By Sabrina Wu.

2020 has been one hell of a year. While toilet paper stock has thankfully returned to normal, in many aspects throughout this pandemic, we have been forced to create a new world of “normal.” Wearing masks is more accepted than not, working from home has made pants virtually pointless, and coughing at the grocery store is almost as taboo as farting.

As for the world of travel, restrictions are still strict in many areas. Unfortunately for travel junkies, the time is not nigh for international travel. But, there is a silver lining. Responsible local tourism is still very much possible, and in many cases, crucial for supporting the local economy. Even a short road trip could be a form of relief to a struggling restaurant out of town. 

Why do You Need a Guided Travel Journal?

While local tourism is permitted, the reality is, a lot of things have changed. Business/operating hours have been reduced, facilities have closed, and restrictions are constantly ambiguous. Having a resource that allows you to organize all the important details in one place can be extremely helpful for navigating through a successful and safe trip, especially in these unprecedented times.

The best travel journals will provide a clear outline to map out itineraries, space to include anecdotes and memorabilia, and the resources to ensure an all-round smooth ride. It’s like having a responsible friend who always remembers when the last train leaves, where the hotel is after a night of drinking, and the new friends you came back to the hotel with. And let’s be real. We all need that friend, lest we wake up with groggy regrets and a pounding headache.

 

Why is the Wakeful Travel Journal the Best Travel Journal for Those Who Want to Travel Mindfully?

The Wakeful Travel Journal is basically a guided travel journal but on steroids.

Now more than ever, mindfulness is crucial for travel. As we travel, it is important to be mindful of the towns and cities we pass by, making sure to respect our boundaries as visitors and understand the safety concerns that pertain to vulnerable populations. The Wakeful travel tips and quotes found throughout the journal act as conscious reminders to be mindful of these things, whilst being kind to others and to ourselves. 

In addition to tips and quotes, the Wakeful Travel Journal also acknowledges the importance of tending to the mind-body connection while travelling. With excitement levels high and schedules fully booked, self-care is often neglected during travel. This is why the Wakeful Travel Journal includes a boredom section, colour therapy, and yoga postures to help soothe the mind and nurture the soul. There are also plenty of blank pages to express yourself freely as needed, without limitation.

What are the Three Wakeful Travel Journal Variations that Wakeful Travel Has?

The Mindful Travel Journal: 12 Trips

The 12-trip format includes 1 trip up to 3 months, 3 trips from 8 days to 1 month, 4 trips less than one week, and 4 day trips. These trips are accompanied by packing lists, journaling pages, a travel wish list, and so much more. This version is currently available on the Wakeful Travel products page. 

The Mindful Travel Journal: Worldwide Edition: 20 Trips

Similar to the 12-trip format, this longer 20-trip version is designed for the eager traveller, and will be released in the near future.

The Wakeful Experience Journal: 5 journeys

This journal is used to prepare, navigate and integrate plant medicine and psychedelic experiences. This journal is specialized both for the psychonaut soul-searcher, but also those who wish to heal past trauma or mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This journal is designed to accompany you as you navigate through the world of a ceremony or therapy session and uncover the shadows, the patterns, the hurt, the pain, the powder of the Universe or Source or God. It’s here to support you through a mystical experience and then the ultimate tool you can use to integrate the teachings into your life for lasting change. . This version will be released in the near future.

Does the Wakeful Travel Journal Have Prompts?

Consider this journal as the travel companion you never even knew you needed. Along with all its functional and pragmatic features, it is also a travel diary, with reflective questions, quotes, and affirmations that prompt you to explore yourself and your mind. It has organized templates for new music, food, and people you meet, so that even when your writing juices run dry, there is always something to occupy yourself with.

What is the Wakeful Travel Journal Made of? Is it a Moleskine Travel Journal?

Everyone loves Moleskine, and I totally get it. But Moleskine is a gigantic company, and when we talk about the importance of supporting small, local businesses that uplift our communities, Moleskine just doesn’t align with our values.

When you support Wakeful Travel, you support a small Canadian business. We understand the value and aesthetic of a leather cover, so this journal uses high quality PU vegan leather and plant-based inks (bonus: no animals harmed in the process). While yes, vegan leather is not biodegradable, this product is not designed to be a single-use disposable item. It’s meant to hold and cherish memories, very much like a photo album or keepsake. You’ll have this journal forever.

