I was reading Johnny Jet's post last week on 10 great travel resources to follow on Twitter and thought that some readers might also want to check out some of the really good travel bloggers out there.
Not too long ago, I started an interview series on my website, Go, See, Write, called The Lucky 13 Questions -- where I asked some of the best travel writers on the web 13 mostly irrelevant and non-travel related questions. So in that spirit today, I thought I'd give you 13 travel bloggers you should check out, read, and hopefully start following.
I am assuming if you are on the Huffington Post Travel section, you are a lover of travel. No doubt you have read numerous issues of Travel and Leisure or National Geographic Traveler or have browsed through a guidebook or three thinking, reading, and dreaming about travel.
These folks give you the excellent writing, photography, travel tips and insight you would find in magazines, but don't charge a dime for it online. If you are a travel lover and aren't addicted to some of them yet, I apologize, because you are about to add to the things that take up hours of your normal week.
- Fox Nomad by Anil Polat. Anil is one of the most knowledgable technology travelers out there today. Aside from being incredibly well traveled (he just spent a few weeks in northern Iraq), if you have any questions about how to cheaply use an unlocked cell phone on the road, or work around internet blocks in countries like China, or any other technology question you can think of, his website is the one for you.
- Fevered Mutterings by Mike Sowden. Mike is a Brit. I mention this because if you don't appreciate dry British humor, you may want to pass on reading his stuff. But if you like travel writing with a insightful and thoughtful slant -- and also with a British sensibility -- Mike is your guy.
- Johnny Vagabond by Wes Nations. Wes is going to read this, I am sure, so I want to make sure he and everyone else takes this as a compliment. I have followed him and read his stuff since before he started traveling on his current long journey. He's a hell of a lot better now than he's ever been before. His photography is truly great and improving with every post. And no one seems to get into more unusual and entertaining, situations than him. Go read his post on getting into a poker scam in Vietnam or check out his Ganges River photos and tell me you disagree -- he is turning into an amazing talent.
- Canvas of Light by Daniel Nahabedian. Best travel photographer on the internet. There is no reason to beat around the bush. If you want to get carried away with the joy of an amazing photo -- go check out Daniel's stuff.
- The Aussie Nomad by Chris Richardson. Chris is a personal friend and one that I want to get traveling again! He's stopped for a bit in London to do some work (though he is taking weekend trips all over Europe and writing about them). He gives some of the most straightforward and direct backpacking advice out there -- worth reading, if only for his dollar by dollar breakdowns of what it costs to visit European cities on a backpacker's budget.
- Bacon is Magic by Ayngelina Brogan. As the title of her blog might lead you to think, Ayngelina is a serious foodie. She's traveling through Central and South America on an extended journey and although she writes about much more than food, it is those posts that I try to make sure I haven't read if I am hungry.
- Wandering Trader by Marcello Arrambide. I just recently 'found' Marcello and although I love his website, I think I like his unique story even more. His life story and background is fascinating, but what I find really cool now is that he's traveling around the world, while making money day trading in the U.S. stock market (ergo the website's name). He just got back from Antarctica and his photos from there are great.
- Wandering Earl by Derek Earl Baron. Earl is my idol. He has been traveling constantly since 2000. Think about that for a minute. More than a decade on the road. Like Anil, he also just recently visited northern Iraq and you can get lost on his site for days at a time, reading about his various adventures.
- Two Backpackers by Jason and Aracely. I have a special admiration for couples that can successfully manage long-term travel. I am still looking for someone I can travel with for a couple weeks without getting aggravated, so couples that can travel together for months and years impress me mightily. Jason and Aracely are knocking around in South America right now and their stories and photos will inspire you.
- The Planet D by Dave and Deb. Another traveling couple that I admire, Dave and Deb had some of the best and most interesting answers of anyone yet on my Lucky 13 series. Their photos are National Geographic-quality and their writing isn't far from it.
- Where is Jenny? by Jenny Leonard. Most of the bloggers mentioned are veterans of the travel blogging community. Jenny is more of a newbie, but she's making a quick impression. She's actually yet to take the road, but her preparation posts make it clear that she is going to cast a long shadow once she gets out there. Look for lots of adventure from this young, tech-savvy skateboarder and wordsmith.
- Beers and Beans by Beth and Randy. Beth and Randy are also travel photographers, but they intersperse great photos with some truly interesting written content. Their website is simply beautiful -- clean, well organized and so full of material that will keep you entertained for longer than you intend.
- Freedonia Post by Joel Ward. Joel is funny. Really funny. Go to his site, click on the Brain Drops links and start there. He's got an amazing eye for the oddities of the road. Once you have been enchanted by the Brain Drops, wander around and check out the rest.
Well, I'll give you a bonus one also. Unbravegirl, otherwise known as Sally. Sally has a special place in my heart for two reasons: she is one of the few travel bloggers that is actually somehow less tech savvy than I am and, like me, her posts tend towards the long-winded. Normally a bad way to write for the short attention span of the internet, but I challenge you to go read a few of her posts and somehow not be enchanted enough to make it all the way through. Funny, snarky, thoughtful -- she's a great read and some smart book agent should snap her up now, because her form is perfect for that format.
So there you go. If you go and give these folks a chance, I bet you are going to agree with me that some of the finest travel writing out there today is not in magazines or books, but is right there for free on the internet. Pass the good word to your friends -- the more people reading good writing, the better for good writing. Enjoy.
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Cheers!
Forget Eat, Pray, Love - reading posts from my fellow travel bloggers has helped me to laugh, learn and live.
Stories from couples, solo guys and girls even entire families are out there travelling the world and documenting it all online. Why pay 10-20-30 dollars for a book that can't come close to explaining things the way they can.