As you read this we are deep into our Alaska cruise, and (ideally) my travel journal is at least halfway full.
Over our last several trips I’ve concocted different forms and versions of a travel journal … but it’s a constantly changing process, so I was wondering if any of you have tips for recording memories while you’re traveling?
When I was growing up, I remember my mom keeping a spiral bound notebook just for writing in, along with some page protectors to hold the pamphlets and ticket stubs and other goodies from the trip.
The first big trip Andrew and I went on, I didn’t bother to really keep any kind of travel journal, but put a scrapbook together pretty soon after we came home…
Then, in the last couple years, going to England and Italy, I’ve intentionally brought along a journal for recording (when I made the time) and keeping odds and ends.
You can see a step-by-step of my Italy travel journal here at Campfire Chic
And now, of course, I’m trying something a little different for Alaska. (and have some more different ideas for our Scotland trip in a couple months) ….
From an etsy shop – renovated books – we got this vintage book that is rebound with blank pages in it … I say “we” because Andrew has promised to write in it
I personalized it a bit with some minor decorations and added details of our own inside.
Most of the book is blank still, of course.
I also purchased Ali Edwards’ Scrapbook on the Road class for ideas of how to efficiently manage and record memories while you’re traveling (I am tentatively planning on doing a review of the class on Lemon and Raspberry when we return from Alaska)
In addition to simply WRITING stories in the travel journal, I’m bringing some bits and bobs to embellish (a teeny bit) and several different adhesives (stapler, paper clips, etc) to pop the pamphlets, ticket stubs and all right into the book.
Tentatively planning on paper-clipping the Instax mini photos in where I want them, so I can scan them when we return home, and then adhere them more permanently to the travel journal.
We’ll see….
You can see more photos of our prepped Alaska travel journal at Lemon and Raspberry.
So, basically I have lots of blank pages to fill. I’m not *great* at sitting down and making the time to journal while we’re traveling, but I’m hoping with all the time “at sea” on this trip I’ll be better at it.
What do you do when you’re traveling? Do you try to record the memories while you’re there? Do you wait til you get home? Do you just bring a video camera so you can capture it all?
I’m interested to hear all kinds of different ideas!
We send back postcards to ourselves from every place we visit. Typically i just right a quick little bit about something random that we’ve seen or done. It’s usually the type of thing that you would forget if you didn’t write about it almost immediately… and those tend to bring back great memories later. Right now I have all of our past post cards in a vase on a bookshelf. However, with this 2.5 week road trip we are currently on I am going to try something new. The plan is to combine them scrapbook style with the instagram pics I’ve been shooting as well as the random ticket stubs etc when I get home. I’m excited about my first official travel journal.
I’ve realized over the years that if I don’t write something each day I can forget important details and tidbits even from one day to another during the vacation. Since our time is chock full of activities and discoveries it’s amazing what fond memories can be quickly replaced with new ones. When we went on our 11 day trip to Washington DC, Gettysburg and Williamsburg I was pretty good at journaling every day, keeping maps, trinkets, brochures, photos, etc. AND making a scrapbook when we returned. When I look at that scrapbook with all the detail, I’m amazed at how much we did and all the fun we had. I’ve loaned that book to friends that were planning to go to DC and they said they loved reading it because it was like being there! I’m not always as good at journaling, but I want to make it a priority because it really does make a difference in your memories of the experience down the road. (and how others will enjoy those memories as well)