I’ve kept a travel diary for all of my trips, starting with my first solo overseas adventure when I was 19. It’s so good to look back now and see what I got up to but also how I have changed over time. As times changed and the world modernised, I went from having a paper and pen diary to making notes in my phone. I now record most of what I do on Instagram but I worry about what would happen if it becomes obsolete in years to come? I already don’t use Facebook as much as I did when I started travelling. Could my photos and stories end up in the cyber abyss?
Now I keep a mixture of personal notes, emails to friends, this blog and Instagram to remember my travels. But I would still recommend the personal touch of a diary above all else.
Below are my top reasons to keep a diary when you travel.
Top Reasons To Keep A Diary When You Travel:
You’ll forget!!
Believe it or not, you will forget some of the amazing things you do on your travels. I’d forgotten that I had white water rafted in the Himalayas until I re-read my diary. I didn’t have any photos as I didn’t have a waterproof camera on me. At the time you don’t think you’ll forget anything, why write it down? As the number of experiences grows, your memory will push some of them to the back of your mind where they won’t be so easily remembered.
Would I have forgotten about some of my helicopter trips?
Names of who you met
What was the name of that guy that worked at Google? Or the girl that was a published writer? Or that amazing person you had a beer with in a beach bar? At that time you were best mates, now you may not even know who they were. Especially if you forget to add each other on social media.
Write down the names of who you meet and a little story about them. Where they’re from, what they do, how they ended up there, what you did together. As with so much else about travelling, it is often who you meet that will make the experiences.
Write down the things you learn
Everyone travels for a different reason but one of my favourites is to learn new things. Whether it’s from a tour guide, a sign in a museum or a plaque in a park. Write it down so you remember it in future.
This goes for before you go as well. Write down the name of the bar you must go to or the dish you just have to try. Notes on your phone are great but writing it helps you retain the information for longer.
I also like to write down the words in the local language. I often have it in English, the local language, and a way that makes it easy for me to pronounce if needed.
You will even learn stuff from fellow travellers which leads me onto….
A cooking course is a great way to learn new skills you can impress your friends with at home
Write down feelings
You’ll never forget that you saw the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China or the Pyramids but what did you feel when you first set eyes on them?
Were you blown away the the enormous size? Did it take you back to a place when you were a child dreaming of seeing it?
This can be interesting to note if you ever go back to see those places again. Or how did you feel when you had an argument with a travel mate, you missed out on the one thing you wanted to see or the first time you set eyes on someone? Write it down as soon as you can before an inflated and exaggerated version becomes ingrained in your head.
Of course I remember going to the Taj Mahal. But how did I feel when I saw it?
Conversations you had
Travelling isn’t just about what you see but who you’re with. The time you discussed politics with a foreign travel mate and the different views you encountered. The chat with the friendly local that taught you his customs. An anecdote told by a tour guide in a city. Even brief notes on what was said can trigger your memory later on.
Shows what happened between the photos
What you put on social media and tell your friends is the highlights of your trip. It’s the photos from the mountain top, the cocktails near on the beach or the early morning sunrise. Nobody Instagrams a 20 hour bus ride but keeping a travel diary can remind you of the real side of travelling. There may be some humorous stories of waiting for a plane, despair at a broken down bus or interesting smells on a train. The diary will also give you something to do during these not so glamorous times of your travels.
Changing the tyre on our bus in Vietnam. I think this was the third time this bus broke down
It may make a good book
This is probably for those that are travelling for a long period of time or for those doing things a bit differently. If you keep writing things down, maybe one day you will have enough stories to write a book. There are plenty of books out there of people on weird and wacky adventures and why can’t yours be one of them? Alternatively, it may be the start of a travel blog you’ve always wanted to write? Writing it down could be the first step.
Do you keep a diary when you travel? Or how else do you record what you see and do?
