Travel journaling is not just about writing a trip down, this is probably one of the most creative and personal ways to make sure that you keep the spirit of your travels. Well, you put pen to paper to capture those sights, sounds, feelings and fleeting moments that are unique to every journey.
Whether it’s a weekend city break, a fortnight exploring Europe or a gap year adventure halfway across the world, travel journalling allows you to capture your experiences in a meaningful way that sparks nostalgia and helps you hold onto precious memories long after the trip has ended. Here’s how to use journalling to immortalise your travels.
Pick the Right Journal
A paper journal is perfect for travel memories. Buy a hardbound or flexibound notebook that can withstand being tossed in your bag and protect your writing. Choose a journal with high-quality, acid-free paper to prevent discolouration or bleeding over time. Pick a size that’s convenient to carry – A5 or B5 works well.
Pack Journalling Essentials
Alongside your chosen journal, bring along black or blue pens so your entries are clear and legible. Pack a variety of coloured pens, highlighters and markers to add visual interest to your pages. Pencils, an eraser, and a sharpener are useful for sketching. Mini sticky notes allow you to jot down fleeting thoughts. Acid-free glue tape or glue stick lets you affix memorabilia like tickets, maps and photographs.
Make Time to Write Daily Entries
Set aside time each day to journal, whether it’s over breakfast, on a train ride or before bed. Date each entry and jot down the destinations you visited that day. Write stream-of-consciousness style about activities, impressions, interactions, emotions, sights, sounds and more. Be descriptive and sensory, recounting little details that you want to remember vividly. Reflect on how you felt about experiences. Draw small doodles and illustrations.
Collect Memorabilia as You Go
Tuck small mementoes into your journal to make entries more visual and interesting. Ideas include ticket stubs, pressed flowers, cafe receipts, maps, brochures, business cards, museum leaflets, wrappers and more. You can either glue items in directly or keep them in small envelopes or pouches attached to the notebook.
Supplement with Photos
Enhance your written descriptions by including a few photographs, either by printing them small and glueing them in or loading them onto sticky-backed photo corners. Avoid going overboard on photos, which take up space – a few choice pictures alongside your words are ideal.
Revisit and Revise Afterwards
Once you get home, spend time reading through your travel journal and reliving the highlights of your trip. Add any final thoughts and details you missed at the moment. Glue in larger photos, postcards, souvenirs or travel ephemera you collected. Reviewing the journal sparks nostalgia and helps cement those memories for years to come.
Create a Digital Journal
Digital memories are perfect for sharing with loved ones. Build an online digital memory board using an app like Kapshoo, which you can share with friends and family. They can see your adventures in real time!
With a thoughtful travel journal, you can recreate memorable adventures no matter how much time passes. Journalling engages all the senses, evoking vivid recollections through descriptive words, tangible memorabilia and vibrant imagery. Use these tips to craft a keepsake that tells the story of your amazing travels.
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