Travel diaries can be a traveler’s best friend

Why I Love Travel Diaries

No matter where I travel in the world, I always bring a travel diary with me. I love writing down my observations on life in other countries, like this list of things I noticed about Albania and this list of things I observed in Shanghai when I visited in 2014. I now have a shelf of travel journals in my closet…full of things like memories of my first trip to China in 2000 and details about my amazing trip to Syria in 2010. (Hey, Syria in 2010 was a different time.)

Part of the joy of a travel diary is in the purchase and picking out the right journal for the right trip. I know my green travel diary is from China (I knew we’d spend a lot of time outdoors in Guilin and Yangshuo), the beige one from Syria (easy, the desert), and the blue one from the Dominican Republic (also easy: the ocean). I love going back and reading my memories. While I always remember my trips, I sometimes forget the smaller details…like the falafel I had for lunch in Damascus or the old woman who helped me when I was lost in China. Travel journals help you remember these things, and if you are lucky, you will have them for years and years and years.

Tips for Selecting Travel Diaries

So before spending money on a travel journal, think about how you are going to use it and where you will store it when you are done. Specifically…

1. How often you will keep a travel journal? Is this a one-time thing, or do you envision keeping a diary for each trip? If you plan on always keeping a travel diary, you may want to pick one standard brand, type or size and always buy your diaries in that same style so that they look nice on a shelf.
2. How do  you plan to work with your journal? Will you just be writing things down? Or will  you also be keeping any mementos? Lined paper is a must if you are planning on always writing things down, but you might enjoy the freedom of an unlined page if you also plan on taping small souvenirs to the pages of your journal.
3. Will you keep mementos in your travel journal? If so, look for diaries that include a cord or other sort of wrap that will protect the content of your diary as you slip it in out of bags and backpacks.
4. What kind of pen will you be using? Some journals like the Midori Traveler’s Notebook, are designed with fountain pens in mind! Obviously most of us don’t use fountain pens these days but think about the weight of the paper you’d like to be writing on.
5. Do you need help getting the creative juices flowing? Does the concept of a blank page scare you? Do you need prompts and lists? If so, seek out journals come with helpful questions to get you thinking. I have some below!

The Big Names in Travel Journals

There are a few big names in travel journals that you should be aware of. These brands are generally a little more expensive, but then again, they are also high quality. I haven’t suggested any specific models here but instead focused on suggesting a few of the bigger brands.

Midori Traveler’s Notebook: The top brand to consider is Midori Traveler’s Notebook. It’s totally the granddaddy of travel journals and the most serious serious option I can present to you. I actually JUST bought one of these myself but am holding off on opening the package until my next trip. (Stay tuned!) This is a bit of a lifestyle choice because the Traveler’s Notebook has accessories available to purchase! What’s great about the Traveler’s Notebook is that you can add additional pages as you go along instead of always buying a new notebook. The leather cover also ages beautifully. Honestly, this is a beautiful product, but you can probably also buy five notebooks from my list below for the same price. Buy this notebook.

Moleskine Passion Journal: Moleskine notebooks are everywhere and their clean, modern design make them great for bookshelves. They’ve created a specific journal for traveling, which I love! The Passion Journal has five themed sections to fill in, five tabbed sections to personalize, and sections for loyalty cards, checklists, calendars, travel information, budget and trip planners, memorable moments and more. I just wish it came in more colors. (Although you can always just buy regular Moleskines that come in multiple colors.) There’s also a Moleskine Voyageur Journal that stores printed emails, itineraries and maps.

Rhodia: Rhodia doesn’t have the same brand cachet as Midori or Moleskine but it’s still a great product. These are just standard notebooks though…no travel elements. Just a high quality notebook if that’s what you are after.

Field Notes: I like these because they come in packs of 3 to 5 and you can get them in different colors too. They are also fairly inexpensive. They aren’t as slick or as high quality as Midori or Moleskin, but they do the job. Again, not travel journals per se…these are just regular notebooks…but still interesting.

