So I’m a bad blogger, and I don’t update often enough. But when I do update, it’s genuine. Which is why I’m not going to Malta. But I probably need to back up and explain:
Malta is running a campaign which sees them sponsoring 72 travel bloggers to visit in 2014
In some ways this is why I’ve always been somewhat ambivalent about travel blogging. The big names, the famous ones, all have the same business model: build a big “personal brand”, have lots of followers and fans – get free travel from sponsors and make real money doing the conference circuit.
Lis socking up the delights of a 5-star hotel in Phuket – booked for about $30/night because it was “off” season. Click the photo for more info on Phuket, Thailand.
For me that model doesn’t work:
- no sponsor is going to fly me 1/2 way around the world, to Europe or the USA – living in NZ is a disadvantage like that;
- I don’t like tours – not even free ones. Plus I like travelling with my partner,
- I didn’t want to build a personal brand – they take a lot of time, and you end up having to keep working at it to keep the money coming in.
Plus I used to think travel blogs were cool: they told the real story and gave real information, none of that information is forthcoming when the blogger was picked up at the airport and installed in the local 5-star hotel and then picked up for a guided tour.
I might as well just read a National Geographic piece, or the travel section in the traditional media – also sponsored but generally better written with better photos.
So this is the deal – this is where this blog is going. I will update this from useful information from my travels. This doesn’t always work out real-time – because I’m like traveling – not stuck behind the laptop!
Plus there is nothing more boring that reading an actual travel journal – it’s hard to write a reasonable piece about a trip when you are in the middle of it!
My Business Model
Just to be clear -this isn’t an altruistic blog. I write it for several reasons:
- I’d love it if you’d buy my travel books – they’re the result of real travel experience;
- to promote my freelance writing skills (yes I’m for hire for writing);
- from time-to-time I make money from affiliates such as Amazon.
Next Trip
On the 20th April I head to the East Coast USA – visiting relatives in Philadelphia and New Orleans and road tripping between the two. We’re on the road until early June.
For a more real time experience of following my travels check out:
- my photos on trover
- quick updates on Bubblews(don’t read if you are offended by poor spelling and grammar! )