Where have all the 'Trip Reports' gone? calling all members

[wilddog]

I am not the most timely with my trip reports but it seems to me that not many are being posted on site. Those that are, are all a great read and include, in many cases, some stunning images. so thanks to those that have posted this year.

 

But I am sure there are a lot of members that have been on trips and for whatever reason are not posting Trip reports, which is a shame.

 

Trip reports are the lifeblood of Safaritalk and can I please ask shyer members to give it a go? It is not a competition of writing skills or photography but a reflection of your personal experience. For those that are not going on safari, it is a chance to enjoy your experiences vicariously, from their armchair at homes.

 

PLEASE give it a go.

 

PS My Mana report is in the making............................before you all ask!

Edited October 20, 2019 by wilddog

[Kitsafari]

I've also noticed over the years, that there tends to be a quieter period in and around the third quarter - it's just anecdotally observed - nothing scientific and I may be way off. I'm not sure if people don't go on trips in the second quarter, or are too busy at the third quarter to the fourth quarter to post TRs. 

 

I'll be looking forward to reading yours, @wilddog, and waiting for @Sangeeta 's next instalment, and waiting for @Tdgraves ' imminent TR (no pressure!) and crossing fingers for Jo's too. 

 

Edited to add - also following penolva's elephant journey and pedro Maia's mashatu trip too.

Edited October 20, 2019 by Kitsafari

[wilddog]

Thanks @Kitsafari for your comments and I am sure you are right about the pattern . Overall I just feel there are less year on year, particularly given the large numbers of members and travellers. I have not examined things in detail but are all those that post in the counting down the days thread following up in due course?

 

Just hoping to get some newbies on board to Report posting. The first time is always a bit scary. Always great to hear THEIR experiences as well of those of us who are fairly seasoned to safari and Report writing.

 

I am sure experienced members will gladly provide plenty of advice and guidance on the technical issues.

 

The west Africa TR's have been a real eye opener. Wow!

 

 

Edited October 20, 2019 by wilddog

[LarsS]

I'd love to write more TR's, but it's a year since my last safari trip... Luckily I'm leaving saturday and will provide a TR afterwards with photos and possibly video as well.  

[kittykat23uk]

I'm not sure there's much I can add with my last trip, basically it went the same way as my previous trip to Borneo, still no leopard... 😭

[Kitsafari]

4 minutes ago, kittykat23uk said:

I'm not sure there's much I can add with my last trip, basically it went the same way as my previous trip to Borneo, still no leopard... 😭

 

 

so sorry to hear. 

[wilddog]

Thanks @LarsS. If you do not go, you cannot realistically write a TR. But you will also know that reading TR's of others is such a treat when confined to home. Have a great time!

 

@kittykat23uk such a shame for you and I do understand   You are both amongst the regular TR posters anyway and we are all thankful for that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LarsS]

12 minutes ago, wilddog said:

But you will also know that reading TR's of others is such a treat when confined to home.

That's true. I got so inspired I almost booked a trip to Namibia because of reading a TR if planning would have allowed it.  

[Julian]

Since discovering Safaritalk (about five years ago) I have really enjoyed reading many trip reports, and have used them to help plan our safaris. We have been on three superb safaris during that time, and the trip reports ( and obtaining information from members by asking questions in trip planning, and the general discussion sections ) proved to be incredibly helpful in making our choices for the amazing times we have experienced on those safaris (eg we would never have known how wonderful  Namiri plains was as a choice were it not for the Trip Reports on here.)

Therefore I felt that I really should produce a detailed trip report, with many photos,  of each of those three safaris, partly in return for how much Safaritalk ( ie it’s members) had significantly contributed to our wildlife experiences, but also because we use our trip reports to help compile our photo books of our trips, and partly because I have really enjoyed producing them. 

I am still in the process of producing our most recent trip report ( Zambia 2018, Luangwa Valley and Lower Zambezi) as many of you know who have  read/ commented on it , but it is taking a long time. The first half has been completed but I have not had the time in the last five months to get on with the  Lower Zambezi part of the trip, but I will start on that part very soon as I am determined to complete it by the end of the year.

I intend to continue producing trip reports of all our safaris in the future and hope others will also do the same for their trips. They don’t have to be detailed and lengthy but will always be, I am sure, really appreciated, helpful and useful  to most of us on here.