Other Travel Diary Recommendations

If you’re not shopping for brand, here are some of the best travel diaries and journals I have come across. They make the perfect gift for anyone about to hit the road. Note that some of the items listed below come in different sizes and colors so please check the details carefully before purchasing!

Traditional Leather Travel Diaries

If you like that more traditional feel, here are a few of my favorite leather travel diaries. I love a good rustic leather cover. It makes me feel very Indiana Jones. I just love how these become more weathered with age.

Antique Traveler’s Diary

Rustic travel journal with a touch of antique and rugged edge finish.

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Leather Travel Diary

Pocket-sized full grain leather refillable travel diary. Fountain-pen friendly.

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Rustic Travel Diary

This leather when rubbed or scratched becomes marked making it look antique and distressed.

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Colorful Travel Diaries

Like I mentioned in my intro, I sometimes like to match the color of my travel diaries to my destination. Note that I’ve picked out some favorite colors here but these travel journals all come in multiple colors so be sure to check the details! I think what’s great is that you can be consistent in style by choosing one style, but then you can buy a bunch in different colors.

Green Travel Diary

Hand-crafted vintage refillable travel diary. Comes in 10 colors.

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Pink Travel Diary

Refillable faux leather travel diary and organizer available in 11 designs.

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Blue Travel Diary

Gorgeous leather journal with unlined pages available in multiple colors.

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Mindful Travel Diaries

These travel journals are great if you need some help getting started because they give you some frameworks to work with. They come with interesting quotes and questions for you to think about throughout your travels. I like this style of journal because it can be good sometimes to have a theme or question to ponder as you are capturing your observations.

Travel Journal: Maps Not Apps

Over 100 travel quotes, one on each page, to keep you inspired as you recant your tales.

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Everywoman’s Travel Journal

Includes lined & blank pages for journaling & sketching, with handy info tailored for female travelers.

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You Are Here Travel Journal

Guides you through a rich variety of exercises designed to help you thoroughly enjoy your journey.

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Fun Travel Diaries

These travel diaries are just plain fun! Lots of listicles and prompts to get your creative juices flowing. I think what’s great about these types of travel journals is that at the end of your trip, you’ll have a really broad spectrum of written memories because of all the prompts. The younger generation might appreciate these too…great gift material.

Travel Listography Journal

If you like lists, you'll love this travel journal! So many fun lists you can fill out about your journeys.

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En Route Travel Journal

This journal includes organized ways to record your information and experiences as you travel.

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I Was Here Travel Journal

This journal prompts you to record every whimsical discovery with lists and guided observations.

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Tips and Ideas for Keeping a Travel Diary

1. Buy washi tape so you can tape train tickets, receipts and other small mementos into your travel diary. Be careful because washi tape normally is sold in multiple roll sets. You probably don’t need too many rolls of washi tape…
2. Buy a couple of colored pens to make your entries more interesting and to differentiate content.
3. Buy a local postcard and tape it to the first page of your entry about City X. This serves both as a bookmark and a nice visual of the place you are writing about.
4. If you meet anyone interesting during your travels, ask them to write a message in your journal. If that feels awkard, give them a specific assignment like “The Top 3 Things To Do in City X.” It can be fun to read through what others write in YOUR journal.

Travel Journal Prompts

Not sure what to write in you travel diary? Here are a few prompts to get you thinking…when in doubt, go through “Who, what, when, where, why.”

1. Definitely chronicle your meals every day, especially your more local and interesting ones!
2. Create a “10 things you’ve eaten in Country X so far” list.
3. Document the “5 things you’d do again in Country Y.”
4. Capture “The 5 souvenirs you want from Country Z.”
5. Write about the 3 people you met that day and your interactions with them.
6. If you wear a Fitbit or similar, note how far you walked each day and your average heart rate.
7. Keep track of what time you woke up and what time you went to bed.
8. Make a note of what you were wearing.
9. Document how much money you spent and what you spent it on.
10. Write down your dreams each morning! I don’t know about you but I have crazy dreams when I am not in my own bed.

