There’s something about keeping a travel journal that feels both old-fashioned and deeply grounding. In a world of one-second stories and location-tagged posts, writing things down, really writing, slows everything down. And when the trip ends, it’s not just the photos that remain. It’s the small, quiet memories too.

But sometimes, you sit with a blank page and don’t know where to start.

Instead of listing what you did, try writing your first impression of the place. The scent when you stepped out of the airport. The color of the buildings. The air. The noise, or the quiet.

Describe one local meal in detail: who made it, how it tasted, where you ate it, and what made it unforgettable. Write about a stranger you noticed, or a street corner you accidentally fell in love with.

Add a sketch, a receipt, or a quick map of your walk that day. Include things that didn’t go as planned. Often, those are the moments that end up meaning the most.

A travel journal isn’t just about the destination. It’s about how you saw the world, and how the world saw you back.

You don’t need perfect prose. Just honesty, attention, and a little space to remember what it felt like to be there.