Unfortunately not. Or nothing of note. There’s a few eco trails in the forest close to town but they are…
The bus from the town to the hut and back… it’s $5 each way? $10 doesn’t sound great for every…
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I’ve kept a travel diary for all of my trips, starting with my first solo overseas adventure when I was 19. It’s so good to look back now and see what I got up to but also how I have changed over time. As times changed and the world modernised, I went from having a paper and pen diary to making notes in my phone. I now record most of what I do on Instagram but I worry about what would happen if it becomes obsolete in years to come? I already don’t use Facebook as much as I did when I started travelling. Could my photos and stories end up in the cyber abyss?
Now I keep a mixture of personal notes, emails to friends, this blog and Instagram to remember my travels. But I would still recommend the personal touch of a diary above all else.
Below are my top reasons to keep a diary when you travel.
Top Reasons To Keep A Diary When You Travel:
You’ll forget!!
Believe it or not, you will forget some of the amazing things you do on your travels. I’d forgotten that I had white water rafted in the Himalayas until I re-read my diary. I didn’t have any photos as I didn’t have a waterproof camera on me. At the time you don’t think you’ll forget anything, why write it down? As the number of experiences grows, your memory will push some of them to the back of your mind where they won’t be so easily remembered.
Would I have forgotten about some of my helicopter trips?
Names of who you met
What was the name of that guy that worked at Google? Or the girl that was a published writer? Or that amazing person you had a beer with in a beach bar? At that time you were best mates, now you may not even know who they were. Especially if you forget to add each other on social media.
Write down the names of who you meet and a little story about them. Where they’re from, what they do, how they ended up there, what you did together. As with so much else about travelling, it is often who you meet that will make the experiences.
Write down the things you learn
Everyone travels for a different reason but one of my favourites is to learn new things. Whether it’s from a tour guide, a sign in a museum or a plaque in a park. Write it down so you remember it in future.
This goes for before you go as well. Write down the name of the bar you must go to or the dish you just have to try. Notes on your phone are great but writing it helps you retain the information for longer.
I also like to write down the words in the local language. I often have it in English, the local language, and a way that makes it easy for me to pronounce if needed.
You will even learn stuff from fellow travellers which leads me onto….
A cooking course is a great way to learn new skills you can impress your friends with at home
Write down feelings
You’ll never forget that you saw the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China or the Pyramids but what did you feel when you first set eyes on them?
Were you blown away the the enormous size? Did it take you back to a place when you were a child dreaming of seeing it?
This can be interesting to note if you ever go back to see those places again. Or how did you feel when you had an argument with a travel mate, you missed out on the one thing you wanted to see or the first time you set eyes on someone? Write it down as soon as you can before an inflated and exaggerated version becomes ingrained in your head.
Of course I remember going to the Taj Mahal. But how did I feel when I saw it?
Conversations you had
Travelling isn’t just about what you see but who you’re with. The time you discussed politics with a foreign travel mate and the different views you encountered. The chat with the friendly local that taught you his customs. An anecdote told by a tour guide in a city. Even brief notes on what was said can trigger your memory later on.
Shows what happened between the photos
What you put on social media and tell your friends is the highlights of your trip. It’s the photos from the mountain top, the cocktails near on the beach or the early morning sunrise. Nobody Instagrams a 20 hour bus ride but keeping a travel diary can remind you of the real side of travelling. There may be some humorous stories of waiting for a plane, despair at a broken down bus or interesting smells on a train. The diary will also give you something to do during these not so glamorous times of your travels.
Changing the tyre on our bus in Vietnam. I think this was the third time this bus broke down
It may make a good book
This is probably for those that are travelling for a long period of time or for those doing things a bit differently. If you keep writing things down, maybe one day you will have enough stories to write a book. There are plenty of books out there of people on weird and wacky adventures and why can’t yours be one of them? Alternatively, it may be the start of a travel blog you’ve always wanted to write? Writing it down could be the first step.
Do you keep a diary when you travel? Or how else do you record what you see and do?
