Why I Keep a Travel Journal

Photo credit: Juxxtapose

I’ve never been the one to write long paragraphs of narratives or prose. So when I decided that I wanted to start journaling, I made sure that I did not have pre-set expectations of what I would eventually produce. If I had told myself, ‘you’re gonna write a page-long entry each day’, I would most probably have given up within a week.

I have 2 journals right now: a gratitude journal where I jot down (point-form is allowed) the things I am grateful for, and a bible verse journal where I write short reflections on verses that speak out to me whenever I read my Bible.

I don’t force myself to write daily, or even weekly. I just write when I feel like I have something worth writing, or something I would like to remember in the years to come.

Now, I have an additional journal: my India travel journal. I plan to use it to capture everyday anecdotes and thoughts relating to my experience living here. Additionally, as I grab on to the opportunity to explore the Indian sub-continent, I want to sketch the sights that I see as well.

Photo credit: Juxxtapose

I do admit that I’m not very good at drawing. But one thing I’ve learnt about learning to draw well is that to draw, you must first observe.

I’ve been too guilty of rushing from point A to point B without truly seeing what’s around me. It’s even a joke that my colleagues make, that I don’t ever look up from my phone even when I’m walking. I’ve looked at things but haven’t actually seen them. So in a bid to live a life in which I am truly present and mindful of my surroundings, I want to draw the things around me so that I am forced to truly see what I’m looking at.

(I shared about my trip to Calcutta here. And there’s more information about the travel journal that I’m using here.)

I’m in Calcutta!

So, I walked the streets of Calcutta alone today. Along Park Street and then through the maidan to Victoria Memorial, which was built in memory of Queen Victoria. It is said, that its design was influenced by the Taj Mahal.

Photo credit: Juxxtapose

Photo credit: Juxxtapose

Photo credit: Juxxtapose

It’s a waste I didn’t get a chance to go past the gates for a closer look though. The sun was setting so I was racing against time. I didn’t want to be caught alone along the streets when it’s dark, and I was a 30-minute walk away from my hotel.