5 Tips for Writing a Travel Journal

One of the best mementos of a trip is keeping a travel journal. It doesn't have to be elaborate or fancy, just something that will help you remember the little things from your trip you might have otherwise forgotten. I used to write my journal in full sentence form, but found that can be more daunting and time consuming. Now I find the best method is jotting down one line sentences, something that will help trigger my mind back to the event. I was looking over my notes from Costa Rica and had to chuckle over the lines " It's nice if you like Tapirs" and "Little bird". The first referring to a response from a tourist in the Osa Peninsula after seeing a Tapir up-close. I found the statement funny! When would I have ever had the chance to see a Tapir before to know if I liked one? I think it was a special moment and that there was nothing not to like about the experience. She seemed so unimpressed. As for the "little bird", this was our guide's response to most birds we encountered. We would ask him what type of bird it was, and he always said "little bird". I wonder if we asked what the heron was if he would have said "big bird". Anyways, my point being, you don't need to write anything elaborate. You should write it for yourself and your own memories. it doesn't have to be for anyone else's eyes, unless you want it to be. All you need is a sentence or quote to trigger your memory.

Here are some tips for keeping an interesting travel journal:

Take notes with your senses. Try to capture the smells, sounds, views, etc around you. What sounds are coming from the city? (motorbikes, call of prayer, fog horns, etc). What does the market smell like? What did your most memorable meal taste like? How did the orangutans sound coming through the trees?

For example, my last trip to Morocco was really a trip for the senses. I will never forget the taste of the lemon chicken tagine; the sounds of the camels chewing beside my tent; the sunsets and full moon; holding the leathery hand of Fatima; and the smell of the mint tea brewing.

Take notes with your emotions, good or bad. For example, how did you react to your first glimpse of Machu Picchu? How did you feel after riding on a camel that spit all the time? How did you feel after bartering in a market? or after eating something you normally wouldn't (seagull, in my case)?

Take notes on the specifics. This will help you remember what hotels to recommend? Which museums are a must see? What was the name of your guide? Taking notes on the little details gives depth and authenticity to your writing.

Be creative. As I said above, you don't necessarily have to write full sentences to remember your trip. You could write poems, draw pictures, simple blog entries, compile your own top ten lists, etc. I also found it fun to bring some colour pencils, scissors and tape with me to liven up my journal and make it more interesting. I taped in stubs from museums, menus from a restaurant, beer labels, etc.

If you don't feel like it, don't write every day Have fun writing the journal. Write an entry only when you feel like it. If you try to write every day, it could begin to feel more like a chore and then you will avoid it all together. You can leave out all the little, boring details that in 5 years from now you won't care to read. Who wants to read a journal that is a day to day account of what you did? "I woke up at 7:00am in the morning, had breakfast of tea and scones and then took a shower. After that, I got dressed and walked 1/2 an hour to the Tower of London, blah, blah, blah". You get the gist.

So next time you're going on a trip, don't forget to pack a travel journal.
Meg