Journaling Tips for Your Trips
Summertime is right around the corner, and people everywhere are gearing up to travel to some of the world’s most beautiful places. Traveling to new countries to create memories all around the world seems to be trending now. But have you thought about how you will remember them all? Most of us simply use our phones to capture those unforgettable moments. However, another excellent way to remember everything you’ve done is to keep a travel journal.
This is a journal that is usually devoted to one trip at a time. You’ll write and add mementos and memories into the journal so that you can look back on it with pride and happiness. Plus, you can share your journey with others.
- Start with the Planning Phase
The journal should begin the moment you start planning your trip. You can use the journal to write what you need to do and then check off what you completed for the trip. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish on the trip. What do you want to experience? What do you want to learn? When will you do each activity?
- Write Daily during Your Trip
Once you’re on the trip, don’t miss out on writing each day. Try to find time to write in your journal when the experience is vivid in your mind. You might want to consider taking a recording device with you to record your initial thoughts.
- Add Physical Mementos to the Journal
Don’t just add text to your journal. Liven it up by adding color, images, and mementos. For example, save your tickets, a napkin from a restaurant, or other little things you touched during your trip. You don’t have to buy anything extra. Get creative!
- Remember to Write the Good and the Bad
You don’t want to look back on the trip and see that you didn’t write an accurate depiction of your experiences. It’s perfectly okay to talk about the good and the bad. When you do that, you can plan differently for the next one. Maybe you learned that you need new shoes if you’re going to walk that much. It’s good to write down those sorts of things.
- Write What You’d Do Differently
If you ever go back to that travel destination, what would you do now that you’ve done it once? What new excursion would you try? Which hotel would you stay in? What time will you arrive the next time? Think about these things and reference your answers the next time you decide to go back.
- Mention What Disappointed You and What Thrilled You
Talk about the things that were disappointments. Were the people nice or rude? Did you like your plane ride? Was the excursion worth the money? Did you receive excellent customer service at the restaurants? Was the food appetizing or disgusting? Although these may seem like strange things to write, they will help you remember some of the most important things about your trip.
- State What You Learned from Each Day
Add some facts that you learned about your destination, the people you met, the people you traveled with, and yourself. For example, did you learn that you love looking at mountains? Did you discover a historical fact? Did you learn something fascinating about your culture?
- When It’s Over, Finish by Writing a Last Reflective Entry
After the trip is over, take the time to write one last entry where you reflect finally again on everything you experienced. Talk about what it was like, what you learned, what surprised you, etc. Name the thing you’d do again and the thing you’d not do again, plus something you’d do next time.
A travel journal will improve your memory of the event. You’ll retain more information and – believe it or not – it’ll help you make the next trip even better. Use these tips to get the most out of your travel journaling.
If you have never had a travel journal before, try it out! Check out The Writer’s Haven at www.etsy.com/shop/TheWritersHaven to pick out the perfect journal for your next adventure.
Adrienne Michelle Horn is the owner of I A.M. Editing, Ink. Although she has a full-time professional career in the healthcare field, she is also a South Florida-based editor, poet, author, entrepreneur, and mother of her beautiful daughter, Paris.
For more information about Adrienne and her company, follow I A.M. Editing, Ink on social media or visit https://linktr.ee/iamediting