What is a travel journal? (page 3 of 4)

Tourist visit accounts can feel really boring if they're poorly written.

I completely agree with this.

But you can talk about a plane journey in a somewhat literary way and with some really beautiful photos

Absolutely. I’m not particularly interested in planes, but I’ve enjoyed reading well-written travel stories about train trips.

Great idea, especially since you can write simple articles.

Hello,

The MyAtlas team, which Voyage Forum now belongs to, selects travel journals it wants to "feature" based on the following criteria:

The travel journal must be interesting even if you don’t know the author (not too many private photos, selfies, etc.) The travel journal shouldn’t focus too much on the side aspects of the trip (too many photos of hotels, food, planes, airports, etc.) Photos should be high quality (sufficient resolution, good framing, few failed shots, etc.) No promotional journals (for a travel agency, organization, hotel, guide, etc.) Get into the trip quickly (not too many introductory steps or preparations so the reader doesn’t get discouraged) Ideally, the travel journal doesn’t mention flights

Hi Michel,

If you don’t request it, the journal won’t be featured on MyAtlas. At least, that’s the case for mine. Maybe they’re too "boring"...😉

Good idea

I signed up on MyAtlas, it was easy. I wanted to create a journal, I followed the "instructions," but then it got more complicated: they absolutely want steps in the writing, except there aren’t any steps in my stories, and I can’t change anything. Too complicated for me. I give up 😛.

Conclusion: the "Reflections" and "Miscellaneous" sections on VF aren’t so bad for posting unclassifiable texts

Thanks to everyone who took part in this little diversion...

In your case, it's just a single-entry travel journal, that's all. 😛

So we learn that Herodotus isn’t involved in moderation. I would’ve happily voted for him as the champion of culture, rigor, and pedagogy, though!

Oh, surprise—Mr. Tatra isn’t either? So who *is* collaborating, then?

I’d love to know, but I guess I’m just an incorrigibly curious little traveler! 🙂

I think it was once requested that moderator members be clearly identified, but unfortunately, that request didn’t go through.

I figure if people knew about it, they’d be flooded with questions, criticisms, complaints, suggestions, and who knows what else.

Sure, but the link is skewed if someone wears two hats.

I think a member shouldn’t be a moderator. Or at least only to delete scam messages (selling medications, offering fake documents, or too-good-to-be-true investment schemes).

It ruins the vibe by creating generalized suspicion.

Of course, it makes you think about that. In my opinion, the site manager chose people they trusted and who had given them serious guarantees, under conditions we can't know. I'm willing to bet that even if we entrusted the management to an A.I., there would still be the same rate of dissatisfied people. I think we just have to deal with it.

I’m willing to bet that even if we handed management over to an A.I.

An A.I. could spot scams. I can’t imagine an A.I. being ready to pick up on all the subtleties and nuances of human interactions. 🤪

As for the rest of the moderation discussion, I’ll self-censor.

So, we now clearly and precisely know what a travel journal is for MyAtlas and thus for VF:

Hello,

In accordance with the Forum rules, a journal must include images. Otherwise, it’s not a journal and doesn’t belong in this section.

Best regards, Stéphanie

I received a PM referring to my so-called pseudo-journal "Scottish Wanderings," which was moved to Western Europe.

It’s really disappointing...

For your info, one of the most-read travel journals on VF—if not *the* most-read (it’s true it’s quite old)—only has 3 photos, and even then, just anecdotally.

It’s true that it dates from a time when most journals didn’t include any photos at all. Times change...

A journal focused on a very niche topic, almost off-topic, that was wildly successful with over 90,000 views. Who can top that?

https://voyageforum.com/v.f?do=post_view_flat;post=1458198;page=1;search_string=plate-forme%20petroliere;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=20;

Okay, we now clearly and precisely understand what a travel journal is for MyAtlas and thus for VF: [...] reference to my so-called pseudo-journal "Flâneries Ecossaises" transferred to Western Europe.

It's really sad...

Why keep banging your head or stomping your feet in front of a door you know will stay closed because it protects an unyielding position? 🙂 Why lock yourself into absurd intransigence and think that following a rule would mean selling your soul? 😕 Why establish (or submit to) a power struggle (lost from the start) that can only breed bitterness? 😐

What does a photo take away from the strength or interest of a text? 🙂

What does a photo take away from the power, the appeal, of a text? 🙂

I totally agree, especially since for me VF is first and foremost about information, but also discovery and entertainment—so a huge block of text without any breaks, and I’ll skip it right away. Without going overboard into a family photo album, either. It’s all about balance, really.

Hi there,

Here’s a clear and precise definition of what a travel journal is for MyAtlas and thus for VF:

Hello,

According to the Forum rules, a journal must include images. Otherwise, it’s not a journal and doesn’t belong in this section.

Best regards, Stéphanie

I received a PM referencing my so-called "Flâneries Ecossaises" pseudo-journal, which was moved to Western Europe.

It’s really disappointing...

I think it’s a shame you deleted your travel journal—I would’ve read it gladly.

Rigid rules are one solution. Another is sarcasm: toss in three crappy photos at the end of the text, completely pointless, just there to follow the rule, obviously there for the rule, and not giving a damn.

Catherine

slapping 3 crappy photos at the end of the text, with no interest, just there for the rule, blatantly there for the rule, and not giving a damn.

What do 3 photos, pretty, well-done, flattering, take away from the strength or interest of a text? 🙂 And Dolma does take photos, and sometimes beautiful ones.

Inflexibility is one solution. Another is derision: slapping 3 crappy photos at the end of the text, with no interest whatsoever, just there for the rule, obviously there for the rule, and not giving a damn. Catherine

Oh no, please, my eyes have suffered enough already! 😎

Hi Dolma,

"Travel journals, memorable souvenir descriptions, reports, travel accounts, etc."

I don’t see anywhere specifying that photos are mandatory in the section’s presentation?

If that’s now the case, it’d be best to mention it.

Today’s world is pretty image-driven. I guess that’s why photos are requested?

Still, for me, a text alone can also be a travel journal.

That said, having an image is definitely preferable. It acts as the cover of the journal.

Since some people cheat on the maximum number of photos, a journal without photos could also be misused...

You write part of your text on paper, photograph it, and insert it...😄

You write part of your text on paper, photograph it, and insert it...😄

So funny 😏😄