When it comes to adventure and traveling the world, there’s no better way to commemorate the unique experiences than through a travel journal. From some of the most heart-touching memories to other zany eccentric explorations, learning how to make a travel journal allows you the freedom to do it in the way you choose to write your story.
Why make a travel journal?
Whether you are a solo traveller or enjoy vacationing at new destinations with friends and family, you get to bask in the new, unfamiliar experiences. From going to a completely new city to participating in activities you never imagined doing – the experience is awe-inspiring and something you want to reminisce over and over again.
This is exactly where a travel journal comes in. A travel journal is a great way to catalogue the highlights of some of the fondest moments of your vacation. It can make many memories worth preserving. This includes the feelings you experienced, collecting photographs, or irreplaceable memories,
The best part is that journaling is an effective way to foster self-awareness at any age. You may even pass the stories down to the younger generations. After all, who doesn’t like hearing about how exciting their grandparents were and what they experienced? If you are interested in picking up the habit of travel journaling, let’s dive into learning how to make one.
What to include in a travel journal?
Did you know that your brain stores much more information when you write things down? As a result, choosing to begin travel journaling relieves stress. Your brain creates powerful connections with the memories you record, thus allowing you to remember them for longer. That means you’ll have an easier time recollecting the experiences in the future without having to revisit your travel journal.
Keeping all the lucrative benefits aside, people end up asking themselves: how do I make a travel journal? To help you get started, start by getting your hands on a travel journal that resonates with your personality.
The power of imagination
Once you have the journal, begin jotting down what you imagine your trip is going to be like. This may be tough for some, especially if you are writing for the first time. However, if your destination is a place you have always dreamed of visiting, you are bound to get swept away.
Focus on capturing experiences rather than listing activities.
It’s true that many of us have a preplanned itinerary of things we want to do on our next trip. But, when it comes to travel journaling, try focusing on recording captivating stories or events. These bring your experience to life as opposed to a mundane list of things you’ve done. Pick and choose experiences. Try to review the day’s events and recall one that best speaks to you or where you enjoyed the most. Once you have that experience, try writing about it from your perspective.’
Mark the highs but don’t forget the lows.
Let’s face it! We have all been in awkward or embarrassing situations during our trips. Many times, when we reflect on these dramatically bad experiences, they are nothing more than a reason to sit back and enjoy a good laugh.
Another key tip to remember when learning how to write a travel journal is to be honest. Include both the ups and downs of the trip. Writing can sometimes act as your therapist. Record the most unpleasant and regretful events as well as the ones that made it worthwhile. When you feel afraid, frustrated, homesick, or powerless, your travel journal can be your safe place and refuge amid upheaval.
Add visuals if possible.
Limiting your travel journals to words alone can sometimes limit the impact of the memories. Instead, try collecting as many visual aids as possible while on your adventure. Tickets, event photographs, or even restaurant bills play a key role in creating a great travel journal. Combining visuals, sketches, and even doodles with your words instantly takes you back to that event, making it more persona and immediate.
Best travel journals available
After embarking on a new adventure, it can be disappointing to realize you don’t have a place to document all your memories. Instead of stuffing all your unique collectables in your suitcases and backpacks or even jotting down the eventful details on pieces of paper, why not learn how to make a travel journal and invest in buying the perfect travel journal.
From photographs and stamps to different experiences you have witnessed during your days navigating a new country or trekking through a dangerous trail, a travel journal helps you pen down all your experiences in one journal.
Regarding adventures, we all have our perspective of looking at events and places and what better way than to record the world as we see it. Luckily, today while you sit here and ponder upon how to make a travel journal, there are already dozens of travel journals available in the market for you to choose from.
From sturdy regular travel books to those with writing prompts giving you the extra boost to start writing and even ones that allow you to paste pictures and scribble away, travel journals have undoubtedly come a long way. Below we have rounded up a collection of some of the best travel journals available for you to choose from.
The Poketo Colorblock Travel Journal
If you are looking for a travel journal with separate spaces to document different trips, then The Colorblock Travel journal Poketo is your best bet. With a total of 72 lined pages and costing less than $10, The Poketo Colorblock Travel journal has a great budget but is conspicuously eye-catching in design. The journal is made so that it can be tossed almost anywhere in your backpack or luggage.
