Right now I am fortunate to be travelling with my daughter to Japan and the UK/Europe. It’s been a long time since I went on an extended trip and I was determined to create a Travel Journal to work in enroute. Three weeks into our trip (which is four weeks long), I am pleased that I have been keeping up to date with writing, printing photos and sticking in memorabilia.
Before we left, I created a few backgrounds and edges using stencils and distress inks so that the journal wasn’t leaving home with blank pages. I chose an A5 journal with watercolour paper and a leather cover. I’m really happy with the size and the way the paper is holding up whether I use watercolour, posca pens, inks or a fountain pen. I also stamped out headings of the cities we would be staying in, and have cut these up to stick down as I know how much space I needed. I also precut some background pages in A5 size from the 49 & Market Wherever collection.
Deciding what to pack to take with me was difficult – I am a person who likes to have all the bits and pieces on a page, and I found it hard to whittle down what to take. Over a few weeks before leaving, I got out the wherever collection, other travel tags, washi tape, stamps and pens that I thought I would be likely to use. I packed 2 x distress inks (black and brown), a few acrylic stamps (days of the week), numbers and sayings and other random words and stickers that I thought would be useful. I ended up with one pencil case for ‘on the go’ – this has my glue stick, sticky tape, pens, watercolour pencils and a watercolour pen, 2 x inks and stamps. I have pretty much carried this in my day bag wherever we have been. I then set up a bigger pouch (49 & Market) with stickers, washi, light chipboard and background papers. Even though I culled what I wanted to bring, I have still got too much stuff, as the weight of papers etc adds up in the luggage.
I didn’t have a portable printer at home, but as our first stop was Japan I thought I would buy one there. I researched before we left and anticipated buying a Polaroid, as these had good reviews. Unfortunately, after visiting several different electronic stores in Japan, it seemed an unpopular option there, as no-one stocked them. I ended up with a Canan QX20 Selphy, which produces both 3 x4 and 4 x 4 sticker prints. You do need to buy ink cartridges and only get about 15 prints per cartridge, so it’s not cheap – but it means I will get prints stuck down. The electronics store only had 3 x 4 paper in stock, but I am hoping to find somewhere enroute with 4 x 4 paper so that I have a variety throughout the journal. The printer cost around NZD 200 and then the paper and ink cost was on top of this.
I’m hoping it is a good investment as when I tried doing an on the road Travelers Notebook for our trip to Singapore and Thailand last year, I only got the first few pages down (without photos) and then lost interest, trying to guess what prints I would use. Surprise, surprise I have never finished that one. I think the size of these prints will be good for either A5 journals or TN’s and although I have now run out of paper I have been much better at keeping the journaling going. I have simply left some spaces for either 3 x 4 or 4 x 4 photos, so that when I find a stockist I can print the extras. Failing that I have at least one or two photos already stuck down for each place and can print the rest off at home.
So, the journal. First up I created a title page, planning page and packing list, then a reading log, step counter and a page to feature favourite shops. I added these to the first and last sections respectively. The rest of the journal will mostly be done chronologically. I am also tracking my steps using a Mi Fitness app – after completing the Auckland half marathon a week before our departure I am keen to keep my walking up, so this will help to keep me inspired.
Our first stop for the trip was a week in Japan, visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima. It’s been more than 25 years since I last travelled there, and I still love it just as much. I had visited Tokyo and Kyoto previously, but it was the first time to Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima. For this part of the trip, I was travelling with Phil (hubby) and Holly (our daughter).
Here are a few pages from that first week:
Following Japan, Holly and I continued to London, UK for a 5 night stay in the Marble Arch area. Our intention was to visit mostly museums and art galleries (which we did) and to just catch our breath a bit after being on the move A LOT in Japan. I definitely need to spend a little bit of time in one place, as packing and unpacking is not my most favourite part of a trip.
Next up, was 3 nights in Paris. I had briefly visited here back in the late 1980’s, and at that time visited the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Catacombs and a visit to the Pere Lachaise Cemetry ( to see Jim Morrison’s grave). This time I was keen to go to the Palace du Versailles and to just spend some time walking the streets, people watching and looking in shop windows.
When we arrived we took a taxi to our hotel and it was lovely seeing all the Christmas lights on the streets and the Eiffel Tower lit up as well.
I hope you enjoy the travel journal so far.
Yellow Azalea 