I’ve written before about how keeping a travel journal is fun and makes a wonderful keepsake.
You can check out the Travel Journal Tips post here.
Sometimes, however, completing a travel journal seems too time consuming and hard to keep up with while traveling.
Today I offer a quick and easy way to keep a day-by-day journal.
The Daily Top Ten List!
Background
A few years ago I took a writing class from Lynda Barry, noted author and artist, and she showed us how to do a daily Top Ten Images Diary.
And you may remember The Top Ten List from David Letterman’s shows, which were funny, poignant and captured the moment.
I adapted these ideas and now incorporate them into my travel journals.
Method
Here’s how it works:
At the end of your travel day, sit comfortably somewhere and get a nice glass of something refreshing to drink.
Set a timer for 90 seconds-but you could make it up to three minutes if you absolutely have to.
Start the timer.
Quickly jot down ten images from your day-things you most remember, what was funny, interesting, activities you liked, etc. Even what you didn’t like.
You don’t have to write complete sentences, just write enough to remember what you did.
When the timer stops, you’re done!
Result
If you do this daily on your trip, you will have a quick de facto diary of what you did.
I first started Top Ten Lists in 2014, in Florence, Italy. My friend Milinda and I went to the rooftop garden of our hotel with a glass of vino and set the timer.
We shared our lists and had fun talking over the day. This set a pattern that we have continued on each trip we’ve taken.
You can see the list is written quickly and not full sentences.
Lately, I’ve taken to embellishing my lists for my travel journals, and often create one after a few days in a city:
Again, incomplete sentences and images.
I also do them for a region I’ve visited
Each time the process is the same, and I have all these images safely captured in my journals.
It’s very easy and doesn’t take much time. Let me know if you try doing your own travel Top Ten Lists!
This is one of the most valuable posts you have ever sent out. I know that this is the first step in producing your fabulous trip journals. Those journals are a history of your travels, some of which I have shared with you. They have become a true treasure that allows me to share, remember and enjoy the trips that you (we) have taken.
To those who follow Molly’s Post- try it and let it take you back to life’s great adventures.
Thanks! I have a lot of fun doing them!