Why you should keep a travel journal

There are about 30 million reasons to catalog your travel adventures. Why wouldn’t you want to remember your experiences? Here are some of the reasons why journaling while traveling is totally worth your time and effort. 

Buying a physical journal is fun!

Selecting the perfect journal is just plain fun, especially when you’re looking through hundreds of options online. You get to pick out the size, style and color all while thinking about the future trips you will be writing about.

You will love having a way to remember the details your travels

So, you just went on this amazing trip and you’re bragging about your trip to your friends and they ask, “What was the name of that city where you did that amazing thing?” And… you totally forget the exact city, or that cool waterfall you visited or the name of that awesome hike. However, if you write down your itinerary and everything you did there, you never have to worry about forgetting the details.

It helps you recall your happy and positive thoughts 

I always find that I think differently while I travel. I am more spontaneous and am able to enjoy nature more. However, when I return home, that sense of calm seems to collide with the stress of being back home. It is always nice to be able to read through your entries and remember why you enjoyed each place you traveled to as well as use your experiences to plan for the future.

You’ll want to remember your negative thoughts and experiences too

Yes, even your negative thoughts are good to remember, especially for planning your next trip. Sometimes you take a risk and realize that it was a mistake, and it is always good to write down what you don’t like too. That way you don’t make the same mistake twice.

It’s an automatic scrapbook

Your journal can serve as a place to keep little things like tickets, postcards and maps – things that some people consider garbage, but I love to see them as little free souvenirs! Printed photos are also great to put in your journal, especially the best ones that you don’t want to lose in your endless camera roll. Write captions to describe what the piece is and the memories you made with it.

You don’t have to share your journal with anyone

My favorite part of traveling is sharing my experiences with friends and family, but there are always parts of my trips that I’d rather keep to myself. I can put these memories in my journal and know that if I do not share my journal with anyone, no one will know about them. Of course, you can share your journal with whomever you would like, but you always have the option of privacy.