Some common experiences on RV roadtrips…
Jenny caught her first fish today — a walleye that weighed in at 3.5 lbs. While she was out with dad in the boat, Jimmy fell asleep on the beach and oh what a sunburn! Simple memories like these seem so clear and neverending at the time they take place.
Today, we drove through the cornfields of Iowa. We stopped and watched a bright yellow crop duster swoop down, almost touching the ground as it flew back and forth across the field. Like magic, it lifted up at the end of the field missing the telephone wires by what looked like inches!
The only problem: years later, as time passes by, these memories fade. Kids grow up and move on with their lives. Grandparents pass on. The family evolves, and those precious moments from those earlier years often are forgotten.
So what a thrill it would be to be able to pick up a book, sit out on the porch and immediately return to special times from the past. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to relive those special moments?
This is the benefit of journaling your RV experiences in a travel journal!
Why A Travel Journal?
By making a daily entry into a simple book (or online), all your great times will be saved and cherished for years to come.
Keeping a journal doesn’t require any special skill. You don’t have to be a great writer or use fancy words. Simply make note of special events or activities that you were a part of. That’s it! That will be enough to refresh your memory of days gone by. Simply write a description of what was done that day, places visited, things seen… you get the idea.
Keeping a journal isn’t just for you, it’s also for those coming up behind you. Imagine the thoughts of your great grandchildren as they read about how things were “in the olden days.”
Types Of Travel Journals
You can document your travels online — either in a formatted book, blog, or other travel journal. Or, you can simply jot down thoughts in a notebook or spiral binder.
If you keep your travel journal online (via a webpage or a blog), your friends and relatives will be able to follow along on your journey. Combined with digital pictures, you can practically bring everyone with you as you travel from place to place.
Here are some examples of travel journals:
- Off Exploring: An Online Travel Journal
- Telestial: Automatically Update Your Travel Journal
- My Trip Journal: Free Online Travel Journals
- TravelPod: Share Your Trips Online
While online travel journals are a great option, I tend to support the handwritten word myself. Technology moves too fast; what works today may be gone (or at least changed) in 5 or 10 years. Case in point: floppy disks! Do you still have a computer that can read those 5-inch disks from 20 years ago?
On the other hand, plain pen and paper will be usable and readable far longer than anything you store in a computer. Some recommend a nice enough book that you will be proud to share with others or pass on to the next generation. For example, leather bound books make nice collectibles worthy of being passed down through the family.
Here are some fun travel journals to choose from.
You may even want to turn your travel diary into more of a travel scrapbook, combining pictures and small items collected along the way. Include everything from ticket stubs to event programs and anything else that relates to that day’s activities.
A travel scrapbook could be a fun project that the whole family can be part of! You might even want to collect little snip-its from everyone who was present and have guests add their comments as well.
Here are some fun travel scrapbooks worth considering.
We seldom realize how much passing time will change the direction that life takes for each member of the family. So, being able to go back and relive your travel experiences will be a precious gift for all involved.
More About RV Travel Journals
I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
