Part of the fun of taking a really great vacation is reflecting on the memories you’ve made. We’re all for living in the moment but that doesn’t mean you can’t set aside some time to take notes. The beauty of a travel journal is that it can be a complete recap of your travels without forcing you to fill it out at the time. By taking quick notes, saving important documents and fun souvenirs and actually developing your photos when you get home, you will have everything you need to create a one-of-a-kind memory book.
A travel journal is a personal object – unique to you and your adventures. There are no right or wrong ways to go about writing one, but there are definitely some tips we can provide to help make it a fun and easy project.
- Choose a journal that can accommodate some light scrapbooking – elastic closures and memento pouches mean the journal will hold all your memories
- Decide if you are building the journal as you go, in which case you probably don’t want one that’s very bulky, or are going to fill it out when you get home and can use a larger book
- Pick an audience – memories you write (or photograph!) to show your parents may be quite different than what you would show your friends or partner
- Make a point to focus on some key themes that are important to you, such as restaurant highlights, nightlife reviews or quotes from people you meet
- Start early and include the preparations you made before taking the trip – this short section can really help you plan in the future
- Write out your itinerary near the beginning of the book and use it like a Table of Contents
- Mix up the media – why not try sketching out your day?
- Keep a cast list of the people you’ve met with short bios and photos, if appropriate
- Use all five senses and record everything you experience – photos can capture a scene, but not its scent or sounds
Some entries will be longer and more exciting than others, but be sure to document each day. An event may not seem significant in the moment, but in the future when looking through the journal you will likely find yourself at a loss to explain what happened that day, or why you left it out. For more ideas, check out these tips for not only creating a journal of travels, but making sure you’ll want to read it later.
If the travel bug has caught you, be sure to enter our #PackYourPaperblanks contest before it ends!
About Paperblanks: 25 years ago, we created Paperblanks to help keep book heritage alive and vital in our modern age, and to offer an inspiring space for people to express themselves. Thanks for joining us on this journey! For more about Paperblanks, go to our website at paperblanks.com.
