, I sometimes come off as pretty stiff. Guess I just say things straight the way I see ‘em—I must get that from my mom.

Thread started back in the day by Jemaflor, who quoted an author whose words had me laughing because there was nothing but truth in ‘em. Those slide projections after vacations when I was a kid—I could never get enough. Other people’s travel photos, when they weren’t interesting? That was pure suffering endured out of politeness.

It was kinda surprising that it was Jemaflor who started this kind of topic, given how he makes amazing travel journals that don’t get nearly enough praise. Such is life.

Jojoone1:

Phew, we’re saved—these journals didn’t stop. When someone doesn’t care too much about others, they’re often immune to criticism. There’s one journal I kept following, especially since the author’s really nice. The other one? Not possible. Too bad, the subject interested me, and there were unique stops. But you get it—mom in almost every photo? Not for me.

Though, you could argue that if just one person does that, it adds a touch of originality and diversity to the journals... Crazy Right? She already had a unique tone and raw but honest reflections I didn’t mind, and I saw you agreed.

Now, apart from that, there’s also a pet peeve you have to put up with in these journals: the infamous line “Can I tag along?” or “Is there room for me in your 4x4?” It’s a cute phrase the first five times you read it, even if you unconsciously sense it’s a bit silly. It’s the gimmick that lighthearted folks can repeat endlessly with delight—and that quickly grates on others. Seriously, after a while, some people find it exasperating. Sometimes you get a whole page of it in a journal, and honestly, it just doesn’t work. It’s like those phrases people repeat nonstop the second they hear or read them somewhere—like “it’s good for the planet” or “consume in moderation.”

Sure, the intention is good at first. It really depends on whether you like the fluff. And as others would say, it’s still better than indifference.

Montagnard74:

Hey Joël, While I totally get the rejection of the “family album” (since, like you, the subject interested me—wink wink), I think you’re being a bit harsh on the famous 4x4 phrase. It’s a way (admittedly a bit cheesy) to signal to the author that they’re not alone in their journal (even if the view count doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of participants). Since I sense you’re on a roll, I’ll let you suggest more to your taste for lighthearted folks and marshmallow lovers to encourage authors to keep going (because if no one reads the journals, what’s the point?)

There’s one travel journal I kept following, especially since the author is nice. The other one, it just wasn’t possible.

The annoying thing about this journal is that the author completely ignores the cost of publishing it. Three journals for the same trip just to bypass the 300-photo rule—so typically French...

For the rest, everyone can do as they please. No one’s forced to read a travel journal, and if you start a thread and realize after a while that it’s getting on your nerves, there’s the magic button: Unfollow!😛

Hi,

Phew, we’re saved—these travel journals haven’t stopped. When someone doesn’t care too much about others, they’re often immune to criticism. There’s one journal I kept following, especially since the author’s really nice. The other one? Not possible. Too bad, the topic interested me, and there were some unique stops. But you get it—mom in almost every photo? No way for me.

Then again, you might say that if just one person does that, it adds a touch of originality and diversity to the journals... Crazy, right? She already had a unique tone and raw but honest thoughts I didn’t mind, and I saw you agreed.

Now, apart from that, there’s also this language tic you have to put up with sometimes in journals: the infamous phrase “can I tag along?” or “is there room for me in your 4x4?” It’s a cute phrase the first five times you read it, even if you unconsciously sense it’s a bit silly. It’s the kind of gimmick lighthearted people can repeat endlessly with delight—and that quickly grates on others. Seriously, after a while, some people find it exasperating. Sometimes you get a whole page of it in a journal, and honestly, it just doesn’t work. It’s like those expressions people repeat nonstop the second they hear or read them somewhere—like “it’s good for the planet” or “consume in moderation.”

Sure, the intention’s good at first. It really depends on whether you like marshmallow fluff. And as others would say, it’s still better than indifference.

What I appreciate about the photos in the incriminated “family album” journal is that the ever-present, stiff shots of the lady aren’t polished at all. In a sea of artificially curated faces—where obsessive ego-image control is the norm online—it feels refreshingly real. And kind of funny.

As for the predictable, repetitive “tagging along in 4x4s” thing (which is a hard no: ugh, the closeness! Can you imagine your skin rubbing against your neighbor’s with every bump in the road? 🤪), a little indulgence, maybe? Who cares, really!

The beauty of online conversations is that you can quickly skip what bores or annoys you and just pick out what interests you—you just need a little practice with selective reading/viewing.

Have a great Sunday!

Cat

New messages were written about travel journals but not in the right topic. I’m taking the liberty of reposting them here with their authors’ names:

Copying posts from elsewhere, taking them out of context to steer a discussion that might have continued naturally on its own is kind of confusing. 😐

What’s annoying about this travel journal...

This famous travel journal that everyone’s talking about without ever actually quoting it...

...is that they don’t give a damn about the cost of publishing it.

Seriously?

Copying messages posted elsewhere, extracting them from their context to steer a discussion that might have continued spontaneously on its own is perplexing. Dubious.

It would indeed have been possible to ask the moderators to move them here. 🙂

That famous travel journal everyone talks about without ever citing it...

A little mystery doesn’t hurt. Besides, those journals aren’t that hard to find...

Seriously?

Yes.

Agnes, your text shifts are confusing me! I’m not enough of a stickler to notice that kind of mistake. Whether it’s written here or elsewhere doesn’t bother me...

What *does* bother me is the little debate started by Jojoone about a certain travel journal. I feel bad for its author! Would you have the courage to say that to their face? As for the 4x4, so what? 🤪 I think the expression is pretty nice, good-natured, and encouraging for the author of the journal.

See, all of that bothers me less than the bad vibes in the Asia section, where sarcasm, mockery, and other mean-spirited comments are spread by members whose pretentiousness is constantly competing. I’d heard about it but thought it had calmed down.

Hi Agnes

3 travel journals for the same trip to bypass the 300-photo rule—so typically French...

The trip lasts over a month and is a multi-stop journey. Some people take four one-week trips in the same country over the same total duration and get to have 1,200 photos without any issue.

Catherine