One of the best benefits of blogging is the people we meet. And this past year we’ve met so many of you – both virtually and in person, at home and abroad. What a joy!
We’ve also welcomed many new people to the blog in the past months. So every January we update our roadmap for newcomers and longtimers alike, our “Start Here” page.
This is where we’ve gathered some of our reader’s favorite posts (out of over 550!) – designed to give you a taste of Gallivance. You’re an eclectic group with diverse interests (just like us), so we’ve highlighted topics ranging from travel, architecture and science to humor, food and simplifying your life.
Years ago, a fellow blogger we truly respect suggested that we needed two improvements to our blog: a “Search” function and a “Start Here” page. It’s been some of the best advice we’ve ever received. The “Search” button is in the upper right hand corner.
And without further ado, checkout our new and improved START HERE page and let us know what you think. Thanks!
Cheers!
Terri & James
Last updated January 1, 2020
GALLIVANCE 
I love it. So glad I found you guys.
Thanks Darlene. So glad we found each other – the pleasure is mutual! 🙂 ~Terri
You two are such an inspiration to Steve and I! We look forward to every post from you, and find ourselves chatting about “James and Terri” like you guys are old friends. Hope we’ll get to meet you “in real life” someday!
xo
Leslie
Thanks so much Leslie – we do the same thing! It’s “So where are Leslie and Steve this week?” Hopefully not in another crocodile cage! Given all the wandering we all do, I’m sure our paths will cross – the world is only so big. 🙂 ~Terri
Yay, James and Terri!!
Wow! I truly love this idea. For someone like me who found you in the past few months this is a great way to experience some of your prior adventures. Hubby and I were straight off to the travel camera post. Very helpful in our current quest for a lightweight decent quality camera. Thank you.
Thanks Sue. As our number of posts grew, we realized that without a bit of organization, our readers were only going to see a few of our latest posts. As you know, getting a blog organized takes some effort, but when the bones are in place, it makes the blog so much more user-friendly. And we’re also big believers in keeping things updated. Hence, a Fresh Start. ~James
The new improved start here page looks fantastic, clear and bright and easy to look around, well done 🙂 I shall peruse at leisure. All the best, Mike
Thanks very much Mike for the kind words. And a big Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! It’s well deserved. For our readers out there that don’t know Mike’s wonderful music, click on over to his blog and give it a listen (and maybe buy a few tunes while you’re there).
http://mikehowe.com/
~James
Thanks James I appreciate that 🙂
Reblogged this on closetoeighty and commented:
I love Terri and James’ blog very much. Our background is very different. First half of my life I lived in the Soviet Union and only once I was permitted to go outside the country. After emigration to the USA my wife and I (we graduated from the same college and are happily married for 54 years) dreamed to see other countries but first years in America were very difficult years of adjustment to new language, new professions, new culture. Then we started to travel when it became possible and visited more than 50 countries (Terri and James visited more countries and lived longer in some of them) . I like very much their style of writing and their wonderful photos. This is an important post in their blog and I am glad to introduce it to you. Please read START HERE page. I enjoyed very much the story of their marriage. Thank you, Terri and James. Your blog is wonderful!
JF, you knocked our socks off! 🙂 James and I are very honored by your kind words and support! And talk about amazing, your life story just leaves me speechless. You and Tamara are so lucky to have found each other. Thanks so much for reblogging our post. All the best, Terri & James
As usual, well done! Thanks for all of the energy and inspiration!
Many, many thanks Laura. As you have proven with your excellent blog, these things don’t take care of themselves. 🙂 ~Terri
True, true! Thanks Terri!
Great way to highlight some of your adventures and give readers a chance to get to know you. As I looked over Start Here, I was reminded of so many great posts. Looking forward to more Gallivance in 2014!
Thanks Laura. We’ve learned that if people can’t find our stuff, people won’t read our stuff. And a couple of years ago, another blogger suggested that we needed a place for new readers to start to get a feel for us and our blog. We update it annually, and it’s worked out well for us. ~James
I’m so glad I found your blog. You’ll be my inspiration. I love travel and seeing new things and new cultures. It’s also interesting to me to see travelers from Glasgow going around the world. I’ve always heard Brenda talk about “James Harvey and Terri” but this blog shows me just what she has been talking about all these years. The next countries on my bucket list are Belgium, Holland and maybe the Adriatic. Your thoughts? We’ve been to Europe several times visiting France, Ireland, Scotland, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Prague, Austria and the UK. My goal would be to be as well traveled as you two but I think I’ve waited too long. I can travel through you and this blog. Thanks again for sharing your life with all of us. Suzanne
Wow Suzanne! What a wonderful surprise! We’re so thrilled that you found us, too. I guess travel has been in our blood for a long time now … and it’s obviously in yours, too.
