Before I took a “Writing through Experience” class this semester, I did not have any previous background in creative writing or travel writing. At first, I was nervous about making my own personal blog because I had no idea what to expect. I wondered what I would write about, how I would make my blog interesting so that other people would want to look at it, and how someone with as little experience with technology as me would be able to create my own website! As I learned more about the website and began to personalize my blogs and my site, the idea of travel writing seemed a lot more exciting to me. Being able to write about whatever I wanted and show my writing and pictures on a public website was something I never thought I would do, but I am glad that I gave this new experience a try.
I think one of the best parts about this blog was writing about my spring break trip to London and actually being able to do the work of a real travel blogger. Although, I do wonder how legitimate travel bloggers are able to post regular content about the places that they visit. When I was in London, I found that it was very difficult to find time to sit down and write a blog. The itinerary that I followed was extremely packed and I thought it was hectic trying to keep up with this fast-paced schedule for the short week that I was in London. Waking up early in the morning and having 10-hour days jammed with activities was overwhelming in and of itself, but coming back to the hotel at night and trying to work on my blog was nearly impossible. I wish I had more time during the day to take a break from the activities and to sit in a nice, quiet spot like under a tree at Eltham Palace and work on my blogs, but unfortunately, time did not allow me to do so.
With this being said, I do believe that this experience was rewarding because it taught me how to make the best of my busy schedule. Even though I could not seem to be able to sit down and write a whole blog post after a long day, I did find that one of the most valuable things I could do was bring my notebook and my camera everywhere I went. There was certainly enough time between activities that I could write things in my notebook that I was doing on each day. Even if I just quickly jotted something I overheard someone say in my notebook or scribbled a few lines about how delicious my toastie was at lunch, keeping written documentation of my experiences really helped me remember all of these little details for when I did go back and write my blog. Being able to take pictures of everything I saw from the Changing of the Guard ceremony to the Tower Bridge, was also extremely helpful for me to remember details about each location and to include on my blogs to supplement my writing.
For people who are interested in travel blogging, my best advice is to keep an open mindset and know that it is doable! Even though the busy schedule was stressful in London, taking my notebook and camera with me everywhere and documenting what was going on around me in spare moments really helped me write my blogs in the end because I was able to use my notes and pictures to decide what I was going to write about. Another tip that I have for travel writers is not to be afraid to express yourself through your writing. I am so used to writing strictly academic papers throughout college and high school, but writing these blogs gave me a chance to be candid and honest in my writing, and made me explore a creative part of me that I did not know existed. It is also important to keep in mind that when you are writing, you should express yourself however you want and do not have to limit yourself based upon what you think others might want to read. This is your blog, and ultimately, people will want to know about your authentic and unique experience.
Overall, I think this blog has inspired me to get in touch with my creative side. I liked being able to write about my personal experiences and being able to express myself through my writing and pictures on my blog. Having this blog and writing about food for our class website even inspired me to make my own food page on Instagram because I enjoyed writing about it so much. This experience has also given me a desire to travel to many other places in the world, and while I’m not sure if I will ever continue a formal blog, I can say that I will be sure to bring my notebook and camera wherever I go and be open to whatever happens from there!
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