I’ve kept a travel diary for all of my trips, starting with my first solo overseas adventure when I was 19. It’s so good to look back now and see what I got up to but also how I have changed over time. As times changed and the world modernised, I went from having a paper and pen diary to making notes in my phone. I now record most of what I do on Instagram but I worry about what would happen if it becomes obsolete in years to come? I already don’t use Facebook as much as I did when I started travelling. Could my photos and stories end up in the cyber abyss?
Now I keep a mixture of personal notes, emails to friends, this blog and Instagram to remember my travels. But I would still recommend the personal touch of a diary above all else.
Below are my top reasons to keep a diary when you travel.
Top Reasons To Keep A Diary When You Travel:
You’ll forget!!
Believe it or not, you will forget some of the amazing things you do on your travels. I’d forgotten that I had white water rafted in the Himalayas until I re-read my diary. I didn’t have any photos as I didn’t have a waterproof camera on me. At the time you don’t think you’ll forget anything, why write it down? As the number of experiences grows, your memory will push some of them to the back of your mind where they won’t be so easily remembered.
Would I have forgotten about some of my helicopter trips?
Names of who you met
What was the name of that guy that worked at Google? Or the girl that was a published writer? Or that amazing person you had a beer with in a beach bar? At that time you were best mates, now you may not even know who they were. Especially if you forget to add each other on social media.
Write down the names of who you meet and a little story about them. Where they’re from, what they do, how they ended up there, what you did together. As with so much else about travelling, it is often who you meet that will make the experiences.
Write down the things you learn
Everyone travels for a different reason but one of my favourites is to learn new things. Whether it’s from a tour guide, a sign in a museum or a plaque in a park. Write it down so you remember it in future.
This goes for before you go as well. Write down the name of the bar you must go to or the dish you just have to try. Notes on your phone are great but writing it helps you retain the information for longer.
I also like to write down the words in the local language. I often have it in English, the local language, and a way that makes it easy for me to pronounce if needed.
You will even learn stuff from fellow travellers which leads me onto….
A cooking course is a great way to learn new skills you can impress your friends with at home
Write down feelings
You’ll never forget that you saw the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China or the Pyramids but what did you feel when you first set eyes on them?
Were you blown away the the enormous size? Did it take you back to a place when you were a child dreaming of seeing it?
This can be interesting to note if you ever go back to see those places again. Or how did you feel when you had an argument with a travel mate, you missed out on the one thing you wanted to see or the first time you set eyes on someone? Write it down as soon as you can before an inflated and exaggerated version becomes ingrained in your head.
Of course I remember going to the Taj Mahal. But how did I feel when I saw it?
Conversations you had
Travelling isn’t just about what you see but who you’re with. The time you discussed politics with a foreign travel mate and the different views you encountered. The chat with the friendly local that taught you his customs. An anecdote told by a tour guide in a city. Even brief notes on what was said can trigger your memory later on.
Shows what happened between the photos
What you put on social media and tell your friends is the highlights of your trip. It’s the photos from the mountain top, the cocktails near on the beach or the early morning sunrise. Nobody Instagrams a 20 hour bus ride but keeping a travel diary can remind you of the real side of travelling. There may be some humorous stories of waiting for a plane, despair at a broken down bus or interesting smells on a train. The diary will also give you something to do during these not so glamorous times of your travels.
Changing the tyre on our bus in Vietnam. I think this was the third time this bus broke down
It may make a good book
This is probably for those that are travelling for a long period of time or for those doing things a bit differently. If you keep writing things down, maybe one day you will have enough stories to write a book. There are plenty of books out there of people on weird and wacky adventures and why can’t yours be one of them? Alternatively, it may be the start of a travel blog you’ve always wanted to write? Writing it down could be the first step.
Do you keep a diary when you travel? Or how else do you record what you see and do?
