My Seven Links
Like wildfire, the 7 Links project is sweeping through the travel blogging community.
Such a simple and appealing concept, and a little bit green, which is good. Revive (or recycle) some blog posts and nominate other bloggers to do the same.The fire was started by Tripbase blog last month and shows no sign of abating just yet. Here’s a list of bloggers nominated so far.
Natalie from Turkish Travel Blog and Kelly from Travel Bug Juice nominated The Dropout Diaries here and here. I feel like I’ve been nominated for an Oscar. Claiming to be honoured and humbled but secretly wondering how I should start my acceptance speech. (“Friends, Romans, countrymen”, or just “friends”? Both are a bit dorky, but this is such a surprise!)
Without further ado, my seven links:
Most Beautiful Post
Sneaky Smiles On The Bus – New to blogging, new to Singapore, new to motherhood, I wrote this post early on, recounting an experience three weeks into expat Singapore life, when it still felt like an adventure.
Most Popular Post
Why Dropping Out Was The Best Decision I Ever Made – Another early post, which dropped into the blogosphere with barely ripple. Somehow, it got an enormous surge in traffic about five months after I wrote it. My friends responded to the post in private emails, rather than blog comments. The response was amazing. So many people are unhappy at work. They don’t know it, but two colleagues who sit next to each other responded with very similar emails — along the lines of “this post brought tears to my eyes. I’m struggling to contain myself because I don’t want X sitting next to me to see me in such a state.” DON’T BE UNHAPPY AT WORK, PEOPLE! If you’re unhappy, overworked or time poor, sit down and strategise. Fix the problem, don’t let it win. (Note to self. Take your own advice, Ms Bossy Boots.)
Most Controversial Post
Singapore Public Transport – no so controversial in the scheme of things, but the post that inspired the most number of comments from first-time visitors. And got The Dropout Diaries mentioned on a few high traffic Singapore blogs. (Oh God, what have I done?)
Most Helpful Post
This one is tricky. I don’t think I’m a particularly helpful blogger. There is so much “how to” information out there that I just don’t feel qualified to compete. But just to include a link, this post is all about one of Singapore’s MUST TRY dishes, Katong laksa. And as a post-script to this post, we have now tried the other Katong Laksa stalls and our local Famous 328 Laksa is, without a shadow of a doubt, the winner of the laksa wars. It is the best.
A Post Whose Success Surprised
Dried Sea Dragon – For some reason, this post got THOUSANDS of views. I don’t know if it was the title, the photo or the funny story.
A Post You Feel Didn’t Get the Attention it Deserved
Motorbike 101 – I am not sure that anyone’s actually ever read this, one of my first, written to test how the “publish” button works, if I recall correctly.
Post That You Are Most Proud Of
Taliban Tales – I’m proud of this one because I think it sums up the biggest part of my life in Vietnam, that strange mixture of confusion, misunderstanding, fascination and fun.
The Five Bloggers That I Nominate To Take Part in The Seven Links Project:
Our Travel Lifestyle – If anyone has to take the blame for launching me into the world of blogging, it’s these guys. I found the blog while Googling “driving holidays in Malaysia”. I clicked around. I read their “About” page and I saw, for the first time, a mention of Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Work Week. I bought the book the same day and a few weeks later started my own blog, as recommended by the book. Next week we’re actually going to be staying with the OTL tribe in Penang for a few days. (We decided Miss M would make a Malaysian driving or train holiday a bit of a pain, so we’re flying.)
Wandering Educators – A website full of resources by a traveling power couple, who have been great supporters of this blog.
Gaijin Chic – Great tips for travel and expat life by an expat Mum in Beijing.
The Professional Hobo – A great blog by a former financial planner who hit the road in 2006 and has been on the move ever since.
Almost Fearless – A super mum who has kept a relationship and a toddler alive while on a power-globetrotting trip. Now resting up in Chiang Mai, where I hope she will stay long enough so we can meet her there. She’s arrived there early and Darling Man wants to delay our Chiang Mai dropout, which is a story for another time.
(And sneaky number six)
Travel With A Nine-Year-Old – Another out-of-this-world blog to inspire every fearful traveler. She’s so popular she’s already been nominated but you should click this link anyway.
(And sneaky number seven — it’s about seven links, isn’t it?)
1 Dad 1 Kid – A single dad showing his adopted son the world and trying to impose some order on family travel bloggers.
Disclaimer: there’s an affiliate link in this post somewhere. (And wasn’t that a total bugger to install?). Buy The Four Hour Work week through the link and I’ll get a few cents.
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13 years ago
what a great list – thank you for nominating me! onward ho…
Tally ho!
Great round-up of posts! Making my way through reading some of them now, but already craving some morning Laksa!
Mark, I have to confess I nipped out for a laksa lunch yesterday after writing the post. And it was fantastic, washed down with a fresh coconut. (Although not so fresh because they’re imported from Thailand.)
Thanks for the nomination.
And you know, when your nomadic family aspirations all go wrong we will deny any liability! Actually you’ll need to sign the waiver form BEFORE we let you in our front door. Surprise!!!
We, too, loved your “Most Popular” post. Go figure. Although we think starting blogging was the best decision you ever made 🙂
[…] at the Dropout Diaries, whom I look forward to meeting in […]
[…] seven links project came to my eye when I was nominated by Drop Out Diaries to list seven posts of mine. The idea of reviving or recycling some of my posts and nominating […]