“Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” The attribution for this quote has been lost, however, the sentiment of the quote certainly has not.
If you have taken a trip recently, this quote probably resonates with you deeply. Traveling is one of the few things you can do that is absolutely life-changing. Oftentimes, memories of travel are some of our favorite memories of all-time.
Even though you cannot recreate the same magical experience, you can certainly do something to help you remember it. What can you do exactly?
Buy yourself a commemoration gift. Sure, it is nice to get your family souvenirs. But, a commemoration gift is one of the best ways to keep your travel memories close to your heart.
What type of commemoration gift should you buy yourself? Read on to learn the top eight ways to commemorate your travels:
1. Buy a Watch and Engrave It
People always say that you should travel while you have the time, but rarely do people take this advice.
If you buy a watch to commemorate your travels, it can serve as a constant reminder of how valuable your time is. There are all kinds of watches out there you can buy. There are even some with world map pictures on them. Plus, you can even find many places that offer free shipping. You read that right, watches free shipping!
And, if you want to make your watch especially unique, you can engrave something on the back of it. Some creative things to engrave include:
- One of your favorite travel quotes
- A line or quote written in the language of the country you traveled to
- The coordinates of where you traveled
- A small photo that reminds you of the place you traveled to. For example, an elephant or a mountain range
Watches are also great travel commemoration gifts, because you can take them with you wherever you go. Even when you are in the middle of a long workday, your watch can remind you of past and future travel adventures.
2. Make a Scrapbook
If you are the creative type, you may want to consider making a scrapbook to commemorate your travels.
Even the most mundane articles that you collect on your trips will seem fascinating to you when you see them in your scrapbook a few months letter. Train tickets, bank notes, and various receipts are all great items to put in a scrapbook. And, of course, you will want to put photos in there as well.
You can also scribble small notes next to the items you place in your scrapbook. For example, next to a train ride, you could write something like, “Where I met that fun German couple?”, or something else simple to remind you of the experience.
If putting together a scrapbook sounds like too much work for you, consider having an Instagram book made.
3. A Map
Buying a map is another great, and very appropriate, way to commemorate your travels.
A nice map is something you can hang in your home as a reminder of your journeys. You can buy a world map, or, you can get more specific and buy a map of a certain city, country, or even a landmark.
Some people also really like push pin maps or scratch off maps. With these maps, you scratch off or put a pin in a country after visiting it. This can be a great way to keep track of where you have been and where you want to go. It is also a great conversation starter!
4. Tattoo
This one definitely is not for everyone, but a large number of travelers get tattoos to commemorate their travels.
Some great travel tattoo ideas include:
- A tattoo of a country’s flag
- A drawing of the country
- A symbol related to the country
- Something more general, like an airplane or quote related to traveling
- A matching tattoo with someone you traveled with who is very important to you
The sky is the limit! Just make sure you put a lot of thought into your tattoo before inking it.
6. Painting
Whether you go to Paris, Bangkok, or Buenos Aires, you will almost always see someone on the street selling paintings.
Even though these paintings are not made by famous artists, a lot of them are quite beautiful and could serve as a great way to commemorate your travels.
Plus, a lot of these paintings portray local attractions or scenes from everyday life of the country you are traveling in. Not to mention, they are usually super affordable and you can almost always haggle for a better price.
Also, many people avoid buying paintings, because they are worried that they will get crumpled in their bag. But, nearly every person selling paintings also sells tubes to protect them in. And if they do not, you can always pop into a craft store and buy one.
7. Make a Video
Are you that traveler who always has your GoPro or camera with you when you travel?
If so, you may want to consider putting together a travel video for yourself. Even if you are not Spielberg, there are lots of editing tools out there that make it easy to put together a very nice video.
Next time you have a serious case of wanderlust, you can watch your video and start dreaming about your next travel destination.
8. Memory Box
If you do not have time to create something elaborate like a video or a scrapbook, creating a memory box is a super easy way to commemorate your travel experiences.
You can buy a small box from the country you visited, and then fill it with small things like ticket stubs, photos, souvenirs, postcards, and coins.
Or, if you are someone who likes to collect small things from each place you travel to, a memory box is the perfect place to keep your collection items so you don’t lose them.
As you can see, there are many unique ways to commemorate your travels. Which of these ways is your favorite? Comment below!
