What constitutes a good travel blog?
How much information should be included?
Which topics do people like to read?
Do you read for information, enjoyment, curiosity or something else?
I have recently started thinking about developing a structure for blog entries, trying to formulate an outline of what posts will be like, partly to work out how to structure things so I can think about subjects as I’m cycling, but mainly to give readers an insight into how the blog will take shape. This process will hopefully make writing entries easier and less time …

I recently read a good article about planning, written by Leo Woodland over on crazyguyonabike. I especially like this quote, taken from a conversation the author had with a friend of his:
‘You know what I realised?’ he said with his habit of answering one question with another. ‘Away from civilisation you hardly need any money. And when you’re in civilisation, you think “Well, the roads are crowded, and that everywhere they’re selling cars and that cars get dirty in the rain.” So I go to garages and say I’m cycling …

“Plod forever, but never believe you are going to get there.”
Those are the words that Sir Ranulph Fiennes used to motivate himself on his third attempt to climb Everest.
At the age of 65 he shows us all that if we can control ourselves mentally and not allow negative thoughts to creep in, our bodies are capable of much more than we would ever believe.

“I’d love to travel, but I just don’t have the money.”
Have you ever heard anyone saying anything along these lines? Maybe you’ve even said it yourself.
Whenever I hear something like this I am reminded of a common misconception that all travel is expensive. I estimate that two people, on a self supported bicycle tour, camping four or five nights a week, cooking their own food, and abstaining (in the main) from alcohol, could theoretically live on an average budget of $10 a day. I do not expect that we …

In researching countries on the route, one of the foremost questions in my mind concerns visas. As a British Passport holder, I am very lucky to be able to either
i) enter the majority of countries without the need for a visa, or
ii) obtain one at the port of entry.
Regardless of this, it always pays to be sure about the entry requirements before arrival at the gates!
Although guidebooks such as Lonely Planet and Rough Guide print chapters devoted to Visas and Red Tape, requirements and entry conditions change frequently, especially …

I recently read an entry on Peter Gostelow’s blog regarding a calendar post and the monthly photo. As you can see the photo shows three young boys laden with wood, collected as fuel for the fire on which family meals are prepared.
This photo got me thinking about sustainable development. As the world grows, and technology moves forward, basic human needs still remain. One of these is the need to cook food. According to one sustainable development charity, Forum For The Future, over two billion people worldwide rely on firewood …

I recently wrote a review of my packing list for Latin America, here are six of the less obvious items that turned out to be indispensable:
Earplugs – Noisy hotels/hostels, long bus journeys with crying babies, Bolivian folk music. All enough to cause loss of sleep, and subsequently bad moods. All preventable with a decent set of earplugs.
Pen & pad – You never know when you’ll need to write something down, so save yourself the fret of searching for a pen and scrap of paper when the need arises, …

Although Iraq is probably not on many peoples holiday list, it seems as though it is already being bandied as a possible tourist magnet. Deborah Haynes of The Times writes:
“Known as the birthplace of civilisation, Iraq is estimated to have between 20,000 and 100,000 historic sites, which should keep history-hungry travellers, as well as professional archaeologists, entertained for decades.”
For me, its probably too soon to be thinking of entering Iraq as a tourist, but I’m sure there will be those out there that are already buying their Iraqi Dinars!
Read …