You’ve gone to some of our favorite places in Europe. Your bucket list sounds fabulous – you wouldn’t go wrong with any of those destinations.
• Any place in Holland is a joy. We lived in Amsterdam, so it’s a sentimental favorite of mine – it was my first overseas destination. And if you go between March 20-May 18 don’t miss Keukenhof – the most incredible flower festival in the world (http://www.keukenhof.nl/).
• Bruges, Belgium couldn’t be more picture-perfect.
• We both love any of the Adriatic destinations. Slovenia and Croatia are fascinating; while Bosnia-Herzegovina is still suffering from the War. We did the whole area on our own – overland on buses. But I know that many people rave about the Adriatic cruises and organized tours.
I don’t know how you two like to travel (tours, independent, cruises, buses, trains, car rental, camel 🙂 etc.), but given your bucket list, you should have a blast!
Suzanne, thanks so much for your very kind words. I can’t wait to see what you decide. If you have any questions, just contact us here or email us at gallivance@gmail.com. Love to you and Terrell.
All the best, Terri and James
Very clear navigation and a very smart way to take us through so much wonderful content!
Many thanks you guys! Your kind words and encouragement are always so appreciated! ~Terri
Thats a lot of good stuff to look back on. Great work!
Thanks a lot George, it’s great to hear from you. So how is the backcountry skiing going? ~Terri
Its actually just about to start this saturday haha. Hopefully I get some good stories and shots.
This is perfect! What a great idea! Can’t wait to sit by the fireplace and dive in this weekend. Thank you!
Thank you Pam. And sitting by a fireplace – that just sounds wonderful! 🙂 Enjoy. ~Terri
Love how you have organized this! It will make it so easy to go back and enjoy some of your posts I have missed. I am hoping you two might be around when we get into GA this spring and would be amenable to a meet-up.
Many thanks LuAnn. I bet you and Terry are glad to be back on the road – even if it has been a bit chilly. A spring meet-up would be lovely. 🙂 ~Terri
We will let you know when we will be in your area as the time draws nearer. We plan for our travels to take us to St. Simons Island. 🙂
Fantastic idea, guys.
My blog, Twenty First Century Nomad (twentyfirstcenturynomad.com) is new, just 8 months old I think, and I realise I’ve a long way to go before I get it right. I think in another time, vikings may have known it as ‘rape and pillage,’ but for now I will call it ‘borrowing ideas.’ Borrowing, you understand…not stealing 😉
Thanks, you lovely legends.
Thanks so much Steve … and borrow away! A couple of years ago a blogger we really respect suggested that we needed a Search Function and a Start Here to improve our blog. He was so right because now they get tons of hits every day. That’s one of the things we love about the blogging community – we share ideas. 🙂 ~Terri
what a great idea guys! looking good! i am absolutely going to see if/how i can incorporate this into my blog. 🙂
Thanks Liz. Your site looks fantastic. I think with your Gridspace Theme all you do is create a page and put it on your sidebar. It’s actually pretty fun and creative to do – and we know how incredibly creative you are! 🙂 ~Terri
Terri, thanks for sharing your thoughts! That sounds like it would work perfectly. 🙂
Love the way you are so organized. I just clicked on a couple of posts that I had missed. You really are on the cutting edge of blogging. Would have thought you had been at it for years and years!
Thank you so much Rusha – what a very kind comment. We were lucky to receive the suggestion early on from another blogger who took us under their wing when we were newbies. And a Start Here page is surprisingly fun to pull together. Thanks again. 🙂 ~Terri
Liz,
First and foremost, this is WONDERFUL and so incredibly creative (as I knew it would be). 🙂 I love the categories you highlighted and the photos that go with them. And of course, the posts you selected are so representative of your writing and spirit. Congratulations – your Let’s Get Started totally rocks!
And on a personal note, thanks so much for your gracious shout-out. You’re too kind! That’s what I love about this blogging community we’re all creating – we encourage and support each other.
Wishing you all the best, Terri & James @ Gallivance.net
I will have to check it out (and steal the idea for my own blog!). When you have written so much, it can be difficult to know which are the gems (though mother would say they all are!).
Hi John, please feel free to use any ideas here – we are totally open source bloggers and love to share. I just checked out your blog and it looks like a “Start Here” tab would fit nicely on your top menu. We started ours 3 years ago and we’ve gotten great feedback on it. And the posts we put on it tend to be those that are most popular and have the greatest number of comments. So glad that you stopped by. Looking forward to reading more about your life in China. All the best, Terri
Hah, thanks. I look forward to seeing more exotic content from you two, as well!
That’s a very good idea! Also, happy 2020, wishing you a great start of this decade.
Thanks Virginia. We use the downtime at the holidays to review and reassess, and in addition to an info update for the blog, this gives us a chance to reminisce. Best of luck in 2020 and with the new book. ~James