If you’re really not sure how to begin
recording your trip, think about what really matters to you. Did the Muslim
call to prayer you heard in Istanbul
five times a day move you? Describe its sound. Did you have an unforgettable
meal in Amsterdam? Tell what you ate and describe the taste, texture,
and smell of the food. When you describe what museums you visited or activities
you did, use all your senses to depict the scenes. What colors surrounded you?
What plants? Was it sunny and warm or chilly and rainy? Even if you’re the only
person who will ever read the journal, write as if you’re describing these
things to a person who has never been there. Write about any interesting people
you encounter, and if what made them memorable is what they wore or what they
said. Using all your senses to describe your trip will help you remember more
details of your vacation so that you can recall even the simplest things years
later. I still remember a very brief conversation that I had with a jolly old
Irishman in Dublin six years ago. It’s something I might have forgotten
if I hadn’t written about it in my journal. Something about the man’s demeanor
and accent struck me enough to write about it, so I now have this pleasant
memory of my short conversation with him.
If you can, record the names of restaurants
where you ate, the hotel where you stayed, or the people that you met, and any
snippets of the language you picked up. It makes the accounts of your travel
experiences much more complete.