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Traveling is an adventure. I find that traveling solo is even better. The only thing missing is someone to share it with when it is happening, and to relive it with later. If you’re like me and love to go solo, why not document your trip by keeping a blog or journal? You’ll easily be able to recall all of the details yourself later on, and share them with others as well.
Here are my favorite 5 tips for keeping your travel journal.
1. Keep Daily Notes, and Don’t Wait Long to Complete It
When we are experiencing amazing moments, we always feel like we will never forget them. Unfortunately, we are human and forgetting is something we all do. Whether you are writing a blog, journal, or both… try to do it on a daily basis. Make it a part of each evening to sit down and write about the events of the day. I love to find a quiet spot in a cafe or coffee shop and people watch while I work on my journal. If you don’t have time to fully complete it every day, at least jot down detailed enough notes to help you remember specifics later.
2. Be Descriptive
No one wants to hear a flat, dry record of what you did every day. In order to make it more palatable to the reader, or to yourself at a later date, think along the lines of “diary” rather than “schedule.” Include a little of everything, but be sure to spice up your account by including plenty of thoughts, humor, and descriptions of people and places.
3. Add photos and/or illustrations
It is said that a picture says a thousand words. No travel journal or blog is complete without something visual. I know that when I write here on Champagne Living that people LOVE to see photos of where I’ve been, so try to include at least a few from every day, and more if the day was full of new experiences.
Many phone cameras will slightly distort anything at the edge of the photo, and many selfies are filled with a huge head and just a tiny bit of scenery poking around the edges. If you want to look good in your selfies and also include more of the surrounding scenery, buy yourself a selfie stick to solve both of these issues.
I usually take time each day of my travels to sketch or collage in my journal.
4. Make it a collage
If you are making a journal by hand, save things such as airplane tickets and restaurant receipts to include in it. If you are writing a travel blog, take photos of these keepsakes in order to post them online. I love using mixed-media for my journaling..writing, photos, sketches and fun things that I’ve found.
5. Don’t Get so caught-up in the journal that you miss anything
As much as you want to remember your trip forever, and to share your travels with friends and family, remember the purpose of your trip. Don’t get so caught up in your blog that it becomes an obligation that brings you stress. Don’t sit on your computer while the country you are visiting sits waiting for you to explore it. There will be plenty of dull moments when you get home to write, blog and create an account of your travels.
Solo travel is the adventure of a lifetime, and one you will want to remember forever. Keep a record of it through blogging or journaling in a timely and exciting manner. Your friends and families will also relish this chance to get a taste of what you experienced while traveling alone. Enjoy your travels, and then record it so the experience can continue to bring joy to you and others always.