I’ve kept a travel diary for all of my trips, starting with my first solo overseas adventure when I was 19. It’s so good to look back now and see what I got up to but also how I have changed over time. As times changed and the world modernised, I went from having a paper and pen diary to making notes in my phone. I now record most of what I do on Instagram but I worry about what would happen if it becomes obsolete in years to come? I already don’t use Facebook as much as I did when I started travelling. Could my photos and stories end up in the cyber abyss?
Now I keep a mixture of personal notes, emails to friends, this blog and Instagram to remember my travels. But I would still recommend the personal touch of a diary above all else.
Below are my top reasons to keep a diary when you travel.
Top Reasons To Keep A Diary When You Travel:
You’ll forget!!
Believe it or not, you will forget some of the amazing things you do on your travels. I’d forgotten that I had white water rafted in the Himalayas until I re-read my diary. I didn’t have any photos as I didn’t have a waterproof camera on me. At the time you don’t think you’ll forget anything, why write it down? As the number of experiences grows, your memory will push some of them to the back of your mind where they won’t be so easily remembered.
Would I have forgotten about some of my helicopter trips?
Names of who you met
What was the name of that guy that worked at Google? Or the girl that was a published writer? Or that amazing person you had a beer with in a beach bar? At that time you were best mates, now you may not even know who they were. Especially if you forget to add each other on social media.
Write down the names of who you meet and a little story about them. Where they’re from, what they do, how they ended up there, what you did together. As with so much else about travelling, it is often who you meet that will make the experiences.
Write down the things you learn
Everyone travels for a different reason but one of my favourites is to learn new things. Whether it’s from a tour guide, a sign in a museum or a plaque in a park. Write it down so you remember it in future.
This goes for before you go as well. Write down the name of the bar you must go to or the dish you just have to try. Notes on your phone are great but writing it helps you retain the information for longer.
I also like to write down the words in the local language. I often have it in English, the local language, and a way that makes it easy for me to pronounce if needed.
You will even learn stuff from fellow travellers which leads me onto….
A cooking course is a great way to learn new skills you can impress your friends with at home
Write down feelings
You’ll never forget that you saw the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China or the Pyramids but what did you feel when you first set eyes on them?
Were you blown away the the enormous size? Did it take you back to a place when you were a child dreaming of seeing it?
This can be interesting to note if you ever go back to see those places again. Or how did you feel when you had an argument with a travel mate, you missed out on the one thing you wanted to see or the first time you set eyes on someone? Write it down as soon as you can before an inflated and exaggerated version becomes ingrained in your head.
Of course I remember going to the Taj Mahal. But how did I feel when I saw it?
Conversations you had
Travelling isn’t just about what you see but who you’re with. The time you discussed politics with a foreign travel mate and the different views you encountered. The chat with the friendly local that taught you his customs. An anecdote told by a tour guide in a city. Even brief notes on what was said can trigger your memory later on.
Shows what happened between the photos
What you put on social media and tell your friends is the highlights of your trip. It’s the photos from the mountain top, the cocktails near on the beach or the early morning sunrise. Nobody Instagrams a 20 hour bus ride but keeping a travel diary can remind you of the real side of travelling. There may be some humorous stories of waiting for a plane, despair at a broken down bus or interesting smells on a train. The diary will also give you something to do during these not so glamorous times of your travels.
Changing the tyre on our bus in Vietnam. I think this was the third time this bus broke down
It may make a good book
This is probably for those that are travelling for a long period of time or for those doing things a bit differently. If you keep writing things down, maybe one day you will have enough stories to write a book. There are plenty of books out there of people on weird and wacky adventures and why can’t yours be one of them? Alternatively, it may be the start of a travel blog you’ve always wanted to write? Writing it down could be the first step.
Do you keep a diary when you travel? Or how else do you record what you see and do?
