Packing a suitcase was a skill I learned when I was just over half a decade old. Travel was, and is, such an integral part of my life, admittedly at that age it was more about going on an airplane and getting gifts from the relatives we visited (those are still things I enjoy). However, as I grew older, my perspective on travel evolved. I became enamored with understanding the history of my destination, immersing in the culture, and most importantly tasting the cuisine. And so for most of my adolescence my travels were lively and interesting, but as I came closer to the next chapter in my life, something became abundantly clear to me: I never recorded my thoughts and feelings on those journeys. So on the cusp of the new year with a big trip ahead I decided to keep a journal. My travel journal is a place for me to record thoughts and memories as I feel them. I personally like to think of it as a time capsule that I can look back on. So without further ado, here is my travel journal and how I set it up. I use a Moleskine Cahier's journal, with plain sheets. These notebooks retail in a pack of three for a little less than $10. I liked this notebook in particular because it was lightweight, and the perfect size for me to slip into my backpack. Alongside my notebook, I use a Pilot G2 pen in black, nothing fancy or special, just something that works. The most important part of travel journaling for me is my accessibility to my notebook. I like to keep it with me at all times during my trips. I realized quickly on my trip to Iceland, my first trip with my travel journal, that there were moments when I felt like putting down in words what I was feeling, but I unfortunately didn't have my journal with me. I also encountered another problem: not having enough time to fully put together pages (particularly gluing in the things that I found important). After some trial and error I found a strategy that works best for me. I like to begin by setting up my title pages on my flight/train/boat/car ride to my destination. This way I have a chance of setting up the page the way I envision my destination (it's also a fun way to pass the time on some long flights). All of my title pages, have the name of my destination as their focus, and are followed by the month and the year of my journey. On this particular trip to Amsterdam, I had little to no time to decorate my page before my trip, so while standing in line in front of the Anne Frank museum, I drew a set of houses adjacent to me. I also added some stickers I had peeled off the pipes, that I found interesting. This is probably one of my favorite aspects of journaling: you can make your spreads so unique. After my title pages, I like to dedicate a page to each day of my trip. These are the pages I like to spend some time on before I go to bed every night, reflecting on my day and putting down some words about what happened. This particular spread is from my trip to Iceland earlier this year. The quote on the left is something I had jotted down earlier in the day while passing through a bookstore where I picked up the postcard. The page on the right however, is where I recorded the days events from start to finish, adding quick notes about the details I wanted to remember. Travel journaling can be as lighthearted or as serious as you want it to be. I have several pages where I wrote down paragraphs of reflection (for example a rather deep one after my visit to the Anne Frank House), however I also have spreads like the one below, which embrace color and fun. Ultimately, your travel journal is place for you to create and enjoy the memories that you make.
Until next time, Mahima
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Mahima Siripurapu18 years old. Industrial Engineering major. Dog enthusiast. Aspiring Khaleesi. Foodie. Land dweller. Struggling writer. Horrid chess player. Adequate chef. Thrifting lover. Environmentalist, and yes that does mean I'm a tree hugger. vegetarian. Archives
September 2018
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