 

Edited October 20, 2019 by Julian

[marg]

I agree that there are fewer of them posted. We enjoy reading them and being inspired.  The Gabon reports have been outstanding but there must be other countries visited.  It will be next year for us.  But, must admit that I am very far behind in my birding updates...will try to get busy.  Maybe this is a problem with others too?

[pault]

13 hours ago, kittykat23uk said:

I'm not sure there's much I can add with my last trip, basically it went the same way as my previous trip to Borneo, still no leopard... 😭

You can do most of it with copy and paste then. Easy!

 

New photos though.

[pault]

I am like @LarsS

Trapped outside Africa.... and any release is still probably a year away. 

[Caracal]

15 hours ago, wilddog said:

 

Trip reports are the lifeblood of Safaritalk and can I please ask shyer members to give it a go? It is not a competition of writing skills or photography but a reflection of your personal experience. For those that are not going on safari, it is a chance to enjoy your experiences vicariously, from their armchair at homes.

 

 

 

Totally agree @wilddog.

Mind you just at the moment I'm lagging behind in catching up on TRs. Am long retired so not sure why I seem short on time!

Was a late starter but currently being absorbed in Heart of Madness and taking my time as there is so much to take in and appreciate and in the back of my mind I'm thinking I better hurry up 'cos I'm worried about @Sangeeta's ass being aflame but I'll just have to leave it burning a little longer till I finish Madness.

 

[dlo]

I haven't been here for quite some time but I had definitely noticed the same thing back in early summer. Certainly some people are intimidated by some of the quality reports and pictures so I know all to well how hard it is to jump in and write your own. 

 

Its closing in on a year since my last trip and with another nowhere in sight I will be no help. 

[wilddog]

15 hours ago, Julian said:

 

I am still in the process of producing our most recent trip report ( Zambia 2018, Luangwa Valley and Lower Zambezi) as many of you know who have  read/ commented on it , but it is taking a long time. The first half has been completed but I have not had the time in the last five months to get on with the  Lower Zambezi part of the trip, but I will start on that part very soon as I am determined to complete it by the end of the year.

I intend to continue producing trip reports of all our safaris in the future and hope others will also do the same for their trips. They don’t have to be detailed and lengthy but will always be, I am sure, really appreciated, helpful and useful  to most of us on here.

 

 

Finishing a TR is often a  problem I find. My last one was only completed a few days before my next trip.  Dreadful really. but at least I completed it in the end. Your target of by the end of 2019 @Julian is a good one. I tend to be target driven too  

 

To others sorry you have made it on Safari this year  I hope plans are underway for a return.

 

This threads seems to be have been read by lots of members so hopefully some of the Trip report virgins will take a step forward soon. 

 

Better get on with mine now........................

Edited October 21, 2019 by wilddog

[kittykat23uk]

I haven't actually been on an overseas trip this year until Borneo, I think the last trip report was about our return to the farnes. 

[Amylovescritters]

Agreed on all counts. Almost done with my TR from April Safari.. It seems to get harder to return to as time passes. I still have to do my Namiri Plains portion. Almost there. Lol 

I will make an effort to get to it this week. Cheers!

[The_Norwegian]

one trip-report, coming right up :-) Or soon at least, in one week i`m in transfer at paris cdg on my way south, so I`m starting to get the good old butteflies again! 

[wilddog]

Brilliant. Have a fantastic time @The_Norwegian

Edited October 22, 2019 by wilddog

[Game Warden]

I'd be up for writing one hell of a trip report...

 

Just have to go on a safari first.

 

And take a photographer...  

[Zubbie15]

I wonder also if people are returning to places they have been before, and aren't writing new reports about places they've already been? I'm back a few weeks from our third trip to Northern Tanzania, and having written two reports previously in not sure I would be able to add anything new for this third trip. Similarly, I've been looking at recent Kenya trip reports, and a lot seem to start with some version of "so we need another report..." 

[Alexander33]

I agree with the question @Zubbie15 raises. When you’ve been to a particular destination more than once, you start to question whether others will place value on your additional observations, especially if there’s nothing newly profound to add. I’ve seen this personally. 

 

My challenge in these circumstances is that I hesitate to take the time to process and post photos that others largely have already posted (especially if it’s to a repeat destination), and that are not even close to being extraordinary (well, except for the fact that I personally saw the scene in question, which is an entirely different concept).