Some people say the written word is dead. I disagree. 20 years from now, I will still have a book. Whether I will still have the app on which I took notes during my trip down the Yangtze River is debatable! This is why travel diaries are so essential. Enjoy and I wish you all the best for your travels!

Check out my other favorite travel products over here! Also, I just did a round-up of the best anti-theft travel purses.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from this page of my favorite unique travel gifts and travel products.

The post 16 of The Best Travel Diaries first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

As you know, Canada is a very large country – second largest in the world to be exact – with a widespread mixture of resources, climates, and traditions. Because of this, each region boasts unique flavors and culinary offerings from french fries to seafood and everything in between. Canadian cuisine is a welcome treat for any traveler and if you are lucky enough to visit, here are five foods you need to try:

 1. Poutine

Poutine, the unofficial National Food of Canada, is a simple dish of french fries topped with squeaky fresh cheese curds and brown gravy. What originated in the French province of Quebec in the 1950s can now be found all over Canada. Whether traveling through Vancouver or Toronto, when booking a Niagara Falls hotel or strolling the street of Quebec City, there will be someone telling you where to get the best poutine. Take their advice or just try them all!

 2. Montreal Smoked Meat

 Montreal’s smoked meat, often referred to as Canada’s version of pastrami, will practically melt in your mouth. This Kosher-style deli meat is all beef brisket, hand sliced and served on rye with yellow mustard. It’s first salted, cured with spices such as cracked peppercorn and coriander, hot smoked, and then steamed to mouth-watering perfection. Don’t leave Montreal without stopping at one of the many delis serving up the tenderest meat in all of Canada.

 3. Nanaimo Bars

 Named after the British Columbian city of Nanaimo, this dessert bar consists of a wafer crumb crust, a layer of custard flavored icing, and melted chocolate. It’s no surprise that this treat skyrocketed to become one of Canada’s most treasured food items, and was even once voted “Canada’s favorite confection.” If you’re just visiting, you can find these almost anywhere but remember for when you return home, a delicious and easy Nanaimo bar recipe is never hard to find.

  4. Tourtiere

 A traditional aspect of the Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners in Quebec households, tourtiere is meat pie made from diced pork, beef, or veal. Though historically French Canadian, this dish is now served in all parts of Canada and even down in the New England region of the United States. Because regional availability dictates what goes inside the tourtiere, there is no one way to prepare this dish. That being said, your tourtiere could also be made with either wild game or fish. Mix it all up with some spices and vegetables, throw it in a piecrust, and you’ve got yourself a delicious holiday dinner.

 5. E.I. Mussels

 As you might expect, P.E.I. mussels come from Canada’s far eastern province of Prince Edward Island. While your typical wild mussels grow along shorelines, P.E.I. mussels are cultured in mesh sacks suspended in the cool water. This process ensures that the mussels grow in ideal conditions, never touching the ocean floor, and yields mussels that are sweeter, plumper, and ones that contain less grit than the standard. Tasty and nutritious as well, P.E.I. mussels have quickly become one of North America’s most popular seafood’s.

 Whichever region of Canada you travel to, you are sure to find yourself surrounded by a wealth of the country’s signature dishes. From coast to coast, Canada is proud of their cuisine and can’t wait to share it with you so arrive with an empty stomach and a desire to try new things!

The post Canadian Cuisine: 5 Foods That You Need to Try first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

The post Normal service to resume shortly… first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Name the Airport

I was just flipping through my photos from 2010 when I came across this one which I took during a short flight layover in a major international airport. The airport was a bit crowded, so it took me a long time to find a moment devoid of travelers. There’s something lovely and majestic and quiet almost about this. After I took the shot, I just kept wandering in and out and around the structure. Do you know where it is? I’ll give you one hint: I flew from Chicago with United Airlines to get here.

