Several years ago I had an idea for a blog. This blog would contain nothing but bitching and moaning about all the places I visit. I abandoned that project almost as soon as I came up with it, but it seems as if that long stowed away idea has resurfaced here.
My last few posts have resonated with a lot of people. Why? I think the main reason is because I’ve stopped writing what I think people want to hear and started writing what few travel bloggers do.
The truth.
The truth is that travel isn’t always fun. It doesn’t always change your life. Things will go wrong, sometimes horribly wrong. It’s a messy, confusing, infuriating endeavour at times and I know I’m not the only one that thinks that.
But I am going to be one of the bloggers who writes that.
Travel blogs are everywhere these days. Sometimes it seems that anyone with a passport and some WordPress skills is a travel blogger. My Instagram feed is full of perfectly posed beachside shots full of carefully curated hashtags, one of the most common being #soblessed. I understand this on some level. Those of us who can travel full-time or even part-time are fortunate, but blessed? To me, this implies the benevolence of some deity who has bestowed blessings on you and left someone else out in the cold.
But the other thing that bothers me is that when I visit this #soblessed person’s site I generally find little of substance. There are the same bikini-clad shots found on Instagram, posts titled “5 Ways the Full Moon Party Changed My Life Forever”, or glowing reviews of hotels and restaurants because the PR departments of these establishments paid the blogger to write said glowing review.
But despite this, these blogs that reveal the narcissistic underbelly of this saturated industry, there are some beacons of light. These are blogs written by people who aren’t afraid to show their vulnerability, people who write very helpful and insightful content, and people who write with such passion and skill that I melt in their company.
I’m talking about bloggers like Kate McCulley of Adventurous Kate who truly gives the lowdown on travel as a solo woman and she does so with exquisite prose. If you haven’t read the post about her shipwreck go do so right now. There’s also Jeremy Scott Foster of travelFREAK who recently went public with his critical battle with Lyme disease. And then there’s Bret Love, a man so passionate about what he does and what he stands for that Green Global Travel is a must for anyone who wants to live a more eco-conscious life, whether traveling or not. His recent post on the Rwandan genocide moved me to tears. Talon Windwalker is another truth-teller, and he weaves together his travel and personal stories so well at 1 Dad 1 Kid.
I like reading honesty. I like reading truth. And I’ve now discovered that I like writing it too. Because while we made this travel choice consciously, we had no way of knowing exactly how it would play out. Overlanding and the challenges that come with it are far, far different from a guided tour of Paris or a comped stay at a luxury hotel. Overlanding comes with its own unique set of realities and I want to tell the truth about that.
And the realities of it are very, very raw. Just like the wounds covering my legs after I lost my balance on the steps leading up to Moby’s camper. But that’s another whiny, bitchy story.
I’m not trying to bash anyone here. I understand the fear, risk, and vulnerability that come with putting many aspects of your life online for everyone to see. Few people would say to your face the things they say in a comment box. It’s tough to be, well, tough. And I understand that everyone has the right to blog as they see fit even if I don’t personally like their style.
I’ve also never considered myself to be a #soblessed person. We worked hard to make this journey happen, we work hard every day to keep Moby and each other safe and sound, we work hard at our respective jobs, and I work hard on this blog. #soblessed has absolutely nothing to do with that.
So, I’ve decided to adopt the #notblessed hashtag. I don’t use Twitter that much but if you follow me on Instagram you’ll find it there. And for those of you who were hoping this would be another post about how much I suck at overlanding, stay tuned.
The tale of woe that is me falling off the steps, cracking my skull on the cement, and scraping up both my legs is next in the queue.
I love honesty. As travelers we are not on a vacation, drinking margaritas on the beach every day. We chose a different lifestyle that has ups and downs like any other. People respond to any complaint with, “But you live in paradise!” Like that means you have no right to have a bad day or struggle to adapt. But we do, and we owe it to readers to tell what it’s really like.
I know, right? And that’s one of the reasons l like your page so much. Your story is different than ours because of the girls, but the truth is out there and it needs to be told.
I love this, Cate! People talk about authenticity all the time, yet the word is used so often it begins to lose meaning. This makes sense! 🙂
Thanks Leigh! From initial rant to the feedback I am so grateful to have all of you on my side!
Great article! The same thoughts have been churning in my mind as I write our travel blog and wonder if I’m being too negative. I think I would rather be honest with some negativity than put out cookie cutter content.
Thanks for reading! I too think honesty is the best practice. It’s not always fun and writing about those not so magical moments is important!
Forgot to mention, there’s a great book by travel writer Chuck Thompson called ‘Smile when you’re lying’ that talks a lot about this. Cheers
I know I’m one of those dreamy-eyed hopefuls who, as usual, is sitting at my 911 console yearning to see the world. Visions of me strolling in gossamer gowns on beaches of tranquility get me through the endless 911 calls. I am so so guilty of romanticizing travel and living vicariously through your words and pictures of far away places and mosquitoes, ill-tempered weather and boo-boos are certainly not allowed!
I am bummed for your struggles and injuries but grateful for your honesty and candor. I would much rather have a true vision of my dream instead of some fantasy that is shattered because reality stepped in and said “sup?”
Please take care of yourself and Will. <3
Glad you’re following the truth, Cate. I try to keep a balanced approach, myself…. but know I’ve gotten the most flack, crazy enough from when I write post like “The Reality” . More than a few grouchy old men I’ve never even met felt the need to rip me a new one about my whining and told me they would have “dumped my ass long ago”. Nice eh? Yes, our blog is titled The Next Big Adventure.. but sometimes, as you well know, that adventure just sucks ass! In fact, a close relative, upon hearing we were going to set up camp in a cottage at Lake Attilan for 6 weeks, decided a snide “oh strange, we thought living in your tiny house was what you sought” comment was required~ obviously forgetting that we HAVE BEEN living in our tiny house for 9 months now, and just might possibly want to set up a base somewhere for a bit. I say write your truth.. it isn’t always pretty… just as life in the white picket fence isn’t always pretty. Sorry to hear about the fall ;( yikes.. but can’t wait to read about it!
Life is not real if it is not honest. Keep telling the truth, the dirty underside of traveling, living in distant places and the good people you meet. All of that, is what makes you authentic.
I know you have been through some tough times, you are from Oklahoma. I have lived there most of my life. There is nothing like a tornado to change your plans for the evening.
I love what you have been writing, keep up the good work!
Thank you! And yes, honesty is the best policy.
Thanks for including me, Cate, and for the kind words. I sometimes see the success of those younger, beautiful bloggers and wish our path could be easier. But I wouldn’t trade GGT for anything, and wouldn’t know how to live without it. It is truly my life’s great passion project.