Before I started my blog and before I used the likes of Twitter and Instagram I would go on holiday take some snaps here and there, do a bit of research about the place we were going to, read some guides and maybe a couple of blogs, maybe find the top places to eat or local spots and that was it. Oh how things have changed! These days it’s a military operation to plan the perfect itinerary, oh and it’s likely if you come on holiday with me you will never eat a hot meal. Sorry!
I call these #travelbloggerproblems, my husband would call these ‘my wife’s’ annoying travel habits’.
Planning that perfect itinerary
Often when I plan a trip I find myself thinking – what would my readers like to see before thinking about what I would love to see. I like to find a balance of hitting up some of the top tourist attractions but also combining it with some local, little known gems too. The risk of doing something that has not been written about before is well, risky! But really, why the hell do I care – if it’s something I want to do, then I should just do it. I think maybe I need to let those thoughts go. But I also like to find interesting things to write about too. Sometimes I will test the waters with an idea to the hubby and if his face screws up with a look of ‘why the hell would we do that’ I know it is a suggestion too far!
Another part of planning the perfect itinerary is reading – blogs, travel websites, books – it never stops. Sometimes I think I can over read about a place and then build it up to much or over plan. Does anyone else ever do that? Sometimes the most spontaneous of activities can be the best in a new place.
All the photographs
I now take photos of absolutely everything – and multiple photos of the same thing too, you know, just in case. I mean it’s mainly photos of food as you will read below, but also there is no messing up a hotel room before I taken photos! “Dear, please don’t put your scruffy trainers in my shot and actually could you maybe just stand outside the room whilst I get a few photos please?”
It also means stopping every 5 or so steps, just to capture the moment so walking anywhere usually takes twice as long. I have learnt though it is not worth the photos if we are on our way to breakfast/lunch/dinner due to ‘hanger issues’.
Food
I have left all food issues to the end because it’s a big list!
1) Cold food
I have tutted many a time at my husband and he swoops in for that first taste of a dish or first sip of a cocktail with a look of ‘excuuuuse me what are you doing, you know the rules, photo first!’. It’s not so bad with cocktails or beautiful salads but when hot food is involved it is unlikely as a travel blogger you will enjoy it piping hot.
2) Finding the prettiest food
As I write mainly about food I like to document all the amazing food I eat on my travels, but sometimes a dish just will not look good no matter how you photograph it! I absolutely love it when we go somewhere and they serve our food on pretty plates or it’s a lovely rustic wooden table. We’ve been to places before where it’s so dark you can’t possibly take a photo – if I didn’t take a photo did I really eat it? Gone are the days of just eating a meal and enjoying it for what it is.
3) Finding the best food.
This doesn’t always mean the top Michelin starred restaurant, no I want to find the local gems too. When I travel I want to try as much local food as possible and I become a bit obsessed with it! I never stop reading about where to find this food. As I mentioned above I think I need to chill out on the reading so I can let us just explore a bit more and discover places we want to eat, together.
As I read this post back I think actually these are lesser problems for me but more problems for the husband. Sorry dear!
The theme for this month’s travel link-up was “Travel Blogger Problems” – Do you identify with any of the points I’ve mentioned? Also, do play ‘Spot the husband’ in the photos, except for the first one, that is just a man in speedos.
Join the travel link-up through Angie’s, Emma’s, Jessi’s or Lauren’s blog. Just add your post to the link-up widget by 7th May and check out some of the other cool bloggers that are involved in that months travel link up!
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I hear you with taking pictures of everything! Even when I walk down the street my friends hate having to stop every few minutes because I’ve seen something blog-worthy!
Great post.
Anika | anikamay.co.uk
Thank you! Haha yes, takes ages to get anywhere! x
Oh you and I are sooo on the same page – it’s ALL about the food… the food has to tick all/most of the boxes: looks good, authentic, tastes good, best restaurants!
Always on the same page, ha!
Haha, those are blogger problems indeed. We have to have 47 photos of a bowl of oatmeal or row of flowers. Hopefully ONE will be amazing. :]
// ▲ itsCarmen.com ▲
Yes, exactly! And normally I choose the first one I took!x
Haha #travelbloggerproblems vs partner’s annoying habits – same same but different! Finding pretty food and drinks is a high priority for me too!
Totally same same but different!x
I just had a good giggle reading your post as you’ve totally hit the nail on the head! I’m so glad I got my husband to put a ring on it before I became a travel blogger as I’m driving him mad at the moment with the cold food photos, making him wait outside hotel rooms until I’ve taken 1000 snaps and over-researching everything!
Haha, yes we have the ring now so they have to put up with us!! I’m trying to get speedier at taking photos but still a lot of cold food! x
We need to start some kind of travel blogger support group for the husbands/friends/families…!
Gahahaha I agree with this! Lol! Or we can make “my wife is a blogger” t-shirts and sell them – imagine the sympathetic looks they’d get!
I also love making itineraries, simply because I always want to do everything when I visit a place! x
And I think it’s super difficult to make curry beautiful!
Honey x The Girl Next Shore
Oh my god. We need to make t-shirts! Million dollar idea I think. Haha. x
Yes!! I think it would be a pretty big support group, haha.
Haha love this! So true that the food can taste delicious, but oh the pain if it’s not presented well…
Exactly! I only like pretty food please!
Great post and I can relate to lots of it – taking pictures and ending up with cold food is a biggie x
http://wrapyourlipsaroundthis.com/
Thank you! Oh yes, always the cold food! x