The advent of online travel diaries and online travel journals has made it possible for travelers to record their journeys from anywhere at anytime. All that is needed is access to the internet, a platform on which to record your information, and a desire to keep up with your travels in diary form. In this article I briefly discuss criteria you should use in choosing the online travel journal provider which best suits your needs.

I have checked out over a dozen online journals and diaries comparing the pros and cons of each and specifically how they related to what I needed for my chronicling of my travels. I have my preferences but this article is about you, so I am providing you with criteria which allow you to evaluate the available travel journals.

There is much overlap in what each one provides. Each generally have a “free” version, and the more comprehensive sites also have an upgraded “fee” version with more features or more storage space. Most individuals can get by with the “free” version. If you find you need more space or more features, you can always upgrade to the “fee” version at a later time.

I have divided my lists of features into two categories: (1) “must-haves” and (2) “bonus features. I consider the first group as indispensable. It a provider does not have all of these features available, I move on to the next provider.

What are some of the “MUSTS-HAVES”?

1. FREE is always good.
2. Service must be ACCESSIBLE by internet from anywhere.
3. The journal must be EASY TO USE. NO CODING SKILLS needed.
4. PHOTO UPLOADS have to be available. Preferably compressed.
5. There should be an option to keep your diary PRIVATE.

Other Bonus Features To Look For. These are features that some providers have and others don’t. You may find that the additional feature will be the deciding factor as to which online journal provider you choose.

1. ROUTE MAPPING of your trip.
2. UNLIMITED photos uploads.
3. UNLIMITED blogging entries
4. MAP of countries visited
5. VIDEO UPLOADS available, preferably unlimited.
6. SEVERAL LANGUAGES availability and support.
7. YOU MAINTAIN COPYRIGHT over all your materials.
8. MOBILE PHONE updates.
9. CONNECT to social sites like FaceBook.
10. EMAIL updates to family and friends
11. RSS FEEDS
12. DIFFERENT TEMPLATES

There can be other features as well, but these should give you a good basis on which to decide which online journal is best for you. No endless email repetition! No notebooks to carry around! You do it once, give everyone the URL of your journal and they can follow you to “the ends of the earth”. And, with most of the services that provide these resources, you can also upload endless numbers of photos. What a way to record your travels for posterity!

Lamar Ross is an author, educator, photographer, internet entrepreneur, and international traveler. He has a special interest in training individuals for expatriate living and providing information on unique travel destinations .

Years ago I remember going to the travel agent to plan my vacation, never even considering an online travel agent. But nowadays it’s the other way around, and most people don’t even give a thought to planning a trip without a computer. But the fact is you can often get a better discount by using an online travel site. Here are 5 travel tips to keep in mind.

1. Find great travel reviews online. You can check what people have to say about these sites and be sure you are not getting a shady deal or traveling at the wrong time. People will also chime in and let you know where the best discounts and freebies are. You can find out what the locals are saying too.

2. Locate fabulous deals. By far the best reason to do your travel deal shopping online is to get all the best deals. By scouring the travel websites online you can put your vacation together as you please by comparing different prices. For example, maybe you find a super vacation package one-way to your destination with one airline, and then you find a great deal on the way back with a separate air carrier. Go for it! Mix and match. You’ll save a ton of money with this method.

3. Different times equal different prices. Last time I planned a vacation I checked airline prices multiple times a day on every day of the week. It was a lot of fun actually because the prices changed all the time. It was almost like playing a game, click on the price now and see what it is! Maybe cheaper, maybe not. But one thing to keep in mind is if you happen to stumble upon a fantastic travel deal (and you will at some point), snap it up because you may never see it again. That’s what happened to me a few times. I debated and didn’t grab the excellent deal and it was gone, never to be seen again.

4. Sign up for email alerts. Go to all the major travel sites and get on an email list for travel discounts to be emailed to you. You should probably create a special account just for this so that you won’t have them all going into your main account. Sure, you are going to get lots of stuff you can’t use but every now and then you will receive that gem of a deal. But check your mail daily and go immediately to check out anything that looks promising.

5. Buy travel insurance sometimes but not always. So you’ve found your fantastic and amazing vacation deal and now you are wondering, should you spring for insurance as well? Yes you should if you are going on a cruise or traveling with a tour group or paying megabucks in advance for your trip. These policies are an added expense, sure, but the peace of mind is worth it.