Privacy Policy

1. Who I am

This site is a personal travel blog run by an individual, referred to in this policy as “I”, “me”, or “my”. When I say “site”, I mean all pages under The Basic Travel Blog domain.

2. Information I collect

I only collect information that you choose to share or that is needed to keep the site running smoothly. This may include:

• Contact form details: your name, email address, subject, and message when you use the contact form.
• Optional information: any extra details you decide to include in your message (for example, travel plans, preferences, or feedback).
• Basic technical data: standard log information such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited, which may be collected automatically by your browser, hosting provider, or analytics tools.

I do not ask you to create an account or log in, and I do not intentionally collect sensitive categories of personal data (such as health information, political opinions, or financial details).

3. How I use your information

I use the information I collect for the following purposes:

• To read and respond to messages you send through the contact form.
• To manage and maintain the site, including monitoring performance and preventing abuse.
• To improve the content of the blog based on feedback, questions, or common themes.
• To understand which pages and posts are being visited, so I can see what is and is not working and focus on creating more useful content.

I do not sell your personal information, and I do not use it for intrusive advertising.

4. Legal bases for processing (where relevant)

Depending on your location, data protection laws may require me to explain the legal bases I rely on when processing your personal data. Where these laws apply, I typically rely on:

• Your consent: when you choose to send a message through the contact form, or when you choose to allow analytics cookies.
• Legitimate interests: to maintain and improve the site, keep it secure, and respond to messages in a reasonable way.

5. Cookies and analytics

This site uses cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage) to keep things running reliably and to understand how people use the site. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device when you visit a website.

I use Google Analytics to see basic, aggregated information about how the site is used – for example:

• how many visitors come to the site,
• which pages are viewed most often, and
• general information about the type of device or browser being used.

This helps me understand what is and is not working, so I can improve the content and layout of The Basic Travel Blog. I do not use this data to identify you personally, and I do not sell this information to anyone.

Google Analytics is provided by Google, which processes this usage data on my behalf and may also use aggregated information for its own purposes, as described in Google’s own privacy and cookie policies. I do not control how Google uses data once it is processed on their systems.

Where required by law, analytics cookies are only used if you choose to allow them via the cookie banner on the site. You can change your browser settings to block or delete cookies at any time, and you can also use tools provided by Google to opt out of certain types of analytics tracking.

6. How I share information

I only share personal information when it is reasonably necessary to run the site or respond to you, or when required by law. This may include:

• Service providers: such as website hosting, email services, or analytics providers (including Google Analytics) that help me operate the site. They only receive the information needed to perform their services.
• Legal obligations: if I am required to disclose information to comply with a law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.

I do not sell or rent personal information to third parties.

7. International data transfers

Because the internet is global and some service providers may be based in other countries, your information may be processed in a country different from your own. Where applicable, I aim to work with providers that use reasonable safeguards to protect your data.

8. How long I keep your information

I keep personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purposes described in this policy:

• Messages sent through the contact form are kept as long as they are relevant for conversation, reference, or record-keeping, unless you ask me to delete them sooner where applicable law allows.
• Basic technical and analytics data may be kept for a limited period to understand site usage and maintain performance.

9. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights over your personal information, such as:

• The right to request access to the personal data I hold about you.
• The right to ask for corrections if your information is inaccurate or incomplete.
• The right to ask for deletion of your personal data, where applicable.
• The right to object to or restrict certain types of processing.
• The right to withdraw consent where I rely on consent.

If you’d like to exercise any of these rights, you can contact me using the details on the contact page. I may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

10. Children’s privacy

This site is not directed at children, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age required by applicable law. If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, please contact me so I can review and remove it where appropriate.

11. How I protect your information

I aim to take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, or unauthorised access. However, no website or email transmission is completely secure, and I cannot guarantee absolute security of information sent to or from the site.

12. This policy is not legal advice

This Privacy Policy is intended to be clear and transparent, but it is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Laws can differ between countries and may change over time. If you run a business or have specific legal obligations, you should consult with a legal professional to confirm that this policy fits your situation.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example when I change the tools I use or when laws or guidance evolve. When I make changes, I will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the site after any changes means you accept the updated policy.

14. How to contact me

If you have questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or to your personal information, you can get in touch using the form on the Contact page.