Blog Widgets

-
Travel-specific blog hosts may feature built-in maps, a message board for people to contact you, and an album to share your photos. The inclusion of these useful tools are typically at the expense of design freedom. If you choose a general blog host like Blogger for greater design freedom as I have, you can easily turn it into a travel blog by adding widgets.

Widgets are bunches of code like Javascript or Flash that can be embedded in any page that supports script code. You've probably come across them already without realizing it. They can be anything from a chat box, some information about the current weather, animated photo collections, or a countdown clock. Many blog host sites have their own optional widgets or are compatible with widget developers.

Trip Tracking With Maps

It can be a challenge finding just the right travel map widget for a blog. Here are some:
  • TravBuddy: Nice maps, but no travel tracker. It highlights the whole country you've visited. If you use the site for your blogging, however, it will come with a great tracker.
  • Trippermap: This is fantastic if you have a Flickr account. It incorporates your photos from Flickr into each place and is very customizable. The free version is limited to 50 places, doesn't plot your trip, and limits the number of photos per place.
  • MAPme: A simple to use map that allows you to tag places like hotels and tourist sights. Not free.
  • Blogabond: Not a bad trip tracker once you get used to it, but the map doesn't resize well. There are better ones out there!
  • TripTracker: A travel blog place that is centered on mapping but also has photo capabilities. They feature attractive customizable widgets but you have to sign up just to check out what it can do.

Photo Sharing

Depending on your blog host, you will be able to embed or link photos into your entries from an external site. If you can't choose only a few photos to display per post, it can be cumbersome and time consuming to format so many. A good option is a slide show widget; these are attractive, use up much less space than a dozen photos in one long column, and are customisable. If you are with Photobucket or Flickr, investigate their offerings.

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for taking the time to comment. Don't forget to choose Name/URL from the drop down menu if you are not logged in.

Popular posts from this blog

The Longest Haul

-
Feeling decidedly hair greasy, smelly, prone to DVTs, and altogether sick of being on a bus for days, Julie and I boarded the worst yet to Salta . Here is my journal entry for the final leg of our 61 hour trip from El Calafate: We are traveling with Chevallier via semi cama and so far, it is the most disappointing carrier. I will admit that we are but two hours into our twenty-odd hour journey, but there is a distinct lack of meal trays and worse still, blankets, on board that were gladly present on other buses. Our dinner was dealt as we each boarded; two anaemic sandwiches and four cookies. Julie is convinced that this is all the food they will provide for the entire journey and is planning to ration her portion to at least supply her with breakfast in the morning. Presently her hunger is as keen as her good intentions however, and at six o'clock, two hours into the journey, we both succumb and have our meagre supper. Hardly satisfied, Julie continues to grumble and pout ...
Read more

Learning Spanish

-
It would be foolish or lazy to neglect learning the language if you plan to spend a decent amount of time in any one country or region. There are many ways to immerse yourself in a new language: phrasebooks dictionaries online translators websites podcasts night classes each other Busuu.com :  an interactive site where you are encouraged to connect with other learners and native speakers. The lessons move quickly for absolute novices and a subscription is required to access essential lessons like verbs. Study Spanish :  a well-structured site with lessons that build from the basics. Highly recommended. Johnny Spanish podcast is an excellent resource to learn how to listen and pronounce Spanish sentences. The Spanish Cat :  a Spanish school with schools in Australia as well as Mexico. Classes are available for all levels and at reasonable prices too. Spanish is not difficult to learn once you are accustomed to the rules. Yo puedo hablar un pocito Espan...
Read more

Beware Of Conmen, Thieves And Daydreams

-
I was warned by everything and everyone about safety in Latin America. Websites, guide books, my family, friends, even total strangers would warn me not to trust anyone, to set cab prices before getting in, to watch my luggage at all times, to keep my valuables within sight... all of the sensible things one should do when traveling. So I was well informed about various scams, guarded about pick-pockets and bag snatchers. It was inevitable that I would encounter at least one loss due to unscrupulous human activities. I had heard many stories, but have been lucky so far. But no one warned me about that which I would end up losing my things to. My forgetfulness. I have a terrible memory. If I just met you, I won't remember your name, even if we've been hanging out for the last four days. I don't remember birthdays unless you're direct family, nor do I remember anniversaries, long weekends and other important dates. I have a terrible sense of direction which is mostly due t...
Read more