Ticket stubs, beer mats and a card from your favourite restaurant. We all pick up these things on our travels and often this stuff ends up discarded, stuffed in the bottom of a bag or found in a pocket several months later.
I collect and keep some of these bits in my travel Smash book, which is much the same as a scrap book but with less creativity involved.
It’s a simple, fun; record of memories from my travels. What’s great is that there are no set rules, no need to keep it all neat, or be particularly creative with it. Unless of course you want to!
Those who know me or have read more from my creative travels on this site, will already know about this book. It’s my must have travel item. To be honest, sometimes it consists of an envelope stuffed with all sorts, until I get home or have time to ‘smash’ it all.
Here’s an example of my travel Smash book pages, from my trip to Morocco:
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- Morocco
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- Marrakech
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- Ait Benhaddou
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- Essouira
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- Casablanca and Rabat
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- Fes and Chefchaouen
Tickets
I’m finding more and more things are becoming electronic. Tickets are not always issued, at museums, on public transport or they are sent via email rather than printed copies being posted or collected.
One day there might not be any more paper tickets. Let alone a limited or souvenir edition programme. Another reason to collect them and ‘smash’ them.
Memories
Memories fade over time. If you don’t keep a journal from your travels you should consider keeping another form of record to look back at. Photos are the obvious choice but these don’t always show specific memories. Feelings, flavours, smells – they all can be forgotten. So, I personally try to make notes about these intangible things, wherever I go. I then add these notes to the bits and bobs that I have collected. Then include them in my Smash book.
These days photographs are printed less and less. I also have a recommendation for how to get creative with photo’s from your travels.
Hand written journals seem to be less common and even blogs are often started and never finished.
Find a way to record your travel memories and I promise you will enjoy looking back at them in years to come.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who likes to get creative with their travel memories, I’d love to see what you do with yours?
