beantownchick

Do you have a travel journal? Use your PDA? Filming through your camcorder with background commentary? Stop at every internet cafe on site to login to your blog site and blogged the day's events?

When I was growing up, my parents, who loves to travel, would take annual trips someplace with just the two of them. So as not to feel we've been abandoned, everyday during the whole duration of their trip they mailed out a postcard to each one of us three kids detailing what they've seen that day, what they've done, where they've eaten, etc. We had postcards from all over the world and in fact got my sister started in her stamp collecting hobby. For a kid, it was great to get correspondence address to you - but that was it, read it and toss it aside. But to my parents it was a great way to record their trips. Those postcards are very much part of their travel albums.

I don't have any kids but I find myself following their footsteps. When ever I take a trip someplace whether just in the US or International I send myself a postcard with a narrative of that day's event. And like my parents these postcards have found their way on my scrapbooking travel albums with the date of the trip and the journaling already taken care of.

AngelaS

I think the postcards are a great idea! I have a small journal I travel with & try to write in it each day/night. Especially about the funny little things we start joking about or tips for our next trip, etc. It's nice to look back on..

ira

Hi BTC,

I keep a travel journal and collect picture postcards as well as my own photos.

suze

For me, no PDA, camcorder, journal, or blog.

I have never keep a travel journal, in the traditional sense of recording what I am doing... but I always carry a small spiral notebook & jot down addresses, new phrases I learn, make lists, etc.

For photos, I use a disposable camera and supplement with post cards I buy.

grsing

I have a travel journal I write in, plus I take lots of pictures, and I usually have semi-firm itineraries on my Palm, so I have a pretty good record of what I've done (judging from the hours I've spent naming the roughly 1000 digital pictures I took in the last 6 weeks around Europe, maybe too good of a record).

Statia

Personal photos, journaling, trip reports typed up at home for my own memories, receipts, business cards, brochures, postcards, and photography coffee table books.

sandi_travelnut

I keep a small journal in my purse/pack and whenever we stop for a glass of wine or just to relax I always catch myself up on what we did or saw sine the last time I wrote. I always like to write down street names and store and restaurant names for future reference. It also gives my husband and I a chance to relive those moments. I usually don't put my trip report together until my trip is over.

Poohgirl

I write in a journal. Most of my trips are anywhere from 10-14 days. If I am good, I write during the first one and a half days, then blow it off. I keep telling myself that the next trip will be different and I'll keep writing. We'll see if that ever happens.

Robespierre

I use my iPAQ to record where and when, f-stop, exposure, and shutter speed (I use the appointment function for this), and I place pushpins on the Pocket Streets map so I can locate places again. Each pin is tagged with the name and address of the site, plus what I did there (photograph, food, books, services, <i>clean toilets</i>, intriguing history).

Robespierre

Duh - aperture, exposure, and film speed.

Clifton

I have taken a very nice leather bound journal that my wife bought for me on the last two trips. Sadly, the only thing written it is a half of a page from the first of those trips, mostly saying something like. &quot;so here we are...&quot;. I guess I'm not a journaler. But I do record the trip in photos. Lots of them.

Robes, you surprised me! I would have surely taken you for a digital camera guy. Do you shoot with film? Guessing, due to you recording the settings externally.

Clifton

Duh for me too. I just saw your followup. Question answered!

LoveItaly

I have only kept a journal one time. I use to collect all the receipts etc. but finally tossed everything. A few months later I &quot;discovered&quot; Fodors. I sure wish I had kept all the information I had collected. I keep saying I am going to keep a running journal but never do..guess I am having to much fun to bother.

I do take photos and I do collect postcards..for some reason I love postcards.

GreenDragon

I do bring a small spiral notebook. Nothing fancy, as I frequently rip out pages to give notes or info to others.

I try to 'catch up' at lunch or another meal, at least once a day. I record what I've visited, my impressions, who I've met, what I ate, problems and wonders, etc. It's almost like a 'cleaning out' of my memory for me. I can go on to enjoy other things because those memories have been recorded. The slate is clean for the day!

I also take scads of photos, as I sell them as part of my art business. It helps with the trip reports I write at the end.

Here are my trip reports, for those that wish to see how detailed I got. BTW, the first trip (Ireland, England) was done without these journals, but with some video, and written 10 years after the fact. Guess I do have a good memory, after all!

http://www.greendragonartist.com/BItripreports.htm

Celticharper

I create form pages for my daytimer using my photos from previous trips for the watermark, so I enjoy filling out our hotels, restaurants, days activities and travel times by simply filling in the allotted areas. There are also pages for each day for my musings on the events and people that I've met along the way.

I also create a GBC bound journal for my husband with cycling photos of him and those we've taken from the Tour De France as the watermark so he has a fun way of keeping track of his vacation cycling miles/kilometers with altitude and conditions for the day.

I make both of these with cover pages of a great photo and full title for each vacation.

I made these for all his friends when they joined us one year to follow the tour, they loved the idea.

When we return home I use this info to create a book using word with my photos interspersed throughout the journal entries.

I then print that out and Bind it for a permanent memory book of each trip.

L84SKY

I carry a spiral notebook and write in it each day. Somedays I even remember to date it. I used to carry ziplocks for reciepts, postcards etc but my husband is a helpless book junkie, so now I keep those things in the pages of the books I know he'll buy.
When I get home I enjoy deciphering my handwriting which has grown worse with the use of a computer.

GreenDragon

Oh, I love the idea of making a book! Gotta go do that now...

laclaire

I keep a daily journal wherever I am, so whether traveling or not, I have a record. Sometimes I take pictures, but I prefer to sit and describe things.

I also write insane amounts of letters and postcards to those I love. My most important recipient recently passed away and I don't know who is going to get the bulk of my mail now. Also, even though he kept every single letter of mine (spanning over 10 years) in a bundle on his coffee table, his daughter in law threw them all away, apologizing that they were &quot;lost in the shuffle.&quot; There went that record.

Chele60

I keep a journal. Religiously. Which is ironic, considering the fact that I simply cannot do this when I'm at home. I also put together a scrapbook with photos, postcards, and various receipts, brochures, tickets, and other pieces of information I've picked up along the way.

stokebailey

I leave camera at home, bring a small sketchbook and watercolor pencils/brush. That way I can sit and observe something beautiful for awhile, make some notes on the back or use some of the sheets for notes, and don't feel as if I must always be taking photos.