The secret to a happier, more fulfilled life is to invest on experiences rather than material things; this fact has been supported by research. As travel enthusiasts, we couldn’t agree more—it’s the moments we collect from each place we’ve visited that add meaning to our lives. Our travels give us the sense of fulfillment unmatched even by high-end gadgets and designer bags or clothes.
However, travel experiences are only fleeting. Since they last for just a short period or until a new adventure unfolds, we want a physical keepsake that will remind us of all the happy memories we had during a particular trip.
The most common and obvious way to immortalize our travel memories is to take photographs. If you want more interesting, unique physical mementos that will enable you to relive the best moments from your travels, consider these suggestions:
Create a Travel Photo Book
What better way to preserve your photos than to make a travel photo book with Mixbook? Choose and collate the photos that show the highlights of your trips, especially the moments you got to experience only once in your life. Make one heck of a story out of your travel photo collection!
Creating a travel photo book with Mixbook is both fun and exciting, as you can customize it according to your desired design and theme. It can be a collection of your beach adventures, the most breathtaking mountain photos you took during your hiking trip, or the landscape photos from different countries you’ve visited—the possibilities are endless!
And after you have printed your photo books, you can show them to your family and friends to inspire them to start making their own.
Make a Travel Pin Map
Mark your travel memories on a map! Make a DIY travel pin map and post it on a bare wall in your room. Whenever you visit a country or city, put a pushpin on its particular place on the map and insert information like the dates and duration of your travel. You can also get a scratch map that allows you to “peel off” the countries you’ve visited. Who would’ve thought that mapping could be that fun?
Buy Postcards
Aside from the travel photos, I make sure to buy postcards from every place I visit. What I love about postcards is that I can write on them about my most cherished travel memories, good or bad. If you want one with a unique stamp, send it to your address (while you’re traveling) to have something to look forward to back home.
Collect Keychains and Fridge Magnets
“Collect memories, not things,” so they say. But I love collecting them both! Keychains and fridge magnets may be cheap and small, but they are great travel souvenirs.
Whenever you see these little keepsakes, you’ll be reminded of how fun it was traveling to that place. They’re cheaper if you buy them by bulk, so don’t forget to get some for your family and friends.
Make Travel Videos
Travel memories wouldn’t be complete without videos. Knowing pictures wouldn’t be enough to show how frightening yet exciting it was to jump from the 43-meter-high Kawarau bridge in New Zealand, I recorded a video of this heart-stopping adventure. Until now, whenever I replay it, I still feel the anxiety and adrenaline rush I had that day.
Each time you go on an adventure travel, make it a point to record the thrilling moments, so you can watch the video anytime at the comfort of your home. If you have a lot of videos, edit them and make a short travel movie out of them.
Get Free Maps
Ask for a map in the place you’re staying at. Maps are often available to guests for free in inns and hostels, so don’t be shy to ask for one. Cross out on the map all the places that you’ve already visited, so when you return, you’d know the places you still need to explore.
Make a Scrapbook
Three years ago when I traveled in Europe, I forgot my extra battery packs back home. I wasn’t sure how one battery pack could catch up with my photography needs, so I looked for an alternative that would help me keep my travel memories. And so I immediately thought of scrapbooking. I kept receipts, plane tickets, maps, and simple items that summed up the whole trip for me.
Scrapbooking allows a lot of creative freedom; you can design it whatever you want even if it means going over the top.
Blog Your Travel Moments
If you have a way with words and can take great photos, you can blog about your travel experiences. Blogging is a good way to share travel tips and inspire like-minded people.
Start a travel blog and try to write down everything, the highs and lows, and even the good and bad experiences. Include travel photos, especially the candid ones for an authentic storytelling. Always remember that every single moment in your travel counts, so don’t try to leave out even the smallest details about the trip.
Keep a Personal Travel Journal
There may be things that you want to commemorate about your travels but aren’t willing to share them with the world. For that, you can keep a travel journal where you write about your most treasured experiences. It will be like a private travel diary for pouring your thoughts and feelings to.
With these unique ways to immortalize your travels, you can be sure that your memories are well-documented and will definitely last a lifetime. If you have other ideas on preserving travel memories, share them on the comments below!
Comments