For five years in a row now, since getting my life priorities straight, I’ve taken a vacation every Spring. This year, however, several unexpected expenses have arisen and at this very moment, taking a vacation before the summer descends appears to be an unrealistic expectation.

So as I gaze longingly at a postcard of Mexico hanging next to my office computer, my mind wanders from the task at hand: brainstorming for blog ideas. Then it hits me – blogging is like taking a vacation! The following are a few ideas why bloggers don’t need a tropical paradise getaway to get away:

1. Surfing the Net is better than traveling. Why leave the comfort of your own home when you can travel the world through the Internet? Think about it: no line ups or waiting for hours. There’s no risk of plane crashes or car accidents. No fear of foreign microbes setting up camp in your body. You can’t get traveler’s diarrhea blogging! And forget about the time and stress that goes with travel planning. Did you forget to leave the oven on? No problem! Just head into the kitchen and check.
2. Visiting other blogs is like sampling other cultures. When you go to another country for vacation, you get a taste of what it’s like to live there. Even if you never leave the resort, you can meet the locals, sample their fare (or close enough to it) and get a general idea of their life (if you ask them). When you visit another blog, you experience the community, a mini-culture if you will. Read the comments and you meet the locals, taste their ideas, perspectives and experiences, and get a good understanding about their lives in general.
3. Visiting other blogs gives you a chance to meet new people. Every time you travel, don’t you run into some interesting people? Vacations are a breeding ground for socializing as you’re grouped together to be transported to the same place. Go to any populated blog and you’ll find the same thing there: different people to meet and converse with. They’ll come from different countries and have different experiences, but they will all have a common interest: the blog you’re on!
4. Reading other blog posts give you insight into the author. Inevitably, during an all-inclusive vacation, you’re going to find out a lot about someone. Or maybe it’ll be you that spills your whole life story to the guy next to you while drinking piña coladas! Depending on how personal the blogger gets, you’ll get to know the author even better than you would a fellow vacationer. And if the blogger really interests you, you can return to their blog to find out more about their life.
5. Writing and reading blog articles take you out of your head and away from the daily grind. Most vacationers vacation because they need a break from the everyday monotony. Writing and reading often accomplishes the same thing. Many writers explain that when they write, reality fades and they enter `the zone’. And many readers often describe `getting lost in the story’. So, I have to ask: why spend $1,000 or more to escape from real life when you can blog?
6. Participating in blogosphere special events trump resort entertainment. Although some people are super aware of body language, the resort entertainment groups I’ve experienced haven’t provided this talent to make up for the language barriers. It makes me wonder if resort entertainer qualifications are: overenthusiastic, pushy and inconsiderate. Meanwhile, blog carnivals, guest blogging contests and other fun blogging activities are just as fun (if not more so), allow bloggers to participate willingly and no one is ever put on the spot in front of a crowd.

Alright, so I admit that blogging doesn’t allow you to smell the fragrant, sweet air of Cuba, feel the soft sand of a Caribbean beach, wake up to the sound of howler monkeys or fly through a Costa Rican rain forest on zip lines. But the above six points do make for a good argument why bloggers don’t need a vacation.

Does blogging take you away to another country? If so, we want to hear how! Please share by leaving a comment.