"What do readers want from a travelblog?" That was Karen Bryan's question for the chat she hosted yesterday on Europe a la Carte. It's a good question, one I've never bothered to ask you here  - an  unforgivable oversight, at best. It's also a hard question to get an answer for - Karen wasn't entirely satisfied with the results.

I was hoping to gain some insight into “What readers want from a travel blog?” from last night live blog. However although the live blog was a really interesting and informative discussion between travel bloggers, there was no input from travel blog readers.

When I go hunting through the blogrolls and search results for new and compelling travelblogging, I look first and foremost for compelling writing. I want storytelling with a strong sense of place, I want to be transported. If there are photographs I want them to be evocative and expressive and I enjoy attention to details. I want blogging that makes my feet itch, makes me think that if I do not book a ticket to Indonesia or Peru or where ever, ASAP, I will just about die.

On the practical side, I want concrete, actionable, useful information. "Do not wear shorts in Morocco." "Don't be freaked out by the crowds and let them ruin your experience, you can't avoid them, so relax." I'm not so interested in reviews - things are so changeable, but I'm not above reading them if I book a hotel somewhere, just to make sure I know if I should ask for a room that isn't above the bar. I don't need packing tips but appreciate their value, I feel the same about gear reviews (and I enjoy writing both). I also like to see tips for photographers, I've learned a lot from good writing about how to take better travel pictures.

As for what I don't want,I can't bear self-indulgent philosophizing and navel gazing. Your transformation, more power to you, bores me. You'd never have seen the India chapter of Eat, Pray, Love, had I been the editor. I might have stopped at Eat. That doesn't mean I don't want to hear voice, I love to read a strong voice, full of enthusiasm or despair or frustration - it's part of travel. But I want to travel, not be inside your head.

But hey, that's all me me me. When I stepped in to Laurie and Suzanne's traveling shoes - more than a year ago - I was so psyched to be blogging travel that I forgot about, oops, you. Karen's chat reminded me of that. Forgive me. And now, let me ask. What do YOU want to see in travelblogging? What would you like to see here on BlogHer with regards to travel? What don't you want to see? I'd love to know.

Related:

Keeping a Travelblog Your Friends Will Love to Read

The Travvies: The Best Travel Blogs on the Web (nominations are now closed)

Photo: Internet cafe, Phillipines, from Gem on Flickr

Pam blogs about travel and other adventures at Nerd's Eye View.