How To Keep A Travel Journal

Deciding You Want To Do A Travel Journal

As far as I can see, if you keep a travel journal is not that different to keeping any type of journal: a travel journal records a journey and probably relates to a specific, fixed period of time, but I suspect that many people begin to keep a regular journal after having a positive experience with keeping a travel journal. So for the beginner, here are some ideas on how to go about doing it.

Having decided to keep a travel journal, it’s useful to ask yourself ‘why am I doing this?’ It may be simply a way of assuring you don’t forget the who, where, what and when of events which take place: the impetus may be that you wish to record a holiday which marks the beginning or the end of an era in your life: a honeymoon, the last family holiday before your children fly the nest or your first holiday in retirement. The reason why this is relevant is that it will affect how you keep the journal, and who your audience is.

Why You Should Keep A Travel Journel

I feel it is important to keep a journal first and foremost for yourself: keeping a journal as a means of preserving some data for the later generations of your family, I fear, would result in a frustrating, and, dare I say, fairly pointless exercise (unless you are already an experienced writer, in which case, this article is not really designed to help you anyway.

Buying A Travel Journal

So you’re going to keep a journal of a journey (yes that’s the origin of the word) now you need something to keep it in. A spiral-bound notebook, a Moleskine or a leather-bound tome? Well, a word of advice – the problem with the leather-bound tome is that the chances are you will not feel ‘worthy’ of writing in it, and let’s be practical, if you’re going to keep a travel journal and I mean to keep it whilst ‘on the journey’ do you really want to be lugging around an expensive lump of leather and paper? I’d personally prefer a Moleskine or Paperblanks notebook/sketchbook which won’t take up too much room and which you won’t be scared to use!

Also remember, if you buy something big and only fill half of it, I guarantee it won’t feel very satisfying. The next step is what form will the journal take? If your preference is definitely for the written word, or for sketching then the decision is almost certainly made. My preference is, and my advice, would be to create an illustrated journal, illustrated in the sense that the text is enhanced with visual input which could include scribbled maps, tickets, ‘quotes from menus’, pictures from leaflets, restaurant bills, napkins, in fact, anything you like. I have to say I have many pages with wine stains! Work out a useable kit: if you mainly write, choose a pen you like but don’t treasure.

Doodles And Drawings In Your Travel Journal

If you are a sketcher then decide on an appropriate approach: watercolours? Watercolour pencils? I personally like Faber-Castell Pitt pens. But my tendency would be to put them in my suitcase, not in my everyday bag.

If you’re travelling alone, you can enjoy the time you spend writing/sketching/doodling as a time for digesting your experience. If you’re travelling with a partner or as a family, consider whether the journal is something you want them to have a hand in making or do you want to record everything from your standpoint?

Write Everything Down

If you prefer to write then write how it seems appropriate: you might want to simply scribble a few sentences which describe a situation. Or if something spectacularly funny, unbelievable, noteworthy happens then write notes on Post-Its, if you like, and then write the piece up later in the day.

Enjoy what you’re doing. You’re making the journey and keeping a record of it. The journey is not there to simply supply input to your journal. Don’t become like the tourists who see their entire holiday through a viewfinder or at an LCD screen! Don’t set unreasonable standards for yourself. Unless calligraphy is your bag, then it’s better to scribble before you forget, rather than get 12 out of 10 for presentation.

Organise Your Travel Journal

Don’t plan to collect info, ‘stuff’ and take notes ready to write up when you get home. In my experience, it won’t happen, leave spaces for photos which you can’t print until you get home, add colour to black and white sketches later. But above all keep the journal whilst on the road.