Blogging on the Camino
John Mifsud shared this advice with the CSJ of SA on Camino Blogging. I'm sure he won't mind if I share it with the forum:
A guide to blogging from the Camino
Among the many pilgrims who walk the Camino, some look forward to getting away from their everyday life back at home while others like to keep in regular contact with folks back at home or maybe share their experiences with the world at large. A great way of doing this is by blogging.
What is a blog?
“Blog” is short for weblog. It’s an online journal consisting of a series of articles (called “posts”) published in date order. Blogs can be open for anyone to read or restricted to a circle of family and friends. They lend themselves perfectly to travelogues and allow you to easily share photos by adding them to your posts. An advantage of keeping a blog is that one quick post keeps people up-to-date with your progress and any insights from your Camino that you may want to share, without needing to write numerous emails or make expensive international phone calls. Your family and friends can leave messages at the end of each post (as a “comment”) and all of these are saved for you to re-read when you get home.
How do I start a blog?
There are many free services on the internet that will host your blog (called “blogging platforms”) such as Blogger.com, Wordpress.com etc. and loads of information online to help you choose one that suits you. Have a look at this helpful online article for tips on choosing between some of the more popular platforms:
http://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingpla ... rmtips.htm Most platforms guide you step-by-step through registering, creating your blog and choosing a layout.
How can I blog from the Camino?
Traditional blogging: This method involves either writing your posts in advance (long hand) and then typing them onto your blog, or typing and publishing your posts all in one hit, when you come across an internet café or access point. You just log into your blogging platform, type your post, save any photos and publish the post to your blog. There are a number of internet cafés en route and some refugios even have internet access (sometimes free!)
However, you should be aware that you might encounter various practical problems with this method on the Camino in Spain. These include computers with old software that won’t allow you to view your blog properly or save photos to the blog, long distances where you won’t find any internet access and expensive internet cafes. For a discussion of these pitfalls and ways to get around them, see:
http://la-via-lattea.blogspot.com/2006/ ... amino.html
moBlogging (or mobile blogging): This is an ideal solution for those who want to blog without being restricted to there being an internet cafe around. You can compose your posts while resting in bed at the albergue or wherever you like! You use a "portable mobile device" to write your posts and then connect to your blog over the internet, using the device’s mobile phone signal, wireless internet connection (known as “WiFi”) or even a simple public telephone to publish your post.
What exactly are portable mobile devices and WiFi?
There are various mobile devices you can use to moBlog. They include PDAs/PalmPilots, Smartphones and a device called Pocketmail. The common features of these devices are that they have a keyboard or touch screen to type your posts and are able to connect to the internet to publish your posts. For a comparison of the different types of devices and some practical considerations on using them on the Camino, have a look at the series of articles on moBlogging at:
http://la-via-lattea.blogspot.com/searc ... e%20Camino
Once you’ve bought a mobile device, moBlogging can actually be quite cheap if you use wireless internet technology (WiFi) to connect to your blog. Many smartphones and PDAs scan the airwaves to see if there are any wireless access points (called “WiFi hotspots”) in the vicinity. These are basically points where you can receive radio signals that connect to the internet which are emitted from computer networks in neighbouring offices, homes etc. In most places, just stop outside almost any block of flats along the Camino and your device will register at least one network. If it’s unsecured (i.e. doesn’t require a password to connect) you should be able connect to it to surf the net, send emails or post to your blog for free! Some local authorities and businesses also provide WiFi access as a free public service.
Finally, for those concerned about the amount of weight they will be carrying while walking, PDAs and smartphones also have another advantage - they often double as MP3 music players, GPS navigation systems, diaries, language phrasebooks, phones for emergencies, a currency calculator, digital cameras, voice recorders and even guidebooks.
For more information on blogging from the Camino and other Camino-related information and stories, visit John Mifsud’s On the way to Santiago blog at
http://la-via-lattea.blogspot.com