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Why You Should Start a Travel Journal
There’s something magical about traveling—new places, unfamiliar flavors, unexpected moments that take your breath away. But in a world where everything is Instagrammed, Tweeted, and saved to the cloud, it’s easy to forget the small details that make each journey unique. That’s where a travel journal comes in.
Whether you’re a seasoned globe-trotter or someone planning their very first getaway, starting a travel journal can completely change the way you experience the world. Here’s why.
1. Capture More Than Just Photos
Photos are great—but they don’t capture how a place felt. A journal lets you record your thoughts, smells, sounds, the weather, and the vibe of a place in a way a photo never could. It’s your personal narrative, full of meaning only you can give it.
Write about the coffee shop in Rome that played jazz at 10 a.m., the stray cat that followed you in Marrakech, or how the air felt walking through a misty forest in British Columbia. These little moments fade fast unless you put them to paper.
2. Travel Slower, Feel Deeper
When you journal, you’re forced to pause. To reflect. To be present. Even a few minutes a day can deepen your appreciation of where you are and what you’re doing. It turns your trip from a checklist of sights into a personal journey.
3. A Personal Time Capsule
Years from now, your travel journal will be a treasured keepsake. Re-reading it brings the past rushing back with all the color and feeling that memory alone can’t hold. It’s a time capsule of a version of you—who you were, what you loved, and how the world looked through your eyes at that moment.
5. It Sparks Creativity
Even if you don’t consider yourself a “writer,” journaling opens creative doors. You might start doodling, sketching, adding ticket stubs or pressed flowers. It becomes part scrapbook, part diary, part storybook. And who knows? Maybe it turns into something more—like a blog, a zine, or even a book.
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