Writing for Pleasure

General Information

For a person who does a lot of travelling, keeping a travel journal is worthwhile though I admit that it can be difficult – mainly because you actually are travelling and to keep records can be difficult when you do.

I have been travelling most of my life, and my personal journal therefore often takes the shape of a travel journal. That is not too difficult when I have the opportunity to bring my laptop – and use it – during my travels.

Tools I am or have been using

In my early years – before computers and Internet – I used a notebook to write down the things I wanted to remember from my trip. As soon as I could afford it, I bought a typewriter that I lugged with me whenever I could. Even with access to a typewriter it was not always easy to set up a place where I could work in peace, and the small notebook continued to be indispensable. I used it frequently to jot down all the things I wanted to enter into my travel journal.

I don’t carry that little typewriter with me any longer, now it is a laptop. However, the problems with the laptop are similar to the ones I had when carrying the typewriter with me – it is sometimes hard to set up a place where I can work in peace. I will usually have to wait until I can settle down in a hotel room. The notebook, therefore, still remain an important tool and one that I rely on to jot down the information while fresh in my memory.

When travelling to places where I can expect an easy access to computers, either in an office or in some Internet Café, then I sometimes rely on a USB memory stick to carry with me the information I need – and I leave the laptop at home.

To leave the laptop at home is often beneficial when having to go through the rather intimidating searches at airports. Travelling is not becoming easier and to leave the laptop at home is often a smart thing to do. Especially as various authorities seem to take it as their right to got through whatever I have stored on my hard drive. So far nobody has asked to search my USB memory stick that I easily can have hanging around my neck.

When I have the chance, I send the files to my own email address. That serves as my back-up files should I loose the USB memory.

Nowadays I also use an “online file folder” that I can access via Internet – should also the USB memory stick be lost or “confiscated” by eager security officers.

I am starting to get paranoid…for good reason. Travelling as much as I have, I have suffered from overly ambitious officials in different countries – and I (together with all the other passengers) have had to endure having all my luggage searched three different times before finally allowed to board the plane. The whole time I had to be on lookout as all of the officers were interested in “confiscating” my belongings. Being rather seasoned travelling in those countries I simply retrieved my belongings from them with a harsh “NO”. Many of the other passengers did not.

However, my notebook with a pen still remain a constant companion – sometimes these old fashioned tools are the most reliable and cause the least amount of trouble. Besides, they can be easily be replaced in any country.

Planning the trip

The travel journal should not start first when you leave your home. It should start already when you decide to take the trip – and should contain detailed information about the planning for the trip.

For that purpose I use the “Travel Notes” template (TravelNotes_Tmpl) and here I add all the information that I may need to plan the trip properly. I also include hyperlinks to the websites where information is to be found, or where I have found the information that I need.

I add information about references, books and other important material. Information about the tickets and other vital travel information (visa applications, embassies, etc.) are also included.

The most important information in the “Travel Notes” I copy to the checklist (Travel_ChLst) and edit to suit. This checklist I print out and take with me. I use it to check off the items as they are completed.

I have found the checklist to be a great help when going through the last stages of preparing for the trip. I check off each important item as I complete it. That way I can feel sure that I do not forget anything important – as long as I have remembered to put it down in writing. That is why I often leave information on the template to help remind me about the important things I had to remember last time I went on a trip.

The checklist is also a great help when you arrive at your destination, as I normally put in information about places to stay and important addresses at the location.

Note! The templates I am using can be downloaded here. There are three templates and all are included in one zip-file.

Remember! When it comes to planning it is better to overdo it – and then go with the flow.

Travelling

As soon as I start travelling, I start to take notes. Short notes about travelling to the airport, time when arriving at the airport, waiting, things that happen, characters I notice, etc.

Of course, much of this is also “mental notes” that I jot down in the notebook as soon as I can do so… If my notebook isn’t readily available, I write down notes on items as the boarding card and the ticket – anything that is handy can be used, I have even written notes on paper napkins in restaurants.

However, the notebook is the preferred tool; the others are only used in emergencies.

What to write down

Must, of course, each person decide on his own – it is only you who know what interest you the most. Personally I use to write down the following:

• Names of places I happen to visit or pass through.
• The time when the events took place.
• Information concerning photos I have taken.
• Information about people I have met.
• Characters I have noticed without actually meeting them.
• Conversations I have “listened” to or where I have taken part.
• Sentences I have heard that I feel can be used in my own writing.
• And, of course, all the events that I feel have been worthwhile to write about

Some of these events can be of very short duration indeed. As one event I vividly remember is from a visit to Kao San Road in Bangkok.

I had my meal on a sidewalk restaurant when suddenly a handicapped man almost “flew” past me on a skateboard. He had no legs but he sported a big happy smile as he shouted “Sawatdee” (Good Day) to me…though taken by surprise I shouted back “chot dee” (Good Luck) to him…and then he was gone.

It was over in an instant, but I do remember him. If I wrote about him in my journal? You bet I did. I may never meet him again, but perhaps I will and perhaps I will be able to find out more about him.

He would be an excellent object for a human-interest story.

Final words

When you return after your trip, do not wait too long before sorting the images and writing the main journal…you can add “side material” with description of characters you met, places of special interest, etc.

If you would like to make some money, then this travel journal can be a rich source of material for articles that can be sold…but that is another aspect of “writing for pleasure” that I may cover later among the material produced for this blog.

It can also be well worth remembering that in case you should have reason to complain about something that have happened during the trip, your travel journal will contain all the details that you need when writing your complaints. This can help you get financial compensation from the responsible part.

This is something that should be remembered as many complaints are “thrown out” due to lack of evidence.

However, let us hope that all your travelling will be pleasant and that your travel journal will contain only pleasant memories.