Matt is a 28-year old business traveler currently visiting Berlin for the first time and is eager to explore the city. Only problem is, his days are filled with meetings and his downtime is limited. He won’t be able to visit all the sites he wants, and he decides to bookmark some of these places so he can plan to see them another time.
If you travel frequently on business, chances are you have been in the same situation. Even if you are on vacation, you probably won’t have enough time to see as much as you would like. In this situation, it makes sense to take note of these places so you can visit them on a later trip.
While there is no doubt that having a Smartphone makes this process very simple, keeping a physical travel journal works just as well, especially if you don’t have access to Wi-Fi or a Smartphone. Here are four ways you can go about recording sites of interest.
1. BreadcrumbsHQ iOS Travel App
This up-and-coming iOS travel app allows you to identify and locate activities and sites in your area. After you login, you are shown a map of your location and the surrounding attractions and points of interest. You can then search for interesting sites and bookmark them for easy reference later on, and also can add notes and impressions about them.
BreadcrumbsHQ is geared to people who do a lot of traveling, and makes it easy to find locations to visit. If you find yourself in a situation where you are short on time, you can simply bookmark these places for another day.
2. Google Keep
Google Keep is a note taking service that offers a variety of tools, such as text and list building options, as well as image uploads. It is available on the web and as mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. An especially handy feature about Google Keep is a syncing notepad that connects to Google Drive.
Not only does this app let you quickly make lists, add photos, and record voice memos, it also saves your data to Google Drive so you can access it later from any of your devices. This app is ideal for jotting down notes and uploading photos when you are on the go, and can be used to bookmark sites of interest as well.
3. Make the Most of Voice Memos, Emails and Texts
You can certainly get by without downloading Smartphone apps if you choose to do so. While apps offer the advantage of a more streamlined process, the recorder on your phone can be used to note places you would like to visit the next time you travel and to record your observations and impressions. This is a really useful way to remind yourself of places you would like to see and remember what initially attracted you to them.
Another option is sending yourself a brief email message with lists of places you want to explore on future trips, where you should stay or what attractions you should check out. You can also take some photos and send them to yourself in a text message, along with the names of the places as a quick visual reminder.
4. Carry a Classic Travel Journal
There is no need to rely on your Smartphone to note places of interest, and another simple option is to purchase a notebook or journal to carry with you at all times. This tried and true method can be more reliable than a Smartphone, as you don’t have to worry about losing service, being without Wi-Fi, or your battery running low.
Having paper and a pen handy is always a good idea in case you need to quickly jot some notes or exchange contact information with someone who doesn’t have a cell phone. And there is something about pen and paper that is conducive to writing down your impressions and thoughts about the place you are visiting.
With the vast array of travel journals available, you can pick one that best suits your needs and your personality, whether it is an embossed leather bound journal or a simple spiral notebook.
Many business travelers like Matt struggle to pack as much sightseeing they can into their limited downtime but inevitably are unable to visit all the places they would like. Whether you have a favorite iOS app or prefer to carry around a classic travel journal, it is important to have a system that allows you to quickly bookmark these places of interest. This way you will have an accessible list of destinations that you can plan to revisit and explore on a much deeper level.