WHY EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A TRAVEL JOURNAL
During my first solo trip my mum was always keen for me to keep a travel journal and it was never disguised as something she wanted but rather for me
AFTER NOT GETTING THE HYPE, KEEPING A TRAVEL JOURNAL IS NOW ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF MY TRIP.
If I’m honest, I never understood fully until many years later when I would enjoy nothing more than going back over old blog entries.
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
I’ll be honest, before it became part and parcel of my day, I was a little hot and cold with keeping it up to date. But as I understood the value of it, it became one of the best things I have done. Whether you are going for a trip around the world or even a weekend away I would insist on everyone to keep a diary.
WHY WRITE A TRAVEL JOURNAL
It’s not solely for people who have a blog, the only difference is that I post mine online. But it’s the remember all those amazing stories you will no doubt forget. Not to mention if someone has a question or needs some advice on a place you have visited then you can relate back to it.
BENEFITS OF KEEPING A TRAVEL JOURNAL;
- You’ll forget all the epic stuff you done, especially if you travel a lot.
- You’ll be thankful in years to come.
- Keeping your friends and family involved when you are away.
- Be that annoying grandad and show your grandchildren whether they are interested or not.
- Remember it doesn’t even take that long!
WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT
Anything and everything pretty much! When I’m out on the road I make sure to add as much detail as possible so I have more material to play with when I go to post. It’ll be apparent from the many short snippets that don’t make sense in my blog entries, they are purely there to trigger a memory I would have otherwise forgotten about!
RELATED READ: GETTING CHASED IN JAMAICA
WHAT TO INCLUDE;
As I continue to travel I am surprised at the number of people who don’t keep a diary. Yes Instagram and facebook allow for photos and their story & highlight function is great but there is a lot that gets missed and sometimes the best stories require words! I always include as much as I can, even if you think it’s nonsense at the time. Those little snippets might just trigger a different memory when you read it back.
WHAT TO INCLUDE;
- Hotels – name and photos
- Restaurants – name and location
- Activities
- Places visited
- Locals or other travellers you’ve met
- Trips taken – buses, planes etc
- Anything that makes you laugh or gets your attention
HOW
There are countless options when it comes to writing a journal. The classic pen and book are as good as any but can get easily lost of destroyed. Personally I just use my Notes app (Available on iPhone and Android) purely because it’s simple, backs up automatically and available on all my devices. Previously I have used other apps such as Momento but we don’t have the best history together. It does seem to have the best reviews so who knows, I might go back and get f**ked again!
FINAL THOUGHTS
So the next time you travel, be sure and write a journal and see in years to come if it was worthwhile, I guarantee it will!
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
This post is part of my Travel Tips Series, click to explore more like this.
