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[aopaq]

I just had this idea come to me after reading the post about the travelling garden gnome.

I am wondering if folks would me interested in mailing a travel journal of sorts to each other and see how much of the world it can get to before returning to TravelPod headquarters. Ultimately, having such a personal and unique journal in Ottawa would also be a great showpiece for the office.

It would be a chance to send greetings to TravelPod folks, add some personal pics and more importantly take a picture of the journal in some interesting spot where you live (this could be posted on a thread before it is sent off to the next member).

What do you think? Are you interested? Could this work? Let's here your thoughts!

[travelmonster]

I think it'd be excellent if the person who had the journal, took it on a trip with them and wrote up one of their days in it, then sent it on when they got back (or moved on) as well.

[semi-backpacker]

I can take it to the Dominican Republic May 23-30th

[aopaq]

I think it'd be excellent if the person who had the journal, took it on a trip with them and wrote up one of their days in it, then sent it on when they got back (or moved on) as well.

That is a great idea although I wouldn't want to make that a requirement for those who do not have an upcoming trip planned.

It will be interesting to see if there will be more general interest in the idea.

[sianeth]

I think this is a quality idea! People could really personalise their own pages... sometimes I find internet blogs really impersonal.

I like the "scrapbook" concept aswell... I think you're onto something here!

[semi-backpacker]

I love the scrapbook concept - great idea! We could also add an exciting pic of the area to our entry. I'm thinking we'll need a few journals a year once this gets going

[aopaq]

I love the scrapbook concept - great idea! We could also add an exciting pic of the area to our entry. I'm thinking we'll need a few journals a year once this gets going

I agree that more than one would be needed depending on how much people add. I definitely would think that it could get a bit expensive mailing a huge single volume.

[missyjoymel]

Fun idea! I'm a journaler and scrapbooker myself, so this idea really appeals to me. I was thinking about it, and the only potential problem I can see is that if travelers are carrying around an actual journal--you never know what could happen to it... It could get lost, damaged, caught up in a random country's mail system, or never seen again because of the abyss that is a suitcase... What if you just had people do pages, and then stick them in an actual scrapbook when you get them? I see that it might take away from the actual physical "journal" idea...which is a really cool idea--something that has actually, physically been all over the world.

If people just sent in the pages--they could send as many as they want, include as many pages as they want, other people's hard work won't get lost or damaged, they could be sent on peoples' own time and cheaply, and it will all be in the safety of the home office in the end. You'd just have to stipulate the maximum page size.

Anyway, that's just a thought. I'd like to hear where this is going, and include something from South Korea sometime!

[aopaq]

Fun idea! I'm a journaler and scrapbooker myself, so this idea really appeals to me. I was thinking about it, and the only potential problem I can see is that if travelers are carrying around an actual journal--you never know what could happen to it... It could get lost, damaged, caught up in a random country's mail system, or never seen again because of the abyss that is a suitcase... What if you just had people do pages, and then stick them in an actual scrapbook when you get them? I see that it might take away from the actual physical "journal" idea...which is a really cool idea--something that has actually, physically been all over the world.

If people just sent in the pages--they could send as many as they want, include as many pages as they want, other people's hard work won't get lost or damaged, they could be sent on peoples' own time and cheaply, and it will all be in the safety of the home office in the end. You'd just have to stipulate the maximum page size.

Anyway, that's just a thought. I'd like to hear where this is going, and include something from South Korea sometime!

Thanks for your feedback.... you raise some good points! I agree that there is always the potential problem of an actual journal getting lost in a mail system which is also a danger if people just send in some pages. As for traveller's losing the journal that is harder to control but I would guess that those involved would try their best to not lose the book and we have to rely on some degree of trust for this. Having more than one as the "Pod" gets bigger will help to offset some of the pain if the first is lost/damaged.

I think having a book that has "travelled" around the world is really the spirit of this idea and I would hate to lose that. With that said, maybe the thing to do is to ask people not to include anything that would create "issues" if the journal is lost or damaged. But if we mostly focus on taking a photo of the "Pod" at some special, local site (and post it here to further promote and inform others as to the "Pod's" current location), at the least that will be preserved. Then if the head office is ok with it, we could also ask folks to mail in more detailed works/photos etc. to be included once the "Pod" has made it to its final home.

Does that sound like a reasonable option?

[missyjoymel]

Yeah. I like that. You'd definitely need to have specific instructions, and hope that travelers who take up the "mission" are willing to do it! Fun! I guess my idea is a totally different project! BOTH could be done though....

If you had a few "Pods" floating around the world, being in pictures, with basic entries--nothing to bulky being glued in...it could be done. How would you do the mailing?? Have a list on hand of people and addresses, and who the Pod should be mailed to next? You could always have the traveler who has the Pod, email you for the next address. OR because many travelers aren't always stationary, would you have the traveler send it back to headquarters each time? Or you could do both--depending on who has the Pod... Sorry, just brainstorming... I'm not sure what would work better--but you'd find out with in a few months of the project probably.

Sounds like a lot of fun!

[shangguan]

I love the idea. I think you'll need to have a lot of "pods" floating around though. For size and shipping issues, as well as loss. If each country had its own, or several floating around and one was lost it wouldn't be such a terrible loss. I personally would like to see actual books because it would be a really great experience to be able to read the entries before it got to me. I think they would be fantastic because each person would have to take the time to physically create entries and add their own photos or trinkets. I think the difficult part would be how to coordinate who got them and how. Maybe if each local expert had one, they could keep track of it and make sure it got passed around. Plus there would be less chance of loss because it wouldn't have to be mailed everywhere. Just a suggestion.

[findingnine]

Keep one in the office for visitors too!

[seal]

Thats a really good idea, I will raise my hand and say I will take one for the team and be the first to fill it in and forward it on...

[semi-backpacker]

Woohoo! Where are you taking it first?

[aopaq]

Thats a really good idea, I will raise my hand and say I will take one for the team and be the first to fill it in and forward it on...

Great to hear.....thanks for getting the ball going!! If you want to send the "Pod" on to me, I am more than willing to take the hand off. Let me know and I can PM you my mailing address.

[semi-backpacker]

Can I have it after you??

[shangguan]

I'd like to start one off too.

[seal]

I shall sort it out this weekend, and get the first entry filled and if someone is keen to be second in line just give us a PM with your address and I shall send it from here.

[aopaq]

I shall sort it out this weekend, and get the first entry filled and if someone is keen to be second in line just give us a PM with your address and I shall send it from here.

I sent you my address and look forward to receiving the "Pod" and seeing the picture posted here before it takes flight!

I will pass the "Pod" on to Semi-Backpacker as she requested earlier to be next in line.

[aopaq]

The first Travelling "POD" (that I am aware of) has taken flight from Xiamen, China to Phoenix, Arizona! From there, semi-backpacker will mail it on to someone else so they can add their entry into this "community blog" before again passing it on.

If you want to be part of the process, let us know by adding a message to this thread and hopefully some day soon the "POD" will make it to you.

Or if you want to start your own, go right ahead!

Prior to making its inaugural flight, the Xiamen "POD" took a visit to the famous Fujian Toulo as you can see from the following photos.

What wonderful sites are in store next for the "POD"? Stay tuned to this thread and see what special treats semi-backpacker has in store for it.