You go online and type the words ‘travel blog’ and there appear a multitude of blogs sharing travel stories. They make it seem so simple -- just pick a place and get there or better yet just start moving.

It is while reading these blogs that you realise that people are doing so much -- crossing controversial borders, backpacking across Europe, cycling in Central Asia or taking their new-born to the park next door. The nature of the blog depends completely on how serious the person is about travelling.

Kaiser Tufail, a veteran writer and blogger (Kaiser-footloose), who has been travelling and recording his experiences since before the internet days says, "blogging is one medium that allows you to share your experience with a large number of people. Newspapers have had a limited readership. But now, if you Google Italy you not only see the general Wikipedia page but will also come across travel blogs discussing it."

Travel writing does not mean boring monotonous pieces explaining the height and width of a particular road, mountain, lake or monument. It takes the reader further than the typical tourist experience and is all about meeting people, getting lost on an unmarked road, sleeping in cheap motels.

Regardless of the type of experience, the writing, pictures, or snippets posted are always lively, evoking a sense of excitement and wonder in the reader. More serious travellers have put their routine life on hold, deciding to travel instead. Then there are quintessential tourists going to all the places featured on the postcards.

William Hunter, who according to his blog WillTravellife.com, won some money in online gambling and decided to travel the world, disagrees with the notion that travel writers are trying to offer an experience that is different. "Writers push to find and record these "off the beaten path" experiences. Historically, unique travel experiences were easy to find, and even easier to be publicly journaled by a handful of writers. Now, with the massive volume of travellers crossing the globe daily, finding novelty on the road is harder. To really do something unique requires wild imagination and substantial effort; riding a pogo stick from Khartoum to Cape Town, for example. Travel writers rarely do this. More often, they pick a story from an opposite corner of the globe -- their elephant ride in Thailand, for example -- and portray it as grand, exotic, and daring just the same," he says while writing to TNS in an email exchange.

Travel blogging also generates funds through sponsors and ad placements. This is especially important for those who have taken up travel writing as a career and that is what to most measures the success of a travel writer. "The most successful writers don’t necessarily share the coolest stories nor write the best articles, they’re simply the best at "playing the game". These writers self-promote heavily and effectively through social media, include the right keywords and phrases in their posts, and lend their content to other bloggers to boost their web scores," says Hunter.

There’s also fierce competition there, a notion most traveller writers will agree with. "There’s no set way to make money with a blog, and the most common income streams are the most fiercely fought-over, so it makes sense to get creative and try to do something new," says Mike Sowden, another travel blogger and writing consultant (mikesowden.org/ feveredmutterings) who is included in the Huffington Post’s list of top travels blogs (2011).

Tufail has a different notion. "I don’t use advertisements on my blog but a lot of people do. However, it might not appeal to the readers or look good on the blog since you have little control over what advertisements to place. It might not necessarily be a bad thing and I know people do earn from placing advertisements but generating funds is not the purpose of my blog."

For most readers, travel blogs are as close as they can get to looking at the world. The Huffington Post list includes blogs such as "Canvas of Light" run by Daniel Nahabedian, a photographer who offers beautiful pictures of the places he’s been too.

The same list has blogs like "Fox Nomad" that will help you figure out all the technical ins and outs of travelling -- from deciding on where to go to planning your trip to how to get your visa etc.

Travel blogging is becoming equally popular in Pakistan with the likes of Moin Khan who documented his trip around the world on motorcycle on Facebook. He sent a positive message to ordinary Pakistanis who fear visa restrictions and the high cost of simple commodities when converted into the Pakistani rupee. And then there are those exploring the much coveted places in Pakistan and introducing new ones like Kaiser Tufail biking up to Siachen or Salman Rashid exploring the Makran coast.

People who write and travel are only a few here though and locals writing about the country are fewer. "Travel is costly," says Tufail, "unless you’re not travelling with a business, for your job or earning large amounts of money. And then not everyone who travels can write."

Tufail is aware that in Pakistan travel writers are a rare breed. "I was in the Air Force and writing is something I enjoyed doing. Whenever I got a chance to travel, I would jot down points and later it was easy for me making up a story when correlating those points with pictures. I was adventurous as well and so I took up writing."

Travel blogs get a lot of constant feedback. Sowden talks about how they provide discussion places for many avid travellers. "The newer publishing platforms like blogs and social media are built around growing conversations, not static broadcasting in the way offline newspapers are. I’m far less travelled than some of my readers and I really value their input every time. In fact, my best travel adventure came about because a reader suggested it. The more you open yourself to and act upon constructive feedback, the wiser you’ll end up as a traveller."

For Hunter it’s simpler: "For me, receiving feedback like ‘Hey, crazy story, bring us more!’ certainly does motivate me to continue travelling. Everyone likes a receptive audience."

While travel blogs are not as widely read here as they are abroad, judging by the comments on most they are becoming a ‘go to guide’ for most people looking for adventure. People often upload videos of difficult routes or trekking paths, making it easier for people to navigate their way.