The Tranquilo Traveler: Adventuring in the blogosphere

By Laura Ybarra : On The Tranquilo Traveler, Joshua Berman blogs his 16-month around-the-world trip and extended honeymoon.

"The blog is a fun way to connect with people — other writers and travelers, long lost friends and new readers," Berman said in an e-mail interview.

"Ultimately, I hope the content will serve as raw material for a book about this trip," Berman said. "It also serves as a way to further brand myself as a writer, to build an audience."

After traveling to Paris, Dubai, Pakistan, India, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos, Berman says the Hunza Valley in Pakistan stands out.

"The Pakistan Himalaya, or the ‘Roof of the World’ has had very few foreign visitors since 9/11. We spent two weeks in Karimabad, drank dood chai with the Mir of Hunza, and trekked across glaciers and into a tribal shepherds’ village where a ram was slaughtered in our honor," Berman said.

Although the blog doesn’t make money, Berman said he’s been contacted by editors which, in turn, has led to writing sales.

"If you do strange, extraordinary and scary things, you’ll have strange, extraordinary things to write about," Berman said. "Next is learning how to play the game: how to contact editors, where to publish for free, how to get your name out there. I talk about this more on my FAQ page."

Berman said the BootsnAll Travel Network helps him support the site.

"In addition to hosting and including me in their massive network of traveler, they provide excellent technical support. Very low-key and friendly," Berman said.

Berman said he uses the latest version of Moveable Type. He admits to tweaking some details since the blog launched in May 2005, but says he likes the current structure.

"The ‘scheduled post’ feature is nice, where I can post future entries on an assigned date, in case I know I won’t have access for a while, like during my 10-day meditation retreat in Bodhgaya, India," Berman said.

As for dealing with technology, Berman offers this advice: "If you’re planning on putting any amount of serious time into your blog, bring a laptop, digital camera, and several USB flash cards—especially if traveling to less developed parts of the world."

WiFi is a "rare treat" that is found in capital cities, and broadband ports are "increasingly available," he said.

The trip will end this August in Colorado where Berman hopes to start a writing fellowship.

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