Celia

Thanks for the tip, Julian!

lisa

Good point about making sure to ziplock the glue stick safely inside something so it doesn't ruin things if it melts! Could make quite a mess.

matnikstym

ttt

twoaussies

I dont think anyone mentioned a PDA with a folding keyboard, less than one pound in weight. I have been keeping journals of travels since 1954 (that ages me), starting with writing poetry about trips; then the tape recorder (took too much time to type); then notebooks that were later typed. I actually carry a 3 lb. laptop and my husband uses the PDA. We type while waiting for flights and in the evening or early morning. Our recent two month trip to Southern Africa became a 100 page journal with few photos. Journals and scrapbooks are our joy for when we are sitting in those rocking chairs in the 'old folks home'
While in S.A. we used cyber cafes to put the journal onto a website - wrong move!! The connections were slow, the website allowed very little at one posting and the cost was $48.00US
Journals are memory joggers. Have you ever asked someone where they stayed in such and such a town - and they don't remember!!

jasher

Speaking of journals...

I was in London today (to meet Rocco and Kavey for lunch) and wandering down Bond Street. I was quite proud of myself for having made it almost all the way down without spending a penny (Bond Street is full of shops like Hermes, Zegna, Cartier, Prada, etc and they are having their annual summer clear-out sales).

But then I made a fateful turn into a little covered passage (called an arcade here in England) where I had a vague memory of visiting of the best stationery shops in London. The shop was still there -- at least for the next few hours! It was the final day of business, as the owner has decided to retire and the rent had become prohibitive. The entire stock of leather-covered Italian journals was 50-70% off, as was their wonderful stationery. What could I do? By the time I left I had three new leather-covered journals (2 for me and one for my journal-loving sister) and some new stationery. I was literally the last customer (of the day and of the shop's lifetime) so the owner gave me some more additional stationery for free.

Now I have yet another reason to count the days until my next safari -- I can't wait to break in my new journal!

Cheers,
Julian

Lolo12

Julian - What a delightful bargain you got!! And to think you owe it all to Fodors, since you were on your way to meet 2 other Fodorites!!
I used a journal for only the first time last year in Russia when I would write down my thoughts and observations at the end of the day. I will definitely use a journal again when I leave for my first safari in 2 weeks

Lexxa

I came across an interesting African Safari Journal on Amazon.com for about $9.00 (paperback, about 8x5) that's not only a diary for journal entries, but is also a trip organizer, wildlife/bird tree guide and checklist, a film log, words & phrases in Swahili, Shona, Tswana, Zulu and French, southern hemisiphere constellation guide. While obviously not for everyone, some may find it useful

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...s&v=glance

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0939...54#reader-link

Lexxa

Kavey

Julian
I'm so jealous - if he gave you any items that are too girly for you and that your sister might not want, please feel free to pass one this way!
That's so cool to be the last ever customer!!!!
The last ones I bought were the suedette ones from WHSmith with travel quotes embossed on the cover.

jasher

Hi Kavey,

I mentioned it in passing at lunch, but I guess there was too much going on and it slipped past you -- I didn't realise you were in the market for a journal!

I haven't really looked at the extra stuff yet -- I'll let you know if there's anything you might find of interest.

Cheers,
Julian

Kavey

Aak, I'm sorry - it must indeed have slipped past me...

Canechick

I used the African Safari Journal published by Mark Nolting. It was very difficult to jot down everything - so I made a point every evening to take 15 minutes or so and capture the day's events and thoughts. It is a small and light paperback which also has room to note expenses, add addresses of newly met friends, etc. Writing down the experience is invaluable.

azmngal

My favorite part of a journal?? If the journal doesn't come with a pocket, I form one by taping some back pages together...making my own pockets. It's so handy for small things that you see along your way, business cards of the restaurants you loved,hotel, B&B cards, broshures, small leaves,ticket stubs, postcards, anything that will trigger a fun memory and be an addition to the photo album to be made when you return home. My journals are the most important part of my packing.

Kavey

I also often go for the journals with a little pocket at the back but had never thought about adding my own into those that don't have one!

Thanks for that tip!

cds

I make my own journals. I use a small loose-leaf notebook, buy really good letterhead (cut to fit the notebook) and using my computer, I create a page for each day. Each page includes the date, location, the name of the hotel (if I know in advance, otherwise I create a line Hotel_____________) a line for weather, a few lines for "What made me smile", space for "activities" and then lots blank lines for general writing. I also create blank - lined pages in case it's a really full day and I need more room. (They're kept in the back of the journal to be moved into the daily record as needed). In addition, I make "pockets" from the letterhead to go into the journal to collect the small souvenier-type ticket stubs, maps, boarding passes etc. (I'm truly a packrat - but it's amazing what memories a ticket stub can bring back - and some - like at Italian attractions - are pieces of art!) I also make pages for my husband, although so far he has never managed to keep it up through an entire trip. For me, having the location details and dates done in advance helps me to write everyday. They are truly treasures - I've done the same with trips taken with my mother. She has them now, and when she passes on, I will have a wonderful keepsake of our trips together.