What travel momentos do you like to collect and display

[casanovawa]

It may have been asked before on here, but always like to hear potentially new ideas... So what do you collect and bring back from your travels to remember them by, apart from photos...

• I try to collect bank notes from each country i visit except if just transiting through (I've got 25 and am missing 6: Vietnam, Singapore, China, South Africa, Botswana, Switzerland and a Bosnian Convertiable Mark or whatever (!))
• A fridge magnet from each major city or point of interest (missing quite a few of these as started late)
• A knick nack or momento from each major city or point of interest (collecting way to many snow domes, plates, shooter glasses so always trying to think of new momentos)
• Tickets or entry passes to each attraction, museum, festival etc from each of my trips

The plan when i have my own place to unpack everything will be to mount all the bank notes somewhere (under a glass table or in a picture frame), have a frame with the collected tickets from each trip (so 2008, 2009, 2010 etc), get maybe a glass display to house most of the momentos for display, and maybe get a bigger fridge once all the front is covered (which when i get my backlog of magnets and keep collecting new ones I will be well on my way to.. )

 

[drewbles]

There is one thing I collect when I travel (that i'll not disclose on here) but they don't get publicly displayed. They live in my bedroom, all together. They take up little room, but serve as a small memento of my trip. That's just fine for me (and they also have a functional use if I ever really want to use them for that).

 

[here2go]

I collected beer labels in my youth and mounted them on a board. I got very good at soaking the bottle in the B&B or hotel room sink, then drying them quickly. Light and easy to carry. This doesn't work so well in places that serve beer in cans.
Much more sensible than my other collectible from the same trip - Glühwein mugs from the different Christmas markets around AT and DE. Cheap at €2 refundable deposit for mug, plus €2 for drink, but it certainly weighs down the bag.

 

[simongr]

There is one thing I collect when I travel (that i'll not disclose on here) but they don't get publicly displayed. They live in my bedroom, all together. They take up little room, but serve as a small memento of my trip. That's just fine for me (and they also have a functional use if I ever really want to use them for that).

The mind absolutely boggles...

Personally I used to collect the key cards from the hotels I stayed at - then I got into the regular stays at the same hotel and I now have a stack of Conrad cards...

 

[casanovawa]

Could be ear plugs or anything??? I often grab shampoos or sewing kits from hotels...

 

[munitalP]

I try and buy a hand made objecta China recently, a snake made origami style from bamboo strips, the guy was making them while we watched, Vietnam, a wind chime made at the shop I bought it from, Bangkok, a string of material figurines with small bells approx 1.5m long, Sweden, hand carved horses... the list goes on.

I also have a collection of nice beer glasses, mostly liberated rather than purchased

 

[lmere12]

Collected spoons, but now collecting items/art/statues for the house to display

 

[chrisb]

Fridge magnets. They're a luggage friendly memento.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I was collecting key cards, til I realised that it was pointless so now give them back at reception and do my part for sustainability

Boarding passes I do keep, but again that will probably get boring the more I travel (and use my newly-minted PS card for QF travel). The slow yet sure demise of dedicated premium class stock also has made me wonder what is the point...I probably should start some kind of flight log to record my travels.

Magnets and things of that nature I do buy if there is something nice.

 

[drewbles]

The mind absolutely boggles...

Personally I used to collect the key cards from the hotels I stayed at - then I got into the regular stays at the same hotel and I now have a stack of Conrad cards...

I only just realised what I wrote . It's not salacious that's for sure. They are G rated items, that are commonly sold in regular gift shops, and are indeed used by many people in public view on a daily basis. If I collected teaspoons I also would not admit to that, as I don't like to be thought of as a stereotypical traveller that collects useless knick-knacks

 

[Princess Fiona]

I'm a bit boring when it comes to souvenirs, fridge magnets, bank notes, book marks.
I don't think I collect the items that drewbles collects :shock: but I could be wrong about that

 

[amaroo]

Matchstick packages....not a smoker however, there are some real beauties around
Freshly pulled corks from interesting bottles consumed around the world - have lots of these
Business cards from restaurants where we had an enjoyable time
Hats or caps
T-shirts
Art - framed or unframed pieces from different cities
Have also shipped two large Buddha's from Cambodia & 2 pieces of furniture from Chiang Mai - this one is my favourite

 

[Kangarucci]

Antenna toppers from Disney.

 

[casanovawa]

My first thought about what Drewbles was indicating probably would not have been of a great deal of use to you PF... But at least it makes the mind ponder a bit more....

 

[casanovawa]

The worst thing about wooden items is i am always worried that they will either be confiscated at customs or i'll be made to pay a whole heap to have the treated, which is why i steer away from lots of wooden art or momentos...

 

[paulthegolfer]

Logo golf balls

 

[simongr]

I just realised that I also collect Ralph Lauren polo shirts as they are often cheaper overseas and grenadier guards related stuff for my (heavily indoctrinated) son from London...

 

[here2go]

My brother's a Geologist, so tried to bring back a bottle of sand from Cuba. Quarantine were not impressed, but were prepared to have the bottle sent to Sydney for irradiation and sent back to Central Qld. He decided against it. Best stick to simple rocks - they are okay if they are clean.

 

[drewbles]

I'm a bit boring when it comes to souvenirs, fridge magnets, bank notes, book marks.
I don't think I collect the items that drewbles collects :shock: but I could be wrong about that

I don't believe that swamp dwellers do collect my collectibles

 

[drewbles]

My first thought about what Drewbles was indicating probably would not have been of a great deal of use to you PF... But at least it makes the mind ponder a bit more....

I kind of wish I hadn't written what I did now (it was not intended to be thought provoking, but clearly the Freudian side of me asserted itself without my knowledge).

They're something that many offices use. Let's just leave it at that. In fact, you could not find one at an adult shop if you tried (for sale at least) I'm almost 100% sure of that!