Hi Michael - I think that the blog is a great idea and I'd be interested in participating. I travel fairly often and blogs are a great tool for researching and getting ideas. I don't have a set style, sometimes traveling with a group and sometimes traveling independently. I don't think that there is 1 perfect style. Alot depends on the location and the people that you are traveling with. I have found that traveling independently has made me open up even more and put myself out there and has led to some amazing experiences that I probably would not have experienced had I been traveling with a group. My last 2 independent trips were to the South Island of New Zealand and kayaking in Micronesia. I plan on trekking through Central Asia this year with a friend that I first traveled to Costa Rica with. It will be interesting to see how the experience compares.