“You need a holiday?”, my friend remarked with a smirk when I told him I needed a holiday.
That was quickly followed by: “You’re a travel blogger. You’re always on holiday!”
I thought about those two remarks for a bit. Yes, travel bloggers seem like they’re always on holiday because they’re travelling all the time. What many fail to realise is that it’s a job. True, it’s a job I love but it remains a job. As a travel blogger who’s often on the road, I’m always thinking about things to write about, taking the best pictures and conjuring unique angles to a story. Once I’m back at my hotel, I start tapping away on my laptop or phone, editing my pictures, piecing everything together, proofreading and publishing. When that’s done, I log onto Twitter, facebook and other platforms to promote my blog posts. This is a process that repeats itself over and over again. Pretty glamorous, don’t you think? 😉
Taking off the blogger cap
As with any other job, I believe it’s important for travel bloggers to get away from it all, even if it’s just for a weekend, to unwind and recharge our batteries. During a recent chat, an interesting discussion about travel bloggers taking a holiday caught my attention. The main question was: “Is it possible for a travel blogger to take a holiday without having our blogger caps on?”. As a travel blogger, it’s hard not to think of an ‘angle’ or a good shot for a potential post wherever we are. We wondered if it’s possible at all to take off that blogger cap. My answer was YES, though certain conditions have to be met. These are:
- Go to a place you’re familiar with; a place that relaxes you
- Leave your laptops, iPads, etc.. at home
- Ensure the place you’re going to doesn’t have an internet connection that’s easily available
- Don’t get a local simcard for your phone
- Bring your phone if you wish but try not to use it as much as possible. Even better: leave it locked up in a safe at your hotel.
I would call this a cold turkey unplug! A bit extreme, some would say, but even a milder version of un-plugging helps to clear our minds, rejuvenate and keep ourselves grounded. Yes, even travel bloggers who travel the world need a holiday!
I can imagine that it is hard to really unplug totally.
The word Holiday, doesn’t it come from Holy Day? So it is a sort of sacred day? you could also see it as a possibility to `be in the moment’ , really letting go. So if you find that perfect spot, restaurant or other experience, you could see the perfect article, see the potential and then let go….feel what that does to you.And thus Enlightment!
(in the meantime, take a picture of it, and write about it when you’re home, why not? 😉
[…] Finally, what with all the posting, guest posting, commenting, stumbling and tweeting Keith @ Velvet Escape concludes that even travel bloggers need a holiday […]
I love the term “Digital Detox” so much, I think it may be time I had a go myself! Hope we see a happy, refreshed velvet on your return 😉
Good point of view. Didn’t think it that way. When does a blogger stops being one when he’s in a vacation. I think its still there at the back of his mind. Definitely a great read.
This post is so timely. Dave and I were just saying, we need a vacation. Lately we have felt overwhelmed and overworked. Like you, we love our job, but it can be exhausting. How does a travel blogger take a break? I think that we won’t be long behind you taking a little vacation of our own armed with your fab advice.
Enjoy the mental break Keith! You deserve it.
Happy holidays Keith! 🙂
Have a lovely break Keith. I always call time out my “Digital Detox”. I had an 8 day break during our summer holidays in January along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and it was heavenly. Once a year isn’t enough and I’m almost ready for another! 🙂
Keith you’re right that it’s so hard to switch off. I have the additional problem that I’m not just thinking about writing posts/taking photos etc for blog posts but keeping on top of editing 2 European travel blogs and all the admin that does with that. I find it’s more relaxing to limit myself to up to an hour in the morning and then another in the evening, to keep on top of things, than to have an enormous amount of work on my return.
oh yeah, embrace the cold turkey keith.. ! Good luck dear and happy hols! .. ah, but then again, you can’t read this comment now can you. You’re unplugged. 😛
Remember to switch off your tweets in your mind! I’m sure you already think in 140 characters! lol
Nice post Keith! I can totally relate. During my last trip, I was thinking of how things would appear in my blog. Having friends around often takes my mind off that especially when we start talking about topics that veer away from travels or writing. 🙂 I think I have to enjoy my travels while on it. And if I really want to write about it, I must think about it and do it after my trip.
You know it’s funny. I never feel like I’m at work when I’m traveling around my “territory”. It may just be my frame of mind. I’m going to tell all of my friends about the good and bad restaurants, how sweet or sour my hotel/motel was and all of the other things I did while bouncing around my destination.
So writing my experiences for others doesn’t feel like work… I’m just sharing my thoughts and spreading the love for my little slice of heaven.
I always think of every trip and destination as a vacation/holiday and I don’t worry about what to write, photograph or see. I just do and the result, for me is a good time and some good articles.
Cheers!
I agree with you that this is super important, but I am so bad at NOT taking a working vacation. Who knew it would be so hard just to travel?
I think that one of the reasons why #1 is so important is that you aren’t looking for a story because you’ve likely already written about it to some degree. When I go somewhere new, my mind is moving a million miles an hour trying to take everything in.
Enjoy your vacay!!! I think it’s sooo important to disconnect from time to time.
I know exactly what you mean. As great as the job is, travelling to destinations, doing everything that people do on holiday when you’re not on holiday, but instead working hard on taking great shots or thinking up and researching story angles means it’s far from relaxing.
I might have pitched this into conversation in Valencia, but I think it’s actually harder for travel journalists and bloggers to have a proper holiday and totally switch off as there’s always the temptation to see what’s round the next corner and use the opportunity to get a story. Agree with your tips though, especially going somewhere you know well.
Hope you have a great holiday!