More Guess That Airport

The post Guess the airport… first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Tap water. Large glasses thereof. Continuously refilled. One of the best things about being back in America. Taken at Joe's Stone Crab, Chicago with Hipstamatic for the iPhone.

The post For the Love of Tap Water first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Everyone keeps asking me if it feels weird to be back. The answer is not really. But then something happens–like when I went to the ATM (i.e., cashpoint) yesterday and saw how you don’t need to use envelopes for your deposit anymore and can just stick your cash and checks directly into the machine–and I’m like, “Wow. Technology has really moved on since I’ve been gone! This place is CRAZY.”

And then I look at my ever-increasing bag of plastic bags and think, “Oh I’m definitely not in the U.K. anymore.” (Seriously, everything seems to come in a bag. Multiple bags. At the grocery store the other night, they bagged up my groceries in paper and then put them in plastic.) And then last night, I learned that Chicago has more or less stopped recycling and, well, I don’t even know what to say to that.

In between all this, I have of course been eating (amongst other things). Here’s what I’ve been up to…

• Having bratwurst on rye with a side of house-made potato chips (i.e., crisps) at The Berghoff, a Chicago institution.
• Devouring the chopped chicken salad at Pompei on Taylor Street, Chicago’s Little Italy. I’ve missed this salad.
• Enjoying prettily presented but pricey pork fried rice with a side of gyoza at Noodles by Takashi at 7th on State (James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Midwest 2003)
• Cutting into the Kansas City Sirloin at David Burke’s Primehouse at The James Hotel and snagging my first Foursquare freebie. (Checking in at David Burke got us a free appetizer. A disappointing appetizer, but free nonetheless.)
• Having the rest of my sirloin for breakfast the next day.
• Buying a condo in Wicker Park (i.e., flat)
• Trekking over to Epic Burger in the South Loop to decide for myself how epic it is. (It was pretty good and I liked how everything was organic and hormone-free, but it fell apart in my hands. Tasty. But not as epic as I was expecting.)

This is of course but a small summary. Much more to come as I settle in. And yes, I still need to annouce the winner of my contest! More to come on that on Monday!

The post What I’ve Been Up To first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

The post The 10 Most Delicious Things I Ate in 2009 first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

During my Gouurmet Tour of London for Menu for Hope VI, I will be pleased to take you up to three of your friends on your own private and customized gourmet tour of London. The agenda and neighborhoods will be tailored to your interests (and favorite foods), but imagine experiencing a traditional gastropub and some real ale, some of London's best curry, perhaps a patisserie or two, some oysters, great local sparkling wine, and more. (In a non-indigestion-inducing order, of course!) Duration three to four hours. Weekends preferred, and bring comfortable shoes! Tour must be taken by December 31, 2010. (Item EU18.)

For the full raffle item list organized by theme, go to this post.

For the donation form and our spiffy bid selector tool, go here.

What is Menu for Hope?
Menu for Hope is an annual fundraising campaign hosted by Chez Pim and a revolving group of food bloggers around the world.  Five years ago, the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia inspired Pim to find a way to help, and the very first Menu for Hope was born. The campaign has since become a yearly affair. For the past three years, Menu for Hope raised nearly a quarter of million dollars in support of the good work of the UN World Food Programme, helping to feed hungry people worldwide.

The post Menu for Hope VI: Bid on My London Food Tour! first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

Read the awesome write-ups about all the energy and enthusiasm that went into making the Blaggers' Banquet such a success. I suggest you start with Niamh's post. And Sig's post. (Our organizers extraordinaire.) They link to all the other posts. If you still have time after that, maybe take a look at all the photos. And THEN…if you're STILL dying for more (you know you are), follow the #blaggersbanquet hashtag on Twitter.

The #blaggersbanquet hashtag is key because it will keep you posted on everything that's happening with our online auction. Yes, there are many many fabulous prizes to be won, and they're slowly but surely making their way onto eBay, so check back often! Visit the Blaggers' Banquet page on eBay now!

And hey, if you've got something to donate, IT'S NOT TOO LATE! Just drop me a note via my Contact Me page.

