MyWestworld

Birth of the Blog

Posted on 07. Feb, 2008 by Kerry Banks in Travel Blog

I am not sure exactly which direction this adventure will eventually take us, but I do know that the journey begins here. This is the first instalment of my new travel blog for BCAA. It is an experimental undertaking on both our parts. BCAA has never done a travel blog before, and neither have I. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I have blogged anything, which, judging by what I read, leaves me several hundred miles behind the curve.

Although a blog may sound like an alien life force that Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk encountered on their intergalactic explorations, the noun is actually an abbreviation of weblog, defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as a “site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.”

Blogs have been multiplying at an epidemic rate. A recent estimate pegged the number of them currently circulating on the Internet at 112 million, with 120,000 new ones appearing each day. That’s right–112 million! It is a mind-boggling figure, especially when you consider that the first blogs only began to surface in the mid-1990s. This phenomenon has become so huge that are now search engines devoted entirely to blogs, such as Feedster, Technorati and blogdigger, According to the latest statistics, between 40 and 50 million blogs originate in the U.S.; Canada, in contrast, has about 700,000; China has 6 million; Japan, 5.5 million; Poland, 1.5 million; Israel, 100,000; while Greece, with a mere 5,000, has fewer bloggers than bouzouki players.

Blogs deal with a myriad of subjects. Although many simply showcase the impulsive ramblings of individuals, and exist primarily for their own private amusement, others, in the fields of business, technology and politics, have large readerships and are quite influential. Because blogging has become so fashionable, celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, Jeff Bridges, Pamela Anderson and Rosie O’Donnell are now pumping out online diaries. Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the National Basketball Association’s Dallas Mavericks, has one too, a platform which he often uses to attack the incompetence of NBA officials. Other blogs are intriguing simply because of their quirky titles. A fast Internet search turned up the following gems: “Dr. Fong’s Blog of Mysteries,” “The Good, the Bad and the Decapitated,” “dog.ate.this,” “Queer Switzerland,” and “the slow end to everything.”

We can assume that a catchy title draws attention. My travel blog does not have a title as yet, and the precise content is still evolving. Among other things, I plan to offer anecdotes and insights into stories that I have penned for Westworld magazine and other publications, as well supplying commentary on articles by other writers. There will be stuff about what’s in the news on travel-related subjects and about what isn’t, but should be. I will profile intrepid adventurers, delve into the topic of travel literature and my favourite scribes, discuss the hazards and pleasures of travel and also provide some insider tips. From time to time the site will feature photos and podcasts, which I am told are similar to radio shows. Testing. Testing. Is anyone out there?

Of course, one of the key aspects to blogs and their incredible popularity is that they offer readers a chance to interact with the author. This blog is no exception. I welcome comments, suggestions and questions, but just keep in mind that I am not a travel agent. This means I won’t be able to steer you to the best package deal on your next vacation to Hawaii. But hopefully I can entertain and edify and maybe even make you laugh.