Singapore Blog Awards 2012

What is it all about?

Organized by omy.sg, a bilingual news and interactive web portal by leading media group Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (SPH), the Singapore Blog Awards is about honouring new-age wordsmiths who devote their time and energy in creating and maintaining informative and innovative blogs.

In its 5th year running, the annual Singapore Blog Awards returns with 15 categories, more exciting events and prizes. Bloggers stand to win a trip, inclusive of air tickets and accommodation, to experience the annual International Fireworks Festival in Macau, among other attractive prizes worth a total of $30,000.

The main sponsors for awards are Panasonic, Casio Sheen, Macau Government Tourist Office, Domino’s Pizza, QOO10 (New Gmarket), SOLD.SG, Singapore Flyer, Mary Chia and ST701. Other sponsors include Golden Village and Singapore Food Trail. To crown the award winner for each category, a score will be computed based on 30% public votes and 70% based on scores tabulated by a panel of professional judges. The accolades are awarded in July 2012.

Being part of it!

Travel and Beyond is honoured to be selected as one of the TOP 10 FINALIST for the BEST TRAVEL BLOG category. Here is my E-Interview with omy.sg:

1. How do you feel about being a finalists in Singapore Blog Awards 2012?

It’s is an honour indeed to be selected as one of the top ten finalists in the “Best Travel Blog” category. The awards were constituted to recognize the tireless efforts of bloggers and the mere fact that my efforts were recognized as being worthy of a nomination to the top ten is both exhilarating and humbling at the same time.

2. When did you start blogging and what drew you to it? Where do you get inspiration for your blog content?

The love for writing informative articles started a few years ago. After resigning as an Aerospace and Defense Journalist, I found inspiration in writing about my travels. Blogging gave me the perfect platform to express myself in the way I see the world during my travels. While my real blogging experience started sometime in 2009 my official site ‘TravelandBeyond.org’ was launched in 2011.

The goal has been to write articles impartially and filled with information that a traveller would seek to find when doing research on a particular place of interest. The mere excitement of visiting a new place is a great inspiration to begin with; the little things to look for just fall in place. The trick is to find information about what I perceive people would look for through my eyes and I endeavour to put it across as impartially as I can sans adverts and marketing.

3. How do you feel about the other Finalists in your category this year? How do you think you will fare compared to them?

Visiting the sites of the other Finalists, I must confess that 6 out of the 10 chosen were in Chinese and it’s a language I cannot read. The pictures on these sites looked great and I would love to read what was written about the fabulous places these fellow bloggers visited. The ones in English were good too albeit in a style of writing that is unlike my own. Somehow I felt the articles were more about the authors own feelings and perceptions. Self expression is a great thing but its does stand in the way of a great story.

My writings are not a force of personal opinion about a place, service or product. It is however a deliberate choice of portraying a place as it is and generally in positive light. Travel is a journey that is best experienced by embarking on it rather than just reading about it. And every individual comes back with their own personal insights and impressions and my writings should never cloud their imaginations beforehand.

4. Give a reason why readers should visit your blog and vote for you?

Besides writing an impartial view of the countries I visit, readers on my site can sample a slice of history and culture about the place they are visiting. A general overview on how much it costs once there and pointers on what they can expect with some important links to official sites that are usually very helpful. My site does not run press releases nor does it emphasise on advertisements, so readers can rest assured that there are no silly pop ups and other gimmicks to irritate them. I believe that the information I provide them is useful and should motivate them to cast a vote of appreciation in my favour.