What are the Best Ways To Document Travel?

Looking for a way to document travel?  You are about to embark on one of the craziest and most fulfilling experiences of your life, and whether or not you are a writer, editor, photographer, Instagram model, YouTube sensation, or just a dude with a flip phone-you are going to want to document your time abroad.  It doesn’t matter if you are just taking a gap year, heading overseas to volunteer, or participating in a Study Abroad program with your college, many new adventures await, and even if you don’t want to share them with the world, you may want to share them with yourself later on down the road.  Here I have compiled a unique list of ways to document your time abroad,   From updating every day, to simple once a week check-ins, this list is for every type of traveler.

1. Take Notes on Your Phone

   I always start with this, because it’s the easiest way to document anything when you’re on the go.  From questions that pop in my head that later turn into blog posts, to the name of the cute café down the street I might want to return to later on.  Keeping notes in your phone is a great habit to get into.  Whenever a new idea, thought, question, or tidbit of info comes my way, I quickly jot it down to look back on later. Once you do this, it makes the rest of the documentation process a whole lot easier!

2. Start a Blog

   If you’re a writer, or even if you’re not since everyone is blogging these days, a blog is a great way to write about your time abroad, and be able to share it with family and friends back at home.  Whether you go with a diary style blog and just write about your experiences, or you try and give more practical advice for other travelers, your people back at home will thank you for the frequent updates.
   Different (free) providers include WordPress, Blogger, Tumbler…the list is endless.
   For more travel inspo, check out my other posts on The Boho Traveller.

3. Start a Video Log (vlog)

   If writing is not your thing- then maybe an alternative to a blog for you will be a Vlog.  This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy fancy equipment or get on your phone every day and give a spiel about what you did that day.  There are many creative ways to start a video log.  Go Pros are a great asset to have, or when I video blog, I often use my iPhone to shoot.  I’ve seen vlogs that document 1.5 seconds from every day they were abroad, to just weekend specific vlogs, to certain activities.  The world is your creative oyster when it comes to video, so get jiggy with it!

4. Start an Instagram or Twitter Account Dedicated to Your Travels

   

   This is my Instagram account attached to my blog, which is completely separate from my personal account.

   Another great way to document your travels in a very specific and unique way, and even allow yourself to grow and expand and come back to it when you have later travels.  Another great thing about both of these accounts?  You can share the login information and make it a collaboration project.  Have roommates or a significant other that will be traveling with you?  Inspire each other and make it a joint account, agreeing to post about amazing places you guys visit together.

5. Start a #Hashtag to Document Travel

   If the work of creating an entirely new account isn’t exactly your cup of tea to document travel, maybe start your own hashtag to use across Social Media, so whenever your family, friends, or you yourself search it, there you are in all your glory!  All you need to do now is just remember to tag it at the end of all of your posts. Just be sure do your research before you decide on a hashtag to make sure it isn’t already taken.  #GetUnique

6. Start a Photo Series

   Along with your new account or hashtag, maybe you could start a photo series.  You know, something along the lines of the whole #FollowMeTo series. There are some people who are obsessed with doors, floors, or gates even.  Find your niche and start a photo series of a particular aspect of every place you visit.

7. Keep a Paper Journal

   Nothing beats just a handwritten paper journal to remember every detail of your trip.  Later on, you can look back and reminisce about the little things that will slip your mind in years to come
   Pro Tip:  Buy your journal once you reach your destination, then you have some added sentiment and encouragement to your documentation.

8. Start a Collection

   Stamps, postcards, terrible t-shirts, snow globes, ornaments, you name it, there is something for every traveler.  For the not s0 sentimental perhaps train stubs will do, and for people who are homebodies, maybe you would rather have a Christmas tree full of ornaments from all over the world to look at every year.  This is a way to uniquely document travel that is so specific to exactly what YOU did on your trip.  Whatever the case is, a collection can be a great way to commemorate times gone by, even if it might prove a bit hard to stuff back in your suitcase on the way home.

9. Create a Scrapbook

   Not exactly practical while you are traveling, but if you plan just a little bit ahead of time, once you arrive back home a really nice collection could take place.  Old fashioned scrapbooks take time and effort, but if you’re like me and you love to craft, it shouldn’t be a burden at all…plus it can give you wanderlust inspiration once you’re back home to start planning your next trip.

10. Make a Photo Book

    If scrapbooking (and the efforts involved) isn’t really your thing, but maybe photography is, consider making a photo book at the end of your trip. Document travel by just selecting your photos and send them into a service such as Shutterfly, and voila, the work is done for you!

Do you have any other creative ways to document your adventures!?  Let me know in the comments below!