As a child I didn't understand the benefits of writing a family travel journal -- and then I grew up.
As a kid, my blended family spent many weekends on short trips and even took a few week-long vacations through the year, most of them outdoors. On each one we took turns jotting down our favorite parts about the trip and funny stories we experienced along the way in a family travel journal.
I didn't really get at the time what the point was, and as I grew older I thought I was too cool for the family stuff -- but I did it anyway.
It wasn't until I became a mother myself and saw the importance in family keepsakes that I found the purpose of the journaling. Looking at the books now, it's funny to see what I wrote and laugh about the old stories I had forgotten and share them with my adult siblings.
So, it is because of my gratitude for having the experience that I encourage all travelers to keep records of their time on the road to reflect back on -- you'll be thankful you did.
