The Challenges Of Travelling As A Blogger

I don’t travel the way I used to when I was not a blogger. Earlier I used to travel just for myself, but today I travel for everybody else too. The constant need to strike a balance between doing my own thing and creating content for my readers is challenging. But, I’m not complaining. Blogging is fun.

Also read: Why I Like Being A Travel Blogger

To keep myself sane, I try to preserve the idea that blogging is a way to retain your travel memories. So, travel first, blog later. Although I have turned into a full-time professional travel blogger, I still try to be a raw, spontaneous and an honest traveller.

My idea of travel blogging is to follow my heart and inspire people to do the same. Perhaps that is why I don’t like to narrow down my travel preferences. I do budget travel if I don’t have money, but if I have money, I like to splurge on a good hotel. I am fascinated by villages, but I love cities as well. I like culture and local charm, and I also like nature trails. I like slow, do-nothing, and comfy travel, and I also like rough, dusty journeys.

Sikkim and Gujarat were two of my roughest travels, while I had a chance to pamper myself at a resort in Coastal Karnataka. And yes, I like to do offbeat things and I also enjoy the clichéd stuff. So, I really want to be free to travel the way I like. I don’t want to have the constraint of travelling in a certain way because that’s what goes with my image. No, I cannot do that, and neither should you!

Travel is the way to experience life. It’s the most worthwhile thing to do in your lifetime.

So, what are the challenges that I face as a traveller because I’m a blogger, too?

The Challenges Of Travelling As A Blogger

I have to take photos of everything.

Although taking photos is a joy for me, I don’t really enjoy documenting something through photos. I mean I don’t want to take photos of my bathroom in a hotel or even a monument, just for the sake of documenting it. I need to feel inspired to take a photo of something.

Also read: The Joy Of Soaking In A Place Without Taking Photos

I cannot sip my coffee or eat my food without taking a photo.

As a blogger, I have to take photos of everything I eat and drink. Sometimes I annoy my companions, too, because even they cannot dig in until I take a picture of what they are eating (perhaps that’s why I prefer travelling alone). The food has to look presentable. And, coffee! There’s this instance, in Adelaide, where I ordered coffee and it turned cold because I took too long in working out the camera angle.

Also read: Why I Like Travelling Solo

I find social media a bit too much to handle.

I love blogging about my travel experiences, but I find social media a job. Earlier it was just Facebook. Now it’s Instagram posts and stories, YouTube videos, Twitter and so many other channels! It’s too overwhelming sometimes. I’m not saying that all of it is not fun, but when you have to do all of that regularly, it kind of becomes a task. I find it funny to take a video just for my Instagram story.

I’m too camera shy for a video.

Videos are not my forte. But, if you are a travel blogger today, you have to make videos of each place that you visit. And, the more you show yourself, the better it is. I’m just too shy to appear in my videos. As a traveller, I didn’t have to worry about these things. But, as a blogger, I have to come out of my comfort zone to be able to churn out content the way people like to see it today.

Also read: Travel Blogs Have Redefined ‘Travel’

I have to make sure I have internet wherever I go.

There are times when I’m dying to post something stunning on social media and I don’t have internet connectivity. So, no matter how beautiful and pristine my surroundings are, I cannot savour it without thinking about Wi-Fi.

I have to make notes wherever I go.

There are people who like to make notes wherever they go, and it’s a really good habit. But, making notes doesn’t come naturally to me. I know as a writer, I should be doing that. However, the thing with me is that I like to enjoy a place with spontaneity and abandonment.

Also read: How To Be A ‘Happy’ Travel Blogger

I have to plan my blog posts in advance.

I don’t know if other bloggers would agree with me, I find it important to have a rough idea of what to write about a certain destination even before your trip begins. I do plan my blog posts in my mind, in advance, so that I explore the place accordingly. For instance, I always know that I need a good photo essay post, so I make sure that I take photos in a manner that the true essence of a place is captured.

Also read: 8 Best Moments Of My Blogging Journey

What about you? Do you also feel that blogging has changed the way you travel now?

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