Five tips to posting on the road

Blogathon while on vacation?  My first thought was, "No way!"  But I had to give it a try, and I'm glad I did because it wasn't too much of an imposition having prepared well.  Plus, it forced me to learn a bit about blogging on the road.

Here's five tips to make life a little easier when blogging dailt while traveling:

1.  Let technology work for you - I downloaded the Blogger app for both my iPad and iPhone before I left for vacation, and I used them both.  While the app has many more limitations (ie. little text formatting, no picture size options or placement, no spell check, no bullets or numbered lists) than the internet version, it allowed me to post at times when I couldn't get on a laptop or desktop.  The other advantage of the app is that it makes it very easy to post photos taken from either device.  I understand that WordPress has an app as well.

2.  Recharge, recharge, recharge - Plug in every chance you get because there's nothing worse than finding 20 minutes to blog, but you are about to run out of battery.  Electrical outlets are everywhere. If the airport recharging station is full, roam around the airport.  Watch for open outlets on walls and pillars in airports, walls in restaurants or hotel lobbies.  I even saw a person recharging their phone inside a restroom within the Old Post Office in Washington D.C.

3.  Photos are your savior - Not only does a picture say a thousand words, but it also makes your blog more interesting, adds that all important visual connection to your words and let's face it, helps to fill your blog post when time is short. Take photos of anything you find interesting.  You'd be surprised by the blog post ideas you'll come up with by just looking through your photos.

4.  Keep your eyes open - Unless your blog is very specific in nature, actually when you're traveling, potential posts topics are all around you.  As you travel around keep your eyes open and blogging in the back of your mind.  

5.  Pick-up brochures and literature - Having marketing material about a place you visited saves time when you're blogging on the road.  They provide a wealth of background information that you otherwise may need to research online.  

Daily blogging on the road does take some extra effort, but it is totally doable and won't interfere with your vacation if you just prepare ahead a little and keep a few things in mind.