Moreover, the journal pages are designed to provide open-ended space to write down one’s observations and memories alongside jotting down other notes. Additionally, given its focus on the organization, it contains dedicated pages to pen down things like your shopping list, accommodation details, itinerary, packing list, expense details, and other relevant details. No doubt, this 3.8 x 7.4 travel journal is a perfect way to remind you to look up and out as you explore new places.
What we like:
- Cost-effective
- Small size
- Organized sections to cater to all your needs
What we don’t like:
- Softcover (which wouldn’t stand a chance against stubborn weather)
The Moonster Leather Journal
If you are inspired by movies involving adventure, solving mysteries, puzzles and even treasure hunts, I’m sure you must have noticed the hero with a travel journal, noting even the smallest details. With more than a thousand reviews and a five-star rating on Amazon, the Moonster’s leather travel journal is as well-loved for its combination of elegance and practicality.
The Moonster Travel journal is made of dark brown, creamy, rustic, water buffalo leather and a soft, supple binding. Moreover, the light wear-and-tear that occurs while travelling gives the journal a wonderfully vintage coating.
On the other hand, the interior comes with 120-240 unlined pages with the assurance that the ink won’t bleed due to the hearty paperweight, which is made from recycled, acid-free cotton paper. Additionally, if you prefer a little spatial room in your travel journal, you can choose between the sizes 7 x 5 or 6 x 9.
The Moonster Leather Travel journal is one of the most durable travel journals one can invest in. It’s a great choice if you require plenty of space to capture the details of your glory days.
What we like:
- Fine weather-resistant leather exterior
- Non-smudge cotton papers
- Great for longer journeys
- Value for money
What we don’t like:
- Not refillable
Moleskine Passion Journal
When it comes to learning how to make a travel journal, Moleskine is a common name for those into hard-core travel journaling. However, if you are just starting and trying to choose a travel journal for your first adventure, then Moleskine’s Passion Journal is an excellent choice for beginners. With over 400 acid-free pages, the Passion Journal is available in various colors and costs less than $30.
For starters, it helps travel enthusiasts with their tickets, receipts, stamps and other souvenirs by keeping them secured and organized in the designated back cover instead of stuffing them in their backpack pockets.
As for the interior, the page layouts are designed to break the journal’s entries into separate sections. This gives you a bit of a boost and encouraging you to continue with your travel writing. If you prefer drawing or sketching your findings, the additional lined space caters to the artist within you.
What we like:
- A trusted brand is known for its quality
- Structured page layout
- Provides room to draw
- Allows you to carry souvenirs in its back pocket
- Available in different colors
What we don’t like:
- The papers are a bit thin compared to other sturdy travel journals.
- The journal itself isn’t refillable.
Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Travel Journal
If your journeys lead you to areas with unpredictable weather or one susceptible to constant rainfall, then the “Rite in the Rain” Travel journal is exactly what you need. This journal has remained a popular choice from adventure-seeking backpackers wandering the trail in monsoon season to daring news reporters covering weather like thunderstorms and tornados.
The 64-pager-lined weatherproof paper won’t turn to mush when wet and will repel almost anything, including water, sweat, grease, and mud while keeping your memories intact.
As far as the exterior goes, the journal’s cover is made from a flexible Polydura waterproof shell that binds the pages together and protects them from binding or un-spiralling.
What we like:
- Value for money
- Durable
- Weather resistant
- Available in different colors
What we don’t like:
- Large format
Ten travel journal prompts
There are so many reasons why you should learn how to write a travel journal for your next vacation. Alternatively, there are times when coming up with ideas on what to write about can be hard work, especially if you are tired after a long day of trekking, mountain climbing or even sightseeing!
It can also be equally hard to know where to begin since not all of us are born writers. When stuck in such situations, using travel journal prompts like the ones listed below is a good way to start.
- What is the one thing that truly made you smile today?
- What was the worst thing that happened today?
- Did I try something new today?
- Are there any travel bucket list items I can cross off on this trip?
- What makes this place similar or very different from where you are from?
- How did this trip mirror the inner work I need to focus on?
- What were the key highs and lows of this trip?
- What is the one skill I learned during this trip?
- Did I gain clarity on my life’s purpose during this trip?
- While I sit here and enjoy this serene moment, who is the one person I miss the most from back home?
The bottom line
Memories can be fluid. Recalling and reliving even some of your best travel memories can be tough, no matter how powerful or unique your journey has been. Thus learning how to make a travel journal is an art worth investing in. It acts as your personal travel insurance guarding all those beautiful memories against vanishing without so much as a backward glance.