I’ve kept a travel diary for all of my trips, starting with my first solo overseas adventure when I was 19. It’s so good to look back now and see what I got up to but also how I have changed over time. As times changed and the world modernised, I went from having a paper and pen diary to making notes in my phone. I now record most of what I do on Instagram but I worry about what would happen if it becomes obsolete in years to come? I already don’t use Facebook as much as I did when I started travelling. Could my photos and stories end up in the cyber abyss?
Now I keep a mixture of personal notes, emails to friends, this blog and Instagram to remember my travels. But I would still recommend the personal touch of a diary above all else.
Below are my top reasons to keep a diary when you travel.
Top Reasons To Keep A Diary When You Travel:
You’ll forget!!
Believe it or not, you will forget some of the amazing things you do on your travels. I’d forgotten that I had white water rafted in the Himalayas until I re-read my diary. I didn’t have any photos as I didn’t have a waterproof camera on me. At the time you don’t think you’ll forget anything, why write it down? As the number of experiences grows, your memory will push some of them to the back of your mind where they won’t be so easily remembered.
Would I have forgotten about some of my helicopter trips?
Names of who you met
What was the name of that guy that worked at Google? Or the girl that was a published writer? Or that amazing person you had a beer with in a beach bar? At that time you were best mates, now you may not even know who they were. Especially if you forget to add each other on social media.
Write down the names of who you meet and a little story about them. Where they’re from, what they do, how they ended up there, what you did together. As with so much else about travelling, it is often who you meet that will make the experiences.
Write down the things you learn
Everyone travels for a different reason but one of my favourites is to learn new things. Whether it’s from a tour guide, a sign in a museum or a plaque in a park. Write it down so you remember it in future.
This goes for before you go as well. Write down the name of the bar you must go to or the dish you just have to try. Notes on your phone are great but writing it helps you retain the information for longer.
I also like to write down the words in the local language. I often have it in English, the local language, and a way that makes it easy for me to pronounce if needed.
You will even learn stuff from fellow travellers which leads me onto….
A cooking course is a great way to learn new skills you can impress your friends with at home
Write down feelings
You’ll never forget that you saw the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China or the Pyramids but what did you feel when you first set eyes on them?
Were you blown away the the enormous size? Did it take you back to a place when you were a child dreaming of seeing it?
This can be interesting to note if you ever go back to see those places again. Or how did you feel when you had an argument with a travel mate, you missed out on the one thing you wanted to see or the first time you set eyes on someone? Write it down as soon as you can before an inflated and exaggerated version becomes ingrained in your head.
Of course I remember going to the Taj Mahal. But how did I feel when I saw it?
Conversations you had
Travelling isn’t just about what you see but who you’re with. The time you discussed politics with a foreign travel mate and the different views you encountered. The chat with the friendly local that taught you his customs. An anecdote told by a tour guide in a city. Even brief notes on what was said can trigger your memory later on.
Shows what happened between the photos
What you put on social media and tell your friends is the highlights of your trip. It’s the photos from the mountain top, the cocktails near on the beach or the early morning sunrise. Nobody Instagrams a 20 hour bus ride but keeping a travel diary can remind you of the real side of travelling. There may be some humorous stories of waiting for a plane, despair at a broken down bus or interesting smells on a train. The diary will also give you something to do during these not so glamorous times of your travels.
Changing the tyre on our bus in Vietnam. I think this was the third time this bus broke down
It may make a good book
This is probably for those that are travelling for a long period of time or for those doing things a bit differently. If you keep writing things down, maybe one day you will have enough stories to write a book. There are plenty of books out there of people on weird and wacky adventures and why can’t yours be one of them? Alternatively, it may be the start of a travel blog you’ve always wanted to write? Writing it down could be the first step.
Do you keep a diary when you travel? Or how else do you record what you see and do?
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I’ve kept a travel diary for all of my trips, starting with my first solo overseas adventure when I was 19. It’s so good to look back now and see what I got up to but also how I have changed over time. As times changed and the world modernised, I went from having a paper and pen diary to making notes in my phone. I now record most of what I do on Instagram but I worry about what would happen if it becomes obsolete in years to come? I already don’t use Facebook as much as I did when I started travelling. Could my photos and stories end up in the cyber abyss?