What are Some Other Travel Journal Ideas?

Travel journaling is not a new thing. For millennia, people have always transcribed their travel journeys. We’ve come a long way from writing on birch bark, but while spiral notebooks and smartphone note apps certainly work, they have their limitations.

These journaling methods lack the same organization and structure that a guided travel journal provides. Oftentimes, journal entries get lost in notebooks, never to be read/found again. Restaurants, names, and phone numbers scribbled in corners of pages get lost among other scribbles within hundreds of pages.

With the Wakeful Travel Journal, these issues are seamlessly addressed. Detailed sections organize information, a thin elastic band helps hold memorabilia together, a silver ribbon is provided as a bookmark, and unlike soft covered notebooks that do not protect its precious contents from the bumps and bruises of travel, the hardcover of the Wakeful Travel Journal keeps your memories safe and secure.

Oh and one more thing. Keeping memorabilia like ticket stubs or photographs becomes a nightmare. These keepsakes will probably end up, crumpled, at the bottom of a bag, succumbing to a fate of faded ink and irrecoverable crease marks; another reason there’s a freaking pocket in the back of the Wakeful Travel Journal. You can even keep your passport in there. We know how much you love pockets. 

Is the Wakeful Travel Journal Online as a Printable Version?

A printable version is not yet available, but printable templates are. Head over to the Printables Page on the Wakeful Travel website for more information.

How can I make my Wakeful Travel Journal be a Personalized Travel Journal for all of my needs?

The Wakeful Travel Journal was designed for personalization. Colour therapy pages, doodling, packing lists, traditional journaling pages, and plenty of space to write your own stories make this journal not only a guide, but also an expression of who you are, what your story is, and how you want to live as a mindful traveler.

What are some other names of some of the best travel journals? 

Ok, we totally acknowledge that there are a lot of travel journals to choose from. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or having a hard time figuring out which travel journal best suits you, we’ve got your back. We’ve have compiled a list of the most popular travel journals out there and briefly explain the pros and cons of each.

You are Here: A Mindful Travel Journal

This travel journal is ALL about mindfulness. Each page has a prompt, from making a packing list to smearing ketchup on the pages, which urges you to step into the present moment and notice something that you may not have noticed otherwise. While we absolutely love that this journal prioritizes mindfulness, there is more emphasis on mindfulness than the actual planning/logistics of a trip. The customer reviews show that while this approach might be great for those who need an extra nudge to cultivate mindfulness, there aren’t enough blank pages to allow for much freedom of expression, and perhaps, may even too much hand-holding.

I was Here: A Travel Journal for the Curious Minded

Full of coloured images and drawings, this journal is artsy and visually enticing. Compared to the last journal, this journal does provide more wiggle room for personalization. There are some blank pages for free journaling, travel tips, and prompts. Some common criticisms are that the journal is a bit childish and some of the prompts are outlandish and irrelevant. Many people suggest that they would prefer a more direct and pragmatic approach to planning their trip, with less images and more pages to plan and write. For the creative types, this journal might be the right fit, but it may be too “colourful” to those who are looking for something more practical.

Erin Condren PetitePlanner

On the opposite end of the spectrum, this travel journal is very organized and practical. It organizes each day with tables and boxes so that journaling the day is as easy as checking off lists. There are places to write lists of things to do, memories, meals, and even the outfit you wore. For someone who wants a quick and easy way to document the basics of their travels, this provides a clear and concise format to do so. The biggest complaint about this journal is the price. For the price, many people believe that they should have received a hardcover book with more features. While this journal does provide a page of stickers to personalize, for the artistic type, this journal might feel a little bland and restrictive.

Rite in the Rain Journals

Rite in the Rain was founded in the United States by Jerry Darling in the early 1900s. He noticed a problem with record-keeping in the lumber industry: The formidable, wet conditions of the Pacific Northwest made it difficult for workers to keep their documents from getting ruined in the rain. So, he came up with Rite in the Rain, which specializes in waterproof journaling. While these journals are not made for travelling specifically, there is definitely an appropriate application. For travelers who often find themselves in the outdoors, this journal may be a great alternative to the conventional spiral notebook. However, as mentioned, these journals are not specific to traveling, so the organization features and travel prompts associated with travel journals are not included.

