8 cool ways to document your travels

It’s so important to document your travels. This will help you to reminisce on your backpacking adventures and allow you to relive all your amazing experiences. Thankfully, saving travel memories is easier than ever.

travel maps and camera

With the sheer amount of apps, tools, and technology available at the press of a button, the options to document your travels are endless.

In this article, we’ve covered a variety of cool ways you can document your backpacking trip, allowing you to record all your memories.

1. Take photographs

Taking photographs is, by far, the easiest and most popular method of documenting your travels.

woman taking a photo in the country

Choose to shoot on a professional DSLR camera with all the accessories, or opt for simple cell phone captures. 

To choose a camera, it’s important to take into account your individual needs. Do you care most about photo quality? Maybe you plan to do a lot of kayaking or watersports? If so, having a waterproof camera may be important to you.

Asking these questions will help you narrow down the best camera for your backpacking trip. It is also important to backup your photos as you go along. Even though this is time-consuming, you’ll regret not taking the time if your camera is ever stolen. Take a look at the external hard drive listed in our backpacking essentials if you’re looking to purchase a new one.

2. Take videos

Video footage can be an even better way to capture your travels, as you’ll get to record your day with sounds and movement.

Maybe you want to record in a home-video style, or you want to produce YouTube videos like Adventure Pending Co-Founder Ann’s channel, FarFromHolmes.

If you’re looking for the perfect camera for photos and video, we’d suggest a GoPro. 

The GoPro is both durable and waterproof, so you can use it for all different kinds of activities. Take photos, videos, or even amazing time-lapses. Another pro (ha) to using a GoPro is you won’t need to worry about wear and tear.

3. Use a travel journal

Travel journals might be old-school, but there’s something very Hemingway about writing in your diary while watching the sun set below the horizon.

travel journal and coffee

Travel diaries are a place where you can also note down thoughts and feelings. This can often help to record more than a brief snapshot of your trip.

Include things like costs, weather, and the names of places you visited, which you can then reference later. We love that you can buy your very own ‘Adventure Book’ from the film Up to document your travels. Shop the Adventure Book on Amazon to capture your trips in this gorgeous book.

If you aren’t the type to jot down your thoughts in a leatherbound book, there are even apps such as Diaro which can make the process easier for you. And on that note…

4. There’s an app for that

As well as using apps for travel journaling, some backpackers take things one step further.

travel app

Polarsteps is an app that follows you through the entire process of your trip, from planning to landing. Input your itinerary and it will track your whereabouts, time spent in each location, and the distance between destinations.

The app will automatically add statistics about each place you go. You can even make your own pins with photos, videos, and journal entries.

Your family and friends can then use Polarsteps to follow you on your journey. This will let them know you are safe and sound in addition to letting them live vicariously through you. 

At the end of your trip, the app creates a travel book, which you can then have printed and sent to you.

5. Purchase souvenirs

Any collectors out there? Souvenirs can be a great way to document your backpacking trip.

canadian souvenirs

Business cards, coasters, foreign currency, tickets…there are plenty of things you can collect and keep along the way to document your trip in fun and creative ways. 

Scrapbooking and shadowboxes are two ways to incorporate everyday items into a creative display of memories.

Make sure to save room in your bag for any souvenirs you plan to buy on your backpacking trip. We recommend a 70L pack like the Osprey Fairview Trek if you’re looking for extra space. 

6. Write a blog to document your travels

If you’re reading this post, you are already familiar with blogs!

travel blog

While your desire may not be to become Insta-famous, writing a blog is a great way to hold yourself accountable throughout a long trip. 

If you know that friends and family back home are eagerly awaiting your next entry, you’ll be more likely to take the time to post a few photos and write a little entry about what you’ve been up to. 

This is a great way to record your travels. You’re also safe in the knowledge that your memories won’t go missing – even if you mislay your journal or your backpack gets stolen. Plus, you just never know- your blog could be the next one to go viral!

7. Create a photo book

At the end of a trip, compiling all your photos is great fun. Turning these photos into a coffee table book is even better.

travel book

In addition to Polarsteps, you can also create photo books through iPhoto, and other applications.

The whole process is ridiculously easy. Select different templates of words and photos, and choose to include area-specific maps and other features. The books make great gifts, and you no longer have to worry about your tiny USB stick of photos disappearing during a move. 

Start by compiling all of your photos on a hard drive or online cloud, then take time to browse through and pick out your favourites. This is a perfect weekend activity if you’re looking to reminisce on your travels. Check out this fabulous leather-bound photo book to keep all your adventure snaps in one place.

8. Send postcards

Postcards can be bought and sent from any city in the world. You can send them to friends and family, or even collect them to adorn your fridge when you get home.

You might want to write lengthy descriptions of your trips each week, or just pick the card that looks the best to cut out and stick in your travel scrapbook. 

If buying generic cards from the store feels too boring, try PostSnap. The app will take your photos and create personalized postcards you can send to all your loved ones, making sure they don’t miss out on any of your best moments.

Cool ways to document your travels

There are endless ways you can document your travels as you go, and it’s likely you’re going to use a combination of the above options. 

Whichever method you choose to go with, don’t forget to make sure you actually enjoy your trip!

You don’t want to be so worried about documenting everything or getting that perfect social media photo that you forget to have a good time. Stop, look around, and make a mental memory so you’ll never forget your travels.

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