So I’m going to be optimistic here and imagine that at least some of you have noticed that I’ve haven’t posted for quite a while… No? Oh, well, as you were then.
Either way, I thought it was about time I let you all know what’s the haps at Bushwalking Blog HQ. I’m happy to say that while you’ve been missing me dreadfully I haven’t posted for the last few months, I’ve been busily working away on a whole bunch of stuff.
Life and work and hiking and blogging and writing and children are slowly finding ways to coexist, so this isn’t the end for me and this awesome online hiking community we’re all a part of. Bushwalking Blog is still a thing and will hopefully soon be even more of a thing than it’s ever been.
Let me summarise what I’ve been up to…
The new improved Bushwalking Blog
Bushwalking Blog hasn’t seen a revamp since 2011, and it’s long overdue. While redesigning a website is a bit of a task in itself, that’s not the only thing I’ve been spending my time on. Before I can redesign, I need a clear focus and a strategy, so I’m spending a huge chunk of my time on that.
I want to inspire you guys to go hiking, whether it’s in Australia or abroad, a few kilometres or a few days, with friends or alone, for fitness, mental health or just relaxation. I want to help equip you with the skills, gear and knowledge to do that, no matter how old or fit you are. And I want to show you that taking up hiking is an incredibly beneficial thing to do for yourself, your family, and the whole world. Oh, and I want to provide some entertainment on those long days when you’re stuck indoors for whatever reason.
Once I’m done with the revamp, I hope that Bushwalking Blog, and every piece of content I publish, will help serve this purpose. Bushwalking Blog 3.0 is a little while away yet, but it’s coming. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, I’ll still publish something here and there. It’s just not going to look as pretty as it will when I apply the new design.
Visitors Guide to the Best Walks of The Great Ocean Road
Remember about two and a half years ago when I announced I was co-authoring a hiking guidebook for the Great Ocean Road? Well, guess what? It’s actually going to be released soon. I’m so sorry to those of you who were waiting for it. I promise that the delay was completely beyond my control. On the upside, I’m told it will be on shelves by Christmas. Sign up here to get a message when it’s finally released.
Considering the time since it was written and the tragic bushfires that occurred down that way last Christmas, we’ve had to revise the whole thing to make sure everything is still accurate. I had to put everything on hold there for a time because I so badly want to see this thing released. Bring it on.
Planning people’s holidays with Tripeasel
I love travel just as much as I love hiking, and I very much think of this as a travel blog as much as just a hiking blog. I receive e-mails every week from international and domestic travellers who want to express their appreciation for the information I provide on Bushwalking blog, and I pride myself on my knowledge of travel in Australia and internationally.
For the last nine months, I’ve been fortunate to be able to use my knowledge while working with a travel startup by the name of Tripeasel. My job is to plan trip itineraries for people all over the world who are planning trips to the countries I know best. This isn’t limited to hiking but naturally, I encourage holidays that incorporate a whole lot of walking in nature when it’s appropriate.
Tripeasel’s tagline is “Personalized, authentic and affordable travel experiences with a social impact”. You can see how they got my attention.
Here’s the lowdown:
- You decide on a location and give Tripeasel an idea of what kind of trip you’re after
- They’ll hook you up with their most appropriate travel expert for your destination (hopefully me)
- We jump on a Skype call for half an hour to talk about everything you hope your holiday will be
- The planning begins. In their words, “from exploring local culture, activities, and cuisine, to transportation and accommodation, our travel expert will plan every aspect of your vacation.”
- Once the trip is all planned, you have the option to either take your itinerary and book the trip yourself or have Tripeasel do the booking for you. They do this through local travel agents at your destination, ensuring where possible that money spent stays within the local economies. They also say they can beat most online pricing.
So far I’ve planned a bunch of trips, from a spur of the moment week-long trip to South America to honeymoons that perfectly meld adventure and luxury in Hawaii and New Zealand. I plan as if I was taking the trip myself while taking into consideration the customer’s travel style and preferences as best I can. It’s challenging, but it’s heaps of fun. I’m not doing a whole lot of travelling at the moment, so I love that I can live vicariously through my customers.
Which brings me to the fun part where I get to giveaway 10 free Tripeasel itineraries.
To take me up on this offer, all you need to do is head over to my Tripeasel profile and click the ‘Hire Me’ button.
Got something to say? Anything you’d like to see changed in Bushwalking Blog 3.0? Please let us know by commenting below.
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