I have been keeping a diary since I was 11 years old. It was never extremely consistent, but I did not stop doing it either. It helped me to express overflowing feelings and over the years, it also became a companion for me to reminisce the good old days. As I grew older the topics grew with me and at some point my brain began expressing opinions along with plain actions. I always thought that this period roughly coincides with the time I began travelling, but travelling to places I would choose to go.
I grew up with two travellers who were bounded by their paid annual leaves. I have travelled half the country with them before the age of 15 and I loved every bit of discovering new places. I was 5 years old when I first travelled abroad, and since I didn’t know much about recording stuff back then, losing those memories were very painful in the following years. So after I came to my senses, whenever we had a family trip, I began making portfolios about the places I visited. I was collecting tickets and boarding passes, taking printed napkins and coasters for all the different beers I tried from restaurants and bars, collecting free city maps and little trinkets that would remind me of those great times. But apart from a few special occasions, these collections were all I did to represent my memories, without any explanations.
To be honest I didn’t begin writing reviews until very recently. There was a long period where I just observed. I went through a rough patch; having no time or money to travel have kept me from even discovering what is around the immediate vicinity. But, I kept spending time in Google street view, walking through the cities around the world I love the most. I would see the photos from other people at certain locations and say maybe one day I can bring myself to do this.
Fortunately, one day, it happened. After having a really good exchange with a hotel/restaurant owner, I decided to write something good about the place to make sure everyone hears about it. And then things kind of snowballed.
When Google introduced the Local Guides, I have been using the Maps as a diary with a geotag. My simple reviews evolved into diary entries about the places I visited. I love writing the date I have been to a place. This helps to compare the prices for a restaurant in consecutive years. I love writing how I felt about the bed sheets of a hotel, or the menu design of a restaurant. My recent favourites are little places in the mountains in Italy called baita or rifugio. Since I moved here, I had the chance to take hiking trips in the Alpine region more often. So, whenever I plan a hike, I set up a new destination, usually a baita, to rest, try the house wine, the meat and cheese varieties, eat some freshly baked bread and drink the local grappa before getting back to the starting point.
I usually prefer writing my reviews in the comfort of my own desk when I return from a trip, making sure that none of the opinions are rushed and/or based on any bad experiences. The only thing I do on the phone is to notify Google where I am, on the spot, since the GPS doesn’t always get it right. With that, it is easier to check my timeline and add necessary information.
I just hope that the little things I care about would make a difference for someone else.
Looking forward to read about the other guides. It is nice to meet you all!