How I Started Travel Journaling

I’ve been journaling and documenting about my life since I was thirteen, but it wasn’t until I was twenty years old that I accidentally discovered travel journaling.

The first time I kept a travel journal was during my first trip to Europe in 2013. I was in Paris, waiting in line outside Musee du Louvre in the cold, and I had nothing else to do. I remember having a small journal with me and a fine liner pen, so I ended up drawing about my trip for a brief half hour while the line was moving.

The idea of keeping a journal while traveling was not something I knew of back then, mostly because the concept of travel was foreign to me at a young age. I didn’t know that it was possible to go from one place to another by way of airplanes, ships, and trains. As someone who grew up mostly glued to studying, my fascination for travel came later in life and coincided with my love for documenting, which later opened up a new avenue for my creative expression.

As the years went on, my love for documenting unfolded in different ways. I traveled a lot; as a self-employed artist and author, it was my main escape. In one journal, I would sketch architecture from Budapest. On another, I would stick all the packaging and tickets I got from a day trip to Kyoto. Eventually, I kept more and more journals, and discovered that this medium has allowed me to explore and experiment in the best way I can.

Much of my journal pages is a collection of experiences and memories that linger on in my mind. My travels over the years signify specific periods in my life that are full of learning and exploration, as I try to build a connection with cities I encounter from every part of the world.