Do you write, draw or collect in your Travel Journal?

I’ve just unearthed some of my old travel journals during one of those sorting-clearing spring-cleaning sessions.

A travel journal from one of my earliest trips through south-east Asia, and another from a more recent visit to France have re-surfaced, which between them span many miles of travel over many years. Viewing them side by side the development of my journalling journey is clearly evident. That passing of time allowing for the exploration and discovery into how best to express and convey what I was experiencing then, for the fun of future reminiscing.

travel journalFrom one of my earliest journals on a trip overland from Australia to Europe the two-page spread above recalls, just in words, our venturing north of Chang Mai, Thailand to explore the Mae Kok River.

We’d taken a bus up to Thaton on the Burmese/Laos borders and boarded a long low boat to take us down the Mae Kok River. Along the way we had got into a charade type conversation with a young male Thai who it developed was a teacher of the Thai language to the hill tribes in the region. He offered to take us to the village he had just been assigned to teach, and as it turned out we spent the night in what was to be his first night too in a new house they had constructed for him from bamboo.

travel journal

I asked him to write the name of the village in my journal (as you can see above). While I obviously asked him to write it for me as I had no idea how to spell what he was saying, it’s a great trick getting other people to fill in the details of your trip as today, when I hold the journal in my hands, its an amazing feeling still having this connection with him through his handwriting!

The extract below is from a travel journal I kept when visiting France in more recent times.

Travel Journal from the south of France

A few doodle type sketches can help convey any scene so much better than words alone.

They don’t have to be picture perfect, as they’re not for public scrutiny, they’re memory joggers for your personal recollecting pleasure – Those few squiggles of ‘vineyards’ in the sketch above, which would be unrecognisable to most, to me immediately bring back the image of that vista in full technicolor detail ;)

My travel journalI’m a believer of ‘its all in the detail’.

It’s the little things that count and make the difference. It’s noticing how another culture goes about life that reveals and reflects the true country you’re visiting.

The way they traditionally roof their houses. The colours selected to decorate their homes. The handmade lace decorating shelf fascias in the pantry. It’s all in the detail.

 

Travel JournalI was going to say, and where words and drawings fail – but it’s not so much that words and drawings fail, it’s that they can be enhanced with actual snippets extracted from daily events.

Such as a wafer wrapper as shown above, or a lowly leaf picked up on a woodland walk, below.

Creating travel journal

My first travel journal consisted entirely of just words, which over time I’ve learnt to supplement with images and artefacts.

By nature we all tend to have our own preference of expression -

Are you an…

  • aural person… 
  • visual person…  
  • or kinaesthetic person?

Do share in the comments below -

And if you’re not sure what you are, in the next blog post I’ll define these terms to help you better understand how you can get the most out of your journals in years to come :)

Journey Jottings... highlights your holiday adventures

In Memory of Marc Lacaze

Artist Marc Lacaze unexpectedly died, Tuesday 9th August 2011.

Today, farewells are being said at a service in Paris, where he had a studio.

India by Marc Lacaze

A mutual friend, Debbie, introduced me to Marc’s work.

His love of travel, and unique way of recording his adventures, struck an immediate chord.

Work by artist Marc Lacaze Decorated envelopes adorned with postage stamps, calligraphy and his equisite watercolour work all intricately weave stories of travelling in far away places, creating images that ooze nostalgia.

He more recently created designs for American homewares company Williams-Sonoma, many emblazoning beautifully rendered cockeralls.

In the interview below, recorded about a year ago, he reveals the origin of some of his ideas and how he liked to work.

Williams Sonoma – ‘Marc Lacaze’

 

I love the way he makes reminiscing feel such an integral part of the travelling experience ~ Inspirational.

Work by artist Marc Lacaze African women

 A tragedy to loose such a talented artist

  To celebrate Marc’s work, including his fun watercolour maps,

go to Marc Lacaze‘s website

India by artist Marc Lacaze

 News of his death was announced by his family on his Facebook Page

Journey Jottings highlights holiday adventures

Post Office Stamp Map

Look at this amazing Post Office stamps map of Route 66 in the USA

Route66_500

It took Ken ‘TheLandrunner’ Turmel two years to traverse the route and collect all the commemorative Post Office stamps created for the 70th anniversary of Route 66, in the USA.

He has now reproduced the artwork for resale as a Post Office Stamp Map limited edition

With the Australian school holidays in full swing this map is great inspiration…

Route66_420

If you’re heading off on a car trip this school holidays and want a great way to keep the children occupied?

Play eye spy for the Australia Post symbol

aus_post_symbolor the Visitor Information symbol

Visitor Info symbol

and when spied, take a (well earned) break to go in and ask for a stamp!

Stamps_on_JJ_crop2_500

Not all Visitor Information Centres have their own stamp, but as seen from this example compiled by my good friend Sam (age 6 years) on a recent trip down to Sydney, NSW, they usually have some kind of either rubber or sticky stamp they can improvise with :)

Stamps_on_JJ_500

If you’re on Facebook, Route 66 Artwork have a fan page.

Consider creating your own Post Office Passport this school holidays :)

We’d love to see your efforts ~

Either upload to our Facebook Wall or

Send us a photo so we can share it here, on our blog

[Editor's Note:

Many thanks to Amanda Markham of Travel Outback Australia who drew my attention to the amazing Route 66 PO Stamp Map :)