Travel Listography: Exploring the World in Lists

This is a simplistic approach to the travel journal. As the name suggests, this journal focuses on lists. It uses lists as a way to quickly jot down memories. It has over 70 thought-provoking topics, so it’ll definitely keep you occupied throughout your travels. For those who enjoy a quicker approach to journaling, this is a great option. The downfall about this approach is that there are not a lot of opportunities for in-depth planning or expressing more insightful thoughts and feelings. 

Journey.cloud Journey Journal

This is a free online app focused on documenting memories. The goal of this app is to provide a safe space to express the mind and soul. It provides an inspirational prompt each day for those who need an extra push, and because you can download it on your phone, it makes journaling super convenient, especially for the travellers who would rather not carry the extra weight. However, this app does not include many trip-planning features, and acts more like a diary than an actual travel journal. We also think that there’s power in putting down your phone to disconnect and reconnect with yourself, rather than doing your personal work through a screen.

My Travel Journal: A giant diary

This travel journal is essentially the physical version of the Journey.cloud app. It has template pages that allow you to organize your thoughts, make lists, collect photos, and plan for future trips. It does not have any prompts though, so it is better geared for those who enjoy lots of blank pages to express freely. For those who have a harder time getting their ideas down on paper though, this journal’s many blank pages might feel a little intimidating.

Wakeful Travel Journal

The founder of the Wakeful Travel Journal, Jenny, has spent countless months trying to incorporate the best features of the above mentioned journals into one super journal. The Wakeful Travel Journal includes practicality, artistic touches, mindfulness practices, templates for lists, prompts, blank pages for expression, and durability for travel. Instead of cute-sy and flowery, she wanted something that appealed to all genders. She created something different, edgy, and down to earth. The Wakeful Travel Journal is the journal for the traveler made by the traveler, and every single detail of what a traveler might need has been carefully crafted within this journal. If you’re still wondering which travel journal might be best for you, you’ll probably want to lean towards this one.

Besides Being Guided by the Physical Journal When I travel, What Wakeful Travel Journal Blog Posts Can I Read to be Mindful and More Sustainable When I Travel?

Wakeful Travel is all about mindfulness and ecotourism, so there is no shortage of resources in the Wakeful Travel Journal Blog. Here are a few articles you can start with:

• What is Mindfulness?
• What is Ecotourism?
• 30+ Ways to Reduce your Waste
• The Ultimate Guide to Transformative Travel

We’re constantly adding fresh post to the Wakeful Travel Blog, so check back often to read more about these topics, plus some real talk and travel stories.

What Other Features Does the Wakeful Travel Journal Have? Does the Guided Travel Journal Have Pockets? Does it Have a Map?

Look, people fucking love pockets. That is just a fact, and we acknowledge that, which is why the Mindful Travel journal has a pocket, and the other journals will also have a pocket in the back.. No more losing room keys, business cards, or IDs. Just like your secrets and memories, all your important things will also have a home to be kept safe in.

The Wakeful Travel 12-trip journal, which you can find in the Products Page on the Wakeful Travel website, has a 4 page, fold out map at the beginning of the journal to document all the places you’ve been, and it includes a smaller map for all your longer journeys so that you can visually organize all the places you plan to go.

Ready for Your Next Trip?

Like that awesome friend who’s always down for the adventure (you know who you are), the Wakeful Travel Journal is ready when you are. 

Grab a Mindful Travel Journal on the site today. Prices are listed in CAD, which means for all of our American friends, you’ll actually be laughing at how cheap this is for you.

You can also purchase the journal on Etsy.com. Etsy is an online marketplace which caters to independent vendors who wish to sell unique handmade, vintage, or craft items. Etsy is a great place to find unique treasures and cool DIY inventions, and when you purchase on Etsy, you are more than likely supporting a small business owner who is passionate about what they do.

For our international friends, the Wakeful Travel Journal will soon be available on Amazon. Amazon is a last resort because it takes a portion of profits from business owners. However, the convenience of this service is undeniable and for some, this might be the most feasible option, especially if you have Prime.Don’t worry if that’s you – there’s no judgement for using Amazon, but we just want to let you know why we prefer other purchasing options. You can also get in contact with us if you find that shipping is too high and we’ll work with you. We want everyone to have access to a journal, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

No matter where you’re coming from or where you are planning to go, here’s to new adventures and, as always, Wakeful Travels.