 

Our media-saturated world contributes, I think. If if there’s anything amiss here, it’s the lack of regular positive feedback. I’ve noticed over the years that initial trip report posts generate a decent level of interest, but that interest starts dwindling after a bit, which makes people (or maybe it’s just me) hesitant to add more (and, instead , to just have a goal to just wrap things up) for fear of their boring everyone. It’s not that hard to hit the “like” button or, better yet, to post a short, encouraging note in response.  (And, sadly, I’m as guilty of this as anyone. It seems we’re all just too busy. But are we really?). 

 

Glad you raised this subject @wilddog.  It’s worthy of a discussion, not the least of which is because so many of my own trips — and resulting learning experiences — have been shaped, for the positive, uniformly, by opinions and influences expressed by fellow Safaritalkers.  I would be saddened if they dissipated. 

 

Edited October 23, 2019 by Alexander33

[douglaswise]

I, too, agree with @Zubbie15 and @Alexander33.

 

I rarely, if ever, return to precisely the same location. If I've enjoyed it the first time, I fear a second visit might be anti-climactic.  Conversely, if the first visit has been disappointing, why repeat it?  That said, I have visited similar habitats/biomes with similar species from different fixed points.  Under such circumstances, are multiple trip reports justified or wanted?  I suppose the writer/photographer benefits from the enjoyment derived from the re-creation of fond memories, but what of the reader?  If planning one's own trip to a previously unfrequented destination, study of multiple trip reports relating to the said destination may well prove extremely worthwhile.  However, under such circumstances, words are as or more important than images.  I think that we all know what lions, for example, look like.  Why, therefore, are so many trip reports replete with 20 plus consecutive images of lions?  If the photographic skill set of the author is very high, then I might admire them should I choose to do so. However, if only average, my reaction will be "not again"  ( I feel triumphant just to produce an image in focus!).  If I travel in the footsteps of previous Safaritalkers, especially those whose trip reports are imbued with images indicative of superior photographic skills, I am very reluctant to write up a trip report of my own visit unless I have something different to comment on.  Showing inferior images of the same suspects doesn't really hack it.  Thus, my trips to, for example, Barranco Alto in Brasil and Tadoba in India were not memorialised with my own reports.  

 

To some extent, I am not being entirely honest because I do like reading reports by others about destinations which I, myself, have visited.  I like to find out whether their experiences gelled with my own and whether things have changed since I last was there.  I suppose it is another example of nostalgia - gleaning enjoyment by activating one's memory bank. At my age, it is, after all, one of one's main preoccupations pending the onset of dementia.  One also has to remember that Safaritalk's readership will be in a state of gradual change.  New readers may be reluctant to plan trips based on reports written 5 or more years ago unless the information has been substantiated with more recent information.

 

I would like to cite one examplar of what, in my opinion, is an excellent approach to trip report production,  namely@Atravelynn.  Her reports give precise and pertinent information to potential footstep followers as well as being replete with well laid out images which are enjoyable to view in their own right.  If I had the technical nous and computer skills necessary to mimic her approach, I'd do so.

[Towlersonsafari]

i must admit I really enjoy trip reports-those that are to places we will never visit, such as the recent ones from Gabon, those  that inspire me to want to visit and those, as has been said that contain very helpful advice.i have never read one that i thought-"this is rubbish"  , and each report finds its own style   i would hate to think that someone would be put off just because htey have done it before.we have been to the KTP several times but each trip has been  different. the more the merrier. actually I think those naughty Big year people should be made to do trip reports before they can post a new bird to add to their total!!!!

[refox3488]

Very well said @Towlersonsafari.

 

As a newbie, i read all of the trip reports. It doesn't matter to me if they include camps and parks that have already been covered, as every writer has a unique perspective. Plus i like seeing how the camps and wildlife are fairing, which requires recent reports from members in the field, even if they have already wrote a report the year before.

 

One of the things that i think is very cool about Safaritalk is the ability to see how individual animals are fairing. For instances many reports in the Mara include photos and observation on Fig and her off spring, being able to follow their progress on this site is amazing and shows the value of multiple reports, even when it's a park or area that has been regularly covered. 

 

I am definitely guilty of not showing my appreciation enough and will follow @Alexander33's wise advice to use the like feature and comment more often.