You have set out on a new adventure. A life away from the conventional and expected adult itinerary— school, work, marriage, children, and retirement. You have decided to make the most of your time in Barcelona. From here on out every experience you encounter will mold you into the courageous, compelling, and compassionate person you are meant to be. I’m telling you, you will want to remember every interaction and activity you dared to do. But how? How will you remember it all, or enough of it to share with your family, friends, and future kids?
Photo credit: Vivianna_love via Visual hunt / CC BY
It is time to start a TRAVEL JOURNAL!
This is SHBarcelona’s guide to keeping a great travel journal:
Choose an audience
Decide whether you will keep a journal which you, and only you, can read. Or maybe you would like a journal more PG. One you can show to your friends and family.
Blog VS Book
Will you keep track of your experience in a notebook, or on a website like WordPress. They both have their benefits. If you decide to go with the notebook, you can personalize it to your liking (check out this Pinterest board full of ideas). Your style will definitely make the pages pop. You can also personalize it with props- more on this later. On the other hand, if you decided to make a website it will be easier to share with your loved ones. You can include amazing pictures, without having to wait to print them. If you want to get super creative you can also add homemade videos. Here is an example of a travel blog.
Now to putting pen-to-paper, or finger-to-keyboard
Photo credit: GotCredit via Visual Hunt / CC BY
Let the words and themes of your writing flow. Paint a picture with each word. Create a story you will want to re-read. Make sure not to sound like you are just listing events— e.g. “ I did this… and then I went here… and then this happened…” You are going to bore yourself. Write about how that moment made you feel, or what thought popped into your head at that precise moment. Also, be consistent. Whether you write daily, twice a week or weekly, take a moment to unload your thoughts. Oh, and always end with gratitude.
Don’t forget the props!
Adding props is like the cherry on top of your ice cream sundae. It is what brings it all together. The concert ticket to your favorite band, the napkin where the cute bartender left his number or the feather you found hiking up Monserrat. Seal these pieces of memories into your amazing travel journal.
Go back and read it
When you are ready, read it all. Go back and laugh at your dramatic moments where it felt like the world would end, and cry remembering the moments of joy. You survived your trip.
For more tips on creating the perfect travel book, click here.
“Traveling, it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”
IBN Battuta
You are officially a story teller.