Keeping a useful travel journal

A journal does not need polished sentences. Start with the date, place and a few observations you can trust. Separate what you saw from what someone told you and from what you inferred. That simple distinction makes the notebook more useful later.

Add sketches, colours or a description of a sound when words feel repetitive. Leave personal information about strangers out of anything you plan to publish. When you return home, revisit the notes before adding context. Memory can enrich a page, but it should not silently replace an observation.

Notebook exercise

Take ten minutes to record one detail from your own day. Include the date and setting, then leave the page open for a later observation. Keep any private information out of a version you share.