Writing about travel can be a great way to let other people know about some of the best places to go as you encounter them and will also give you your own write-up of your experiences to look back on when you want to remember your adventures. If you write for a travel site like this one, or even have your own travel blog, then you generally have the choice between either writing about places while you are there or waiting until you get home to write and post your pieces.
Why Blog on Location?
There can be a lot of advantages to writing while you are actually away. You can write while everything is fresh in your mind, without having to check back online to try and remember exactly what you had to eat at that restaurant, or exactly what your hotel was like. You’ll also be sure to get any photos you need, rather than writing a piece later and really wishing you had a shot of something specific to go with it that you didn’t take. You’ll also get your content up faster and may be able to reply to comments and questions while you are still on location. However, being able to have everything you need to be able to blog while you travel does take some planning.
The Right Device
Obviously the first thing you will need is something to actually write on. Some people are comfortable with writing on a phone or tablet without a keyboard, but for others a keyboard is a necessity. This means either taking your laptop with you or getting a Bluetooth keyboard that you can use with your mobile devices. Bear in mind that if you are using a laptop, you will need to take it with you to where you plan to go to get a Wi-Fi connection. If your plan is to use the hotel Wi-Fi and you have checked that your accommodation has this, then this isn’t really an issue. However, if you were planning to use more public Wi-Fi in bars, restaurants and cafes, then you may find lugging your laptop around a nuisance, or, depending on your destination, you may be uncomfortable about having an obviously valuable item on your person while walking around.
The Right Connection
You should therefore look into where you’ll be able to connect in advance, and which device will be best suited to that. Consider also the platform you want to write on. Does it require you to be connected to the internet just to write, or only to post? If it is just to post, you could write offline and then post from a different device.
Be aware that wherever you are, you should treat data security and recovery as even more of a priority than at home. Networks you use may not always be secure, so things like VPNs can be helpful, and you’ll also want good, secure backups in case anything happens to your devices while you are traveling.
If you have thought through all of this, you should find you can blog securely and comfortably from your travel destination!
