By Matt Villano

Remember postcards? Those cute missives that sum up a week with "Wish you were here"? In today's world of blogging (short for Web logging), you can ditch the old bromides for a running commentary on your travels. Here's how to start.

▪ Browse for a blog service Do you like the stylish design templates at www.blogger.com? Or the clickable maps at www.travelpod.com? Free blog sites work like Web email. Set up an account pre-trip, log in from any Internet-linked computer, type in your entry, and then publish with a mouse click. Don't forget to email your pals a link to your blog.

▪ Post pictures Be sure to pack the cable that connects your camera to your laptop's USB port. No laptop? At an Internet café, upload photos to a site such as www.flickr.com before transferring them to your blog.

▪ Link, don't labor Instead of typing up Alcatraz Island's colorful history, simply link to www.nps.gov/alcatraz.To create a hyperlink (on blogger.com), highlight some text, click the link icon, and type the site's address (URL) into the pop-up window.

▪ Be discreet Wild nights in Vegas? Sit on stories you'd rather your boss didn't read. Or opt to password-protect your pages.