Why do we travel? Of course some of us are forced to travel in order to keep up with professional and family commitments. Let us leave that aside and again ask ‘Why do we Travel’? Everyone gets so excited about going on vacations. Is it really worth all the hype? I have been pondering this question for a long time. I have tried to find some meaning in vacations. One of the things I discovered was learning new things on each vacation – like rock climbing, skiing, snorkeling etc. Another thing is collecting souvenirs from different places. I am still on the lookout for more answers. Team G Square blog is one place that has brought me very close to the answer I have been looking for. The authors of this blog– a husband and wife team really know how to really squeeze every last drop of value from a vacation. They have managed to experience every place they visit in an entirely holistic manner and capture the same in their blog. They have captured the natural landscape, the local myths & legends, the flora & fauna, the history and the architecture and beautifully present it to us through pictures and words on the blog.
The strongest point of the blog according to me is the true passion for travel underlying the digital manifestations of the same on the blog. The truly passionate traveler can derive much more value at a spot 2 hours from home than a typical vacationer from an exotic foreign location. One can find a wealth of information scattered all around this blog – about logistic details related to travel to specific places, about flora & fauna, about history and about architecture. The blog also has good navigational constructs to help a new reader explore information related to his specific areas of interested. There are drop boxes with heads under different categories from which the reader can choose based on his or her interest and view all posts related to that topic. Additionally the 'popular post' widget and 'related post' widget further guide easy navigation.
There were some areas which I felt could have been done slightly better. To start with, I felt the name of the blog could have been stronger. Possibly the name has a strong personal association for the bloggers. But for a new reader, it does not convey any information on the nature of the contents. It does pique one’s curiosity though, which is a good thing. However no explanation has been given about the genesis of the name to create a recall in the reader’s mind. I could certainly suggest giving an explanatory note about the reason for the name.
Green is the color of nature and a green color background is a natural choice for a blog that places a lot of premium on nature. However the green on this blog is kind of dull and is not as vibrant and full of life as it should be. A darker background would have also been a good choice considering the number of wonderful photos taken in bright lighting posted on this blog. I find darker backgrounds tend to amplify the effect of bright photographs.
The strongest point of the blog according to me is the true passion for travel underlying the digital manifestations of the same on the blog. The truly passionate traveler can derive much more value at a spot 2 hours from home than a typical vacationer from an exotic foreign location. One can find a wealth of information scattered all around this blog – about logistic details related to travel to specific places, about flora & fauna, about history and about architecture. The blog also has good navigational constructs to help a new reader explore information related to his specific areas of interested. There are drop boxes with heads under different categories from which the reader can choose based on his or her interest and view all posts related to that topic. Additionally the 'popular post' widget and 'related post' widget further guide easy navigation.
There were some areas which I felt could have been done slightly better. To start with, I felt the name of the blog could have been stronger. Possibly the name has a strong personal association for the bloggers. But for a new reader, it does not convey any information on the nature of the contents. It does pique one’s curiosity though, which is a good thing. However no explanation has been given about the genesis of the name to create a recall in the reader’s mind. I could certainly suggest giving an explanatory note about the reason for the name.
Green is the color of nature and a green color background is a natural choice for a blog that places a lot of premium on nature. However the green on this blog is kind of dull and is not as vibrant and full of life as it should be. A darker background would have also been a good choice considering the number of wonderful photos taken in bright lighting posted on this blog. I find darker backgrounds tend to amplify the effect of bright photographs.
Coming to the content, whereas it is rich in information, more can be done on the style and presentation. The current method of presentation is a strong focus on the pictures from the trip and a little bit of background information. I feel it is like a set of loose threads and does not appear tight knit. The narratives can be made much more interesting if it is has more structure and it all ties in together like a story. Also a little more of personal touch in the narrative can help connect better to the readers.
The one remaining aspect is interaction. Like most travel bloggers, the level of interaction is not very high. If traffic is more, replying to everyone can be tough. But responding to everyone can help retain readers and develop a loyal reader base in addition to the floating traffic from search engines. Also a section for readers to ask general questions about travel in Karnataka can greatly improve interaction.
Overall I would say an excellent blog for people wanting to know more about places to visit in Karnataka and also for the confused travelers like me seeking to find the true essence of travel. I present below a few posts selected by the author as a trial sample.
The one remaining aspect is interaction. Like most travel bloggers, the level of interaction is not very high. If traffic is more, replying to everyone can be tough. But responding to everyone can help retain readers and develop a loyal reader base in addition to the floating traffic from search engines. Also a section for readers to ask general questions about travel in Karnataka can greatly improve interaction.
Overall I would say an excellent blog for people wanting to know more about places to visit in Karnataka and also for the confused travelers like me seeking to find the true essence of travel. I present below a few posts selected by the author as a trial sample.
10 comments:
This is one of my favourite blogs too. I like the way they explore places that can't be found in the tourist brochures. As you have rightly put it, an avid traveller can find something interesting in the close vicinity rather than hanker after an exotic locale for a satisfying trip.
What a wonderful review. Makes me want to visit their blog which I will, after this comment. You are right - the name doesn't convey what the blog is about. Perhaps they should add a sub heading; something like "Love Discovering Unusual Places? Then Come On In."
THANKS FOR REFERRING TO VALUBLE
TRAVEL BLOG
Thanks for this wonderful and very useful Review . I'm glad that you have given some really helpful tips to improve my blog .
@ Zephyr , thanks
@ Kayem , noted shall add a subheading or description to the header .
Why do we travel?
Excellent question!
I think, it is very unnatural for a human being to be tied to one place, one organization and one routine. Yet, the society is structured so that we cannot escape this and travel escapades perhaps help us connect better with the wandered within us.
wanderer* I meant
@Sindhuja - Nice answer. Yet Yan Martel says just the contrary in the book life of Pi. He says humans and animals like to draw their territories and remain within their territories.
One of my favorite blogs and what a wonderful review! Their true passion for travel and exploration, as you have said, truly shows in their posts and photographs. It is always an enjoyable experience to visit their blog and take a virtual tour of some place unknown and unspoilt by humankind.
Thanks Arti. I was wondering whether you liked my review as you had mentioned you were waiting for this review. Hope I have done full justice to Dheeraj.
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