The post Blaggers’ Banquet, The Auction first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

There will also be a blaggers’ auction, where we will be auctioning
exciting items we’ve blagged. This auction will be two-fold, a portion
of it on the night, and the rest in the weeks following. Further
details relating to the auction will be announced as they become
available.

We’ve got just over three two weeks to pull all of this off but we do
love a challenge. All proceeds go to Action Against Hunger, a great
cause.

PRODUCERS: Want to donate some produce? Food,
drink, items for the auction? It might be a good way to get your
products seen by thousands of blog followers and sampled by the lucky
few who get tickets for the banquet. Please get in touch! We want to hear from you.

BLOGGERS: We’ve had a lot of blogger volunteers,
but we could always do with more! We will need people in the kitchen,
people front of house and blaggers. If you are interested in getting
involved and haven’t been in touch already, please email Niamh at
blaggersbanquet@gmail.com.

AUCTION: We need lots of stuff for auction.
Whatever you’ve got. Equipment, food, wine, trips, posh dinners.
Whatever you’ve got, seriously! There will be an auction on the night
and an online auction. Let me know if you'd like to donate anything!

* Have no fear. I will not be in the kitchen. I'm a front-of-house gal.

The post London Blaggers’ Banquet first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

I'm never quite up-to-date on this blogging stuff. So here's a quick round-up of what I've been up to since my dinner at Kai Mayfair…

• Hanging out in St. Albans at the Beer Festival, getting some culture, and then doing a little pub crawl around town.
• Picking apart dinner at Sedir in Islington. (Write-up pending.)
• Shopping at members' night at Liberty with Jen, followed by some late night croquetas and jamon at Barrafina. (They really should stay open past 11 during the week.) But back to Liberty…How have I not discovered Libertys parties sooner? Ladies, you should get a Liberty member's card for the parties alone.
• Taking Canadia Boy and friends on a very sad farewell food tour of London…Randall & Aubin, Princi, Fernandez & Wells and then on to Soho House for Canadia Boy's going away party.
• Enjoying a lovely and relaxing Sunday lunch with Al & Louise at the Clissold Arms in Muswell Hill. (Coming soon!)
• Having a terrible lunch at Cantaloupe in Shoreditch. (Not worth writing up again.)
• Having a relaxing lunch with Geoff at The East Room. (Too lazy to write up again.)
• Training for the upcoming Nike 10k.

More planes, trains and automobiles to come. And then I'm fairly static til the end-of-the-year. Here's to all those November and December lie-ins in front of us.

The post What I’ve Been Up To first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.

I'm never quite up-to-date on this blogging stuff. So here's a quick round-up of what I've been up to since my dinner at Kai Mayfair…

• Hanging out in St. Albans at the Beer Festival, getting some culture, and then doing a little pub crawl around town.
• Picking apart dinner at Sedir in Islington. (Write-up pending.)
• Shopping at members' night at Liberty with Jen, followed by some late night croquetas and jamon at Barrafina. (They really should stay open past 11 during the week.) But back to Liberty…How have I not discovered Libertys parties sooner? Ladies, you should get a Liberty member's card for the parties alone.
• Taking Canadia Boy and friends on a very sad farewell food tour of London…Randall & Aubin, Princi, Fernandez & Wells and then on to Soho House for Canadia Boy's going away party.
• Enjoying a lovely and relaxing Sunday lunch with Al & Louise at the Clissold Arms in Muswell Hill. (Coming soon!)
• Having a terrible lunch at Cantaloupe in Shoreditch. (Not worth writing up again.)
• Having a relaxing lunch with Geoff at The East Room. (Too lazy to write up again.)
• Training for the upcoming Nike 10k.

More planes, trains and automobiles to come. And then I'm fairly static til the end-of-the-year. Here's to all those November and December lie-ins in front of us.

The post What I’ve Been Up To first appeared on Passport Delicious | Solo Travel Blog | Solo Female Travel.