SAVING TRAVEL MEMORIES

I’m visiting family in Kuala Lumpur this October before heading to the Gili Islands in Indonesia for 8 days of much-needed R+R. I can’t wait to snorkel, eat amazing local food, lie on the beach and stay in a traditional sasak bungalow! My boyfriend and I made a similar trip back in March of 2013, visiting Singapore, KL and Thailand, and it’s on my summer checklist to finally put the photos I printed over a year ago into an album. Looking through all my favourite snapshots got me thinking about making and saving memories, and I thought I'd share some of the ways I keep my special memories close.




PHOTOS I’m not one to take my big DSLR on holiday with me, especially on an island holiday, where you have to jump in and out of a boat and wade up to the shore with your bags above your head. Plus, with the sand and the heat, it's just not practical. That being said, I still want lots of pictures of my travels and even though my boyfriend hates (hates) having his picture taken or waiting around while I get my instagram fix, I always remind him that I’m not just saving memories for us, but for our future kids (who are definitely going to lol when they see what their dad looked like in sunglasses, age 22). 

I always take a few (non-precious) camera options with me. An instax/polaroid is always fun for some instant prints and perfect for making friends with fellow travellers and local kids. I also love disposable cameras - I'll definitely be stocking up on a couple underwater ones for snorkelling. And last of all, my trusty iPhone - the photo quality is pretty good and, most importantly, I always have it with me.

PRINTING The worst thing you can do is take a bunch of pictures and then forget about them! There are some great options for getting instagrams printed straight from your account - I've used both Photobox and Printstagram. Companies like Shutterfly in the US and even Tesco offer cool photo books, as well as photo printing - they'd be perfect to flick through on a cold, rainy day back at home! Instagram users also have to try Projecteo - it's so much fun.

SOUVENIRS Like I wrote about here, I’m not a huge fan of collecting useless trinkets, but I do love to pick up a couple bits here and there - usually ticket stubs, matchboxes and the like that don’t take up too much space and can easily be slipped into an album to be pored over at a later date. It’s amazing how objects, just as much as photos, can instantly transport you back to your holidays.

SCENTS Smells trigger memories in such a powerful way, don’t you think? I always like to pick up a candle or essential oil - you can close your eyes and pretend you never left. I even collect hotel soaps, which I pop into my wardrobe at home for a nice reminder when I get dressed every morning. Dried flowers make a nice memento too - though make sure you check your country's customs regulations first!

DO you have any holidays planned soon? I'd love to hear your memory-making tips!