IGOUGO get together
Posted by nmagann on January 11, 2012
I was fortunate to attend the get together in Chicago for writers some years back. Not a place I was particularly planning to travel. Had so much fun, I wondered where the next one would be. I was so impressed at the distance some traveled.
Is there nothing more due to lack of interest or in the staff's lack of time for planning?
Reply by MilwVon on January 11, 2012
I recall the Chicago one, but wasn't able to work it into my schedule at the time. I was just getting involved with IgoUgo back then, and thought it was such a cool thing to do. I too was wondering at the time about where the next one would be, only to learn they weren't going to do it any more. The reason given was a mix of staff time and monetary considerations that resulted in it being discontinued.
The IgoUgo management & staff have significantly changed over the past couple of years (maybe three). Lots of the things done before, were lost in the transitions. Some staff have been very considerate to the "long timers" here, but unfortunately with many of the changes, you'll see many have since gone elsewhere to do their travel writing. I miss the contributions of Iz and GB the most, although I do have a cyber-friendship with GB through another internet travel site.
Reply by nmagann on January 12, 2012
Funny you should say...I realized I guess I have been around for longer than I thought. Times have been difficult so my travels have become less and I figured that must have been the case with others. There used to be a lot more communication in the form of pm's as well as contributions on the forum. I figured it was because I had become so infrequent.
GB was (is) such a character. Ben the Grate, DGlawless are yet others.
I agree, the staff, has been and still is a great group. They too are missed from the getogether.
Reply by MilwVon on January 12, 2012
I'm blessed to have a couple of other online friendships through IgoUgo that when the opportunity presents itself, I'm sure I'll meet them in person . . . WildcatDianne and VampireFan. They were so friendly and welcoming to me when I became active here, that I feel fortunate for their involvement with IgoUgo. Sometimes I feel we don't have the "community" feel any more, but maybe that is because so many people float in and out, not staying and contributing for more than a year or two.
True that the economy has got to be playing a role in the amount and nature of travel folks are doing these days. I hope for a recovery SOON for the benefit of the traveling public as well as the businesses and families that depend on tourism for their livelihood.
Reply by vampirefan on January 12, 2012
Thanks hun :)
I stopped feeling like this was a community along time ago. I have several travels that I have never written about and I am not in a hurry to write about them. Most of the best writers have gone and it became too difficult to know when people did write. The quality of writing has been going downhill for along time and travels in the US were rare. And like others I have gone through some personal issues and my travels have been almost non existance for a while.
But I have put my life back in order which includes a fiance. We are both rockers and have some travels planned around our love of music. In about a week and a half, were headed to a concert in Asheville along with hitting the casino and snow tubing. Next month were taking a rock and roll cruise and were are spending time in Ft. Lauderdale before the cruise and Tampa afterwards. Come May were planning on a major concert in MD and will include some time in Baltimore and Mill Run PA to check off a bucket list item for me..Falling waters. Were also planning a trip to Universal Studios this fall and back to Tampa to stay with my future father in law. And this summer maybe a trip to Philly, which is Nick's hometown. And I am looking forward to my writings once again..if only for myself. I have missed it.
Reply by phileasfogg on January 13, 2012
Vampirefan, what you said about feeling like this was a community a long time ago is exactly one of the reasons I don't feel as connected with IgoUgo as I once did. There was a time when the message boards were really active, and we'd do stuff like exchange jokes and play games on it - besides, of course, discussing a lot of travel. And the message alerts about friends having posted new journals was a great way of keeping up with where other people were going and what they were experiencing. With all of that gone, it's really rather sad that my interactions with the IgoUgo community seem to have deteriorated to members whom I'm friends with on Facebook too.
Reply by vampirefan on January 17, 2012
I know Facebook is the only way I seem to stay in touch.
Even the forums here have changed. There were great discussions and people posted very good questions and enjoyable travel discussions. Now many of the posts either seem to be more like ads for something or someones travel post or the I am going to ____ what can I do.
It would be nice if it would become a community again, but I don't see that ever happen.
Reply by MilwVon on January 17, 2012
I wonder how IgoUgo can recreate that community feel. It seems that when Travelocity stepped in, things really moved in terms of their business model. The main page of IgoUgo changed, the content was made available in new ways (some I don't care much for) and a significant focus shift to the advertising and selling of travel (and services) occurred.
I get it . . . Travelocity and IgoUgo as a tool of theirs . . . is a business and should be operated as such. Somehow, I wish they could find the balance between the need to pay the bills and retain a more interactive and friendly atmosphere online.
Reply by MilwVon on January 17, 2012
As for the use of Facebook in an effort to replace the interaction that used to happen here, I have found it difficult to manage my desire to keep my FB more private and accessible to just family and friends who are "real time" friends with whom I have a friendship with besides in cyber space.
I have had several people come and go through my FB connections . . . from IgoUgo and elsewhere. Unfortunately, FB just didn't cut it in terms of retaining and keeping in touch with "friends" in many cases.
Reply by nmagann on January 20, 2012
For lack of a better way to put it, I don't do facebook. Besides, facebook includes so much additional stuff.
Going to Chicago I had a chance to see the people I had been communicating with via emails. And I felt I knew them via emails already.
Like Vampirefan, there is plenty I haven't written about either. Not quite the drive to write or stay connected or something.
At one time, had I been in the area of one these friends, I would have visited.
I guess I thought it was just me. Even if we aren't able to travel, I miss the banter on the forums whether it was discussing our dream places, inquire about a place it may take 10 years to get to or giving a thumbs up to someone who overcame a fear of heights.
Sorry for my yammering folks.
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