Summer is coming. And for many that means travel. Visiting places near and far, exploring new cities, backpacking across countries, cycling across continents, or just spending some time on the beach.
Journalling is a meaningful and lasting way to record your travel experiences. Whether it’s just for you to look back on in years to come, or to share with others, recording your travel adventures can make for fascinating future reading.
But how do you get started? What is the best travel journal set up? How can you keep yourself motivated en route? What should you record and what is better left unsaid?
Here, two travel journal enthusiasts share their journal set ups, tips and advice about how to create travel journals that your future self with thank you for.
Sam – chief editor at paper republic
When I spent five weeks travelling around Slovenia – a place I had fallen in love with – I wanted to record the experience because I planned to write a book about the country.
That trip galvanized my affection for Slovenia and some years later, after I moved my entire life to a 300-year-old Slovenian mountain cabin (which came with 300 problems) I did indeed write that book: Dormice & Moonshine: Falling for Slovenia, and my travel journal became an invaluable resource.
My advice for those wanting to start a travel journal is:
1. Get a tough journal you can take everywhere
My travel journal requirements were simple: it had to be small enough to take everywhere; large enough for copious notes. My journal also needed to withstand the wear and tear of being thrown in and out of my backpack daily, handle a rogue rain shower, and still protect my precious words inside. So, a hardwearing, resilient cover was non-negotiable.
I wanted lined paper – but with narrow spacing so I could write lots of words per page – plus a built-in pocket where I could store loose items, such as business cards, flyers and other paper mementos, that I picked up along the way.
Back then, I was using an unbranded hardback notebook but now I have a grand voyageur in petrol blue [a4], with lined paper. I will add a card and cash holder before my next journey.
2. Be disciplined: write everyday
When you’re travelling, you tend to experience lots of new things in a short space of time so it’s easy to forget what you did, with whom, where. Make time to write something every day; multiple times a day is even better. Because trying to remember exactly what you did three days ago is more difficult than you might expect (three days is a long time on the road).
If you’re serious about writing a travel journal you must be strict with your writing schedule. I find a good time to write is in the morning over breakfast, or in the evenings, as I reflect upon my day.
3. Record the small details
Little details, like how rude the waiter was, how striking the azure colour of the river was, or how the clouds changed shaped as the storm rolled in, may seem so trivial they are not worth recording. But it’s these little details that give travel accounts life and authenticity.
When I was writing my book on Slovenia later, those fine details I had painstakingly recorded were incredibly useful. They took me right back, enabling me to recreate scenes I would never have remembered had I not written them down at the time.
It’s better to have lots of raw source material which you can pick and choose from, than need more details later, and not have them.
4. Capture sounds, smells and textures (not just sights)
Don’t just write down what you see; write down what you hear, smell and feel. Snippets of overheard conversation, scents of the city, the genre of music pouring out of that bar – these are all details that help set the scene, invoke the atmosphere, and help readers feel like they were there with you.
5. Share your inner journey too
The most interesting travel journals blend an inner journey with the outer. By sharing your thoughts and feelings about your experiences, and how they impacted and changed your outlook, you elevate a ‘wot i did on holiday’ diary, to a deeper travel narrative that is more insightful.
Ani – l'atelier bespoke specialist at paper republic
Travelling has shaped me a lot as a person. Sometimes I regret not recording more of my experiences in the past. Photographs never seem to be enough to trigger a vivid memory.
So now, I always take my journal with me when I travel. I use it for planning trips – with lists of places I’d like to visit – as well as recording my journeys and situations I want to remember. Start a travel journal and take lots of notes along the way. Your future self will thank you! My advice is:
1. Find a simple but practical journal
I have a two-journal system for my travels. On the road, I use my pocket grand voyageur; its small size is ideal because it’s always with me so I can make notes whenever I need it. It has one book refill and a card and cash holder, which is great for keeping flyers, papers, stamps and postcards. I also use le loop pen holder now as I always used to lose my pens.
Once my trip is over, I then use the travel notes I made in my pocket journal, to write up my journey in greater detail in my leather a5 portfolio. It’s here that I keep all the travel treasures that I gathered: tickets, cards, origami, pictures and so on.
2. Write things down in the moment
Write down impressions and memories that happen on the spot, even if it’s just one word. That will help you write more about your journey later. Previously, I used to tell myself that I would remember a specific situation – the name of something or somewhere – but the truth is, if I don't write it down immediately, I forget it. And travels are usually so full of vivid experiences. So, don’t miss those moments! Record them straight away.
3. Make sketches and doodles
I like to sketch people, but I am shy so I do it quickly and secretly, usually on public transport or sometimes just a side profile portrait on the plane. People abroad are so diverse and interesting, I really like to draw them.
Sometimes I also sketch landscapes, for example I really enjoyed sketching the emblematic silhouette of Mount Fuji when I visited Japan. Not only is sketching fun, but it adds a visual element to my journal which I love to look back at.
4. Gather physical mementos
My journals are not just for my words and doodles, but also a place to store all the little trinkets I discover on my journey. For example, when I was in Japan, I stamped my journal with the ink stamps they have in the temples.
I use my card and cash holder to store keepsakes like tram tickets, postcards and business cards that I pick up along the way. These physical objects are a lovely addition to my notes and photographs.
Start your own travel journal: browse our selection of leather travel journals here.