How to start a travel journal to capture your favourite memories! 📓

You probably know the problem: an overcrowded gallery with pictures from that fantastic adventure abroad. Or that pile with souvenirs that are gathering dust in the living room because you forgot what you wanted to do with them. We found the perfect solution for these special memories and in this blog, we explain the first steps of travel journaling!

What is a travel journal?

Pictures of the beautiful landscapes, a self-written review of those delicious cocktails at that specific restaurant or the hotspots you visited during your time abroad. A travel journal is a place for all these memories! 😉 A travel journal can also function as a planner or notebook to prepare for your next trip. There are no rules for travel journaling, so write or tell about the moments that recap your adventure in detail! 🧡

Add a little creativity! 

Are you a person who loves creative things? Then collect (small) items and add them to your travel journal. You can think of receipts, maps, labels from bottles but tickets from the cinema or public transport are also nice additions. Add some washi tape, stickers or print some pictures and fill a page with memories in a unique way! Scrapbooking is the method to collect special moments with your creativity.

What kind of travel journal do you pick?

There are so many different notebooks available that it  takes time to find one that suits what you’re looking for. One of my favourite notebooks has slightly thicker paper with lines or squares and can be bought at a regular bookstore! If you want to treat yourself, choose a notebook from the brand Traveler’s Company based in Japan. They offer two sizes of traveler’s notebooks (covers) in 4 colors that you can fill with various types of refills. Or opt for the Adventure book! This journal helps you tick off places from your bucket list and capture your travel memories. You can even choose from three variants!  When buying a travel journal, keep the following things in mind:

#1 Size: A travel journal that’s too large may take up to much space during your adventure aboard. So choose a notebook that is not too big so it can easily fit into your backpack or bag!

#2 Paper thickness: Are you planning to collect your memories in a creative way and use a variety of materials, including ink and paint? Then go for a notebook with thicker paper so the materials can’t bleed through the page.

#3 Number of pages: Opt for a notebook with extra pages if you plan to collect multiple adventures in one travel journal. Do you prefer to collect the memories of each tip separately? Then buy a thinner notebook!

Or do you opt for digital instead?

Although many people prefer to write with a pen on paper, there are many options for collecting memories digitally. You can’t add physical memories, but the advantage is that you can journal anywhere via your phone or tablet! 🤳🏻 A popular app for this is Paper from WeTransfer, which we know from the online download & upload services to share large files.

Getting started with your travel journal!

Now that you’ve chosen between physical or digital journaling, all you need to do is plan a trip abroad and start collecting memories. Here are some suggestions that you could include in your journal:

#1 Did you decide to add small items and pictures to your journal? If so, write some little stories about these memories for extra context! #2 Reflect on your time abroad by asking yourself questions: what do I want to do differently if I revisit this place or what did I not expect to encounter? #3 Write a mini travel guide for yourself! Tell about the delicious food at that restaurant you visited or the hotspots that your friends should not miss on their trip. #4 Plan a new adventure to a destination on your bucket list! 

👉🏻 A travel journal basically functions as a folder to collect your precious memories in one place. Do you also want to capture a new adventure in a travel journal? Then check out at our job offers abroad.  In the following blogs we will tell you how you can collect these memories in a creative way with souvenirs and pictures, and we will end the series with how you can relive your favourite winter wonderland moments! ❄️