The fun of travel isn’t just about the days you spend somewhere new or different. For me, the joy of travel is about the planning, the research, and the dreaming before a trip. And, with a fun souvenir or two, all the good memories of a trip can live on long after your passport is back in its fire safe. (ahem, you are keeping your passport somewhere safe, right?)
If you’re like me though, souvenirs present a couple challenges. First, every dollar spent on a souvenir is a dollar not spent on an experience or a future adventure. And second, a house can quickly get overloaded with tchotchkes, which just end up feeling like clutter.
One fun alternative is to pick something affordable, space-efficient, and unique which you can collect from each new place you visit. Many years ago, I decided to start buying a car magazine in every country I visited. They’re country specific, they’re dated, and they’re easy to slip into a bag. If I’m in a country where I have a bit of an idea of the language, it’s fun to practice reading as well. The only challenge is that, post COVID, it’s increasingly hard to find print magazines – I may have to switch collectibles before too long!
I’ve talked to people who collect transit cards (also not long for this world I suppose), Christmas decorations, tattoos – whatever will put a smile on your face as you recall all those good memories.
So, what’s your strategy? Do you bring anything back from your trips? Have you stuck with something consistent, or do you let your heart guide you on each trip?