I have so many memories from my dozens of trips, and while certain moments stand out, I’ve forgotten a lot. That’s why I always take a journal with me and take notes while I travel.
Now, sometimes I’m too tired to write much after a day of exploring a city, but I try to take at least a few notes to remind myself later of highlights. Here are a few tips for your travel journal.
1. Decide What You Want to Record
My mother has always kept a travel journal with details on where they ate, how much gas was, what hotel they stayed at, and other very specific data points. My journals tend to be snippets of experiences. What did the light look like, filtering down through the fall leaves? What was that amazing Michelin-starred meal like? What was on my mind as I sweated up the Dolomites? It’s these fleeting moments, rather than what I saw at a museum, that I want to preserve.
2. Designate a Special Journal
My travel journal(s) is different from my regular journal, which gets a lot more use. On my trip to Italy, I bought a new ladybug-covered tiny notebook that doesn’t take up much space to reflect on my life-changing experience hiking the Dolomites. I’ll continue to use it for future trips.
3. Check in Daily
I know this is challenging. When you get back to the hotel, all you want to do is collapse on your bed. But I encourage you to jot down even just a few sentences capturing the essence of your day. With so much going on during your trip, you will forget a lot.
4. Have Fun Reading it
I love recounting my adventures and rediscovering forgotten memories by reading my journal. I don’t do it enough! Accompany it by also looking at photos from that trip for an even better nostalgic trip.