Now I keep a mixture of personal notes, emails to friends, this blog and Instagram to remember my travels. But I would still recommend the personal touch of a diary above all else.
Below are my top reasons to keep a diary when you travel.
Top Reasons To Keep A Diary When You Travel:
You’ll forget!!
Believe it or not, you will forget some of the amazing things you do on your travels. I’d forgotten that I had white water rafted in the Himalayas until I re-read my diary. I didn’t have any photos as I didn’t have a waterproof camera on me. At the time you don’t think you’ll forget anything, why write it down? As the number of experiences grows, your memory will push some of them to the back of your mind where they won’t be so easily remembered.
Would I have forgotten about some of my helicopter trips?
Names of who you met
What was the name of that guy that worked at Google? Or the girl that was a published writer? Or that amazing person you had a beer with in a beach bar? At that time you were best mates, now you may not even know who they were. Especially if you forget to add each other on social media.
Write down the names of who you meet and a little story about them. Where they’re from, what they do, how they ended up there, what you did together. As with so much else about travelling, it is often who you meet that will make the experiences.
Write down the things you learn
Everyone travels for a different reason but one of my favourites is to learn new things. Whether it’s from a tour guide, a sign in a museum or a plaque in a park. Write it down so you remember it in future.
This goes for before you go as well. Write down the name of the bar you must go to or the dish you just have to try. Notes on your phone are great but writing it helps you retain the information for longer.
I also like to write down the words in the local language. I often have it in English, the local language, and a way that makes it easy for me to pronounce if needed.
You will even learn stuff from fellow travellers which leads me onto….
A cooking course is a great way to learn new skills you can impress your friends with at home
Write down feelings
You’ll never forget that you saw the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China or the Pyramids but what did you feel when you first set eyes on them?
Were you blown away the the enormous size? Did it take you back to a place when you were a child dreaming of seeing it?
This can be interesting to note if you ever go back to see those places again. Or how did you feel when you had an argument with a travel mate, you missed out on the one thing you wanted to see or the first time you set eyes on someone? Write it down as soon as you can before an inflated and exaggerated version becomes ingrained in your head.
Of course I remember going to the Taj Mahal. But how did I feel when I saw it?
Conversations you had
Travelling isn’t just about what you see but who you’re with. The time you discussed politics with a foreign travel mate and the different views you encountered. The chat with the friendly local that taught you his customs. An anecdote told by a tour guide in a city. Even brief notes on what was said can trigger your memory later on.
Shows what happened between the photos
What you put on social media and tell your friends is the highlights of your trip. It’s the photos from the mountain top, the cocktails near on the beach or the early morning sunrise. Nobody Instagrams a 20 hour bus ride but keeping a travel diary can remind you of the real side of travelling. There may be some humorous stories of waiting for a plane, despair at a broken down bus or interesting smells on a train. The diary will also give you something to do during these not so glamorous times of your travels.
Changing the tyre on our bus in Vietnam. I think this was the third time this bus broke down
It may make a good book
This is probably for those that are travelling for a long period of time or for those doing things a bit differently. If you keep writing things down, maybe one day you will have enough stories to write a book. There are plenty of books out there of people on weird and wacky adventures and why can’t yours be one of them? Alternatively, it may be the start of a travel blog you’ve always wanted to write? Writing it down could be the first step.
Do you keep a diary when you travel? Or how else do you record what you see and do?
Dan is an avid traveller from London. His first big adventure was in 2010 living in Malaysia for 3 months and becoming a divemaster. He has been on the road almost constantly since 2015 travelling to destinations that aren’t on the mainstream tourist trail.
Unfortunately not. Or nothing of note. There’s a few eco trails in the forest close to town but they are…