Writing your trip reports

[VPS]

I am in awe of the amount of effort that people put into trip reports and am very grateful. I'll name a few names here @amaroo @RooFlyer @JohnM @drron but there are many more

I've had a few trips and just haven't got around to writing them up and although I have good intentions I don't always get around to it.

Can I ask everyone how to do you keep a record of what you have done and do you write on the go. One of the things that hinders me is that although I like photos on my phone I do take a lot of photos with my camera and sometimes want to tweak photos (both camera and phone) and my OCD doesn't like posting photos that are not quite square or need a bit of a crop.

Do you travel with a laptop or do you use a phone or a tablet.

Let the learning begin and thanks in advance

 

[RB]

I never write a live report-too busy & don't want to spend holiday time on it and I don't think the reader misses anything by it not being live. I write some brief notes in word most days. Actually used some phone photos this year but my phone is a pretty cheap one. I am like drron & use Picassa to merge the various photos. I take a laptop as an extra backup

 

[NoName]

I like providing a fairly good narrative of what I did/am doing along with plenty of photos. I generally try to write the text and then at a later date when I have the time and inclination to wade through my photos I will post on here.

I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to go about it. Just post in whatever format you want. For me, although I like it when others read and comment positively on my reports, I actually wrote them for a more selfish reason - to provide me with documented memories that I can go back and read whenever I like. So the most important thing is that they are in a format that I enjoy. I have said before that my trip reports are a repository for my travel memories and it is so true!

 

[Flying mermaid]

I try to do mine as I go, depending on internet access - if I didn’t they wouldn’t get done. Mr FM organises his photos daily and downloads from cards to laptop, so I just tell him which ones I want. If he hasn’t taken a photo of something I want, like the room or environment, then I put in orders. I like doing the trip report,, as it is a record for me as well and to easily show friends, if I want to tell them about something a few years later. I wish I had more time to read trip reports!

 

[Pushka]

I try to do mine as I go, depending on internet access - if I didn’t they wouldn’t get done. Mr FM organises his photos daily and downloads from cards to laptop, so I just tell him which ones I want. If he hasn’t taken a photo of something I want, like the room or environment, then I put in orders. I like doing the trip report,, as it is a record for me as well and to easily show friends, if I want to tell them about something a few years later. I wish I had more time to read trip reports!

Totally agree about all of this. And as you say it’s a great momento of past trips.

 

[rbjhan]

I don't take notes nor do I write TR live (I do however have a record of all the spendings).
Pictures I take mostly with my camera, so when I get back, I work through the pictures and memories all come flooding in...
I pick the best pictures for the TR and write with it.

 

[VPS]

I don't take notes nor do I write TR live (I do however have a record of all the spendings).
Pictures I take mostly with my camera, so when I get back, I work through the pictures and memories all come flooding in...
I pick the best pictures for the TR and write with it.

And yours are another that I enjoy

 

[rbjhan]

And yours are another that I enjoy

Thanks!
It was hard work going through all the pictures, even though I only do minimum adjustments...good to know it's worth it.

 

[OZDUCK]

I have tried writing my TR 'live' this trip and it doesn't work for me. It starts to feel like a 'chore' which is not how I feel when I do it afterwards - then it helps me remember the good times.

I don't take notes as the photos almost always trigger the memories. However my wife does write up a travel dairy every day or so so I can refer to that if necessary. Plus a look on the net about an are we visited helps fill in any blanks.

 

[zig]

An interesting thread. Many take notes using either phone or notebook. I generally fall down on not taking notes and then not remembering the details of places visited etc. I have been searching for a travel journal app which could capture notes on photos on the move to address this problem. Just wondering if anyone has used one, or has a recommendation? If not, next trip I will take a notebook and see how that works for me.

 

[RB]

An interesting thread. Many take notes using either phone or notebook. I generally fall down on not taking notes and then not remembering the details of places visited etc. I have been searching for a travel journal app which could capture notes on photos on the move to address this problem. Just wondering if anyone has used one, or has a recommendation? If not, next trip I will take a notebook and see how that works for me.

Not sure if I am understanding your comment correctly, but with my new phone, for location purposes & feature identification, I found the built-in version of Google Lens pretty helpful. You can download it

 

[Drakecula]

I try and update on the go, as it's a good way for me to review the day and jot down my thoughts. Otherwise my fish brain would forget half the details. I take photos on my phone and I usually just pick a few to highlight my narrative.

 

[VPS]

An interesting thread. Many take notes using either phone or notebook. I generally fall down on not taking notes and then not remembering the details of places visited etc. I have been searching for a travel journal app which could capture notes on photos on the move to address this problem. Just wondering if anyone has used one, or has a recommendation? If not, next trip I will take a notebook and see how that works for me.

I have an app called Day One on my iphone which may work for you. The problem with this is that you then have to go back to each day

 

[VPS]

Not sure if I am understanding your comment correctly, but with my new phone, for location purposes & feature identification, I found the built-in version of Google Lens pretty helpful. You can download it

I just tried to find Google Lens on my iphone and it is just defaulting to Google photos - are you using an iphone or android?

 

[zig]

Not sure if I am understanding your comment correctly, but with my new phone, for location purposes & feature identification, I found the built-in version of Google Lens pretty helpful. You can download it

I haven't been able to find this in the Apple App store.

I have an app called Day One on my iphone which may work for you. The problem with this is that you then have to go back to each day

Thanks, I'll check this one out.

 

[craven morehead]

I have the same query, as I really enjoy reading everyone else’s trip report, even if I never intend travelling to that area ..thinking about Rooflyer and JohnM ‘s latest TR.

I am just back from 3 months away in Italy, Croatia, Scotland and England and have heaps of photos to go through - but my travel is the “cheap and cheerful” variety and I imagine not of much interest to many AFF members.

My recent trip to South Africa was pretty non-touristy for the most part. I enjoy reading all types of TR's because honestly you never know what you will learn

 

[Matt_01]

@VPS good thread, it has made me go back and look for a couple of trip reports I wrote about travelling with kids. I did not post them as it seemed most TRs are just about food, flights, hotels and scenery. If I can find them I will post as a belated report, I am sure that there are others that travel with kids.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I am sure that there are others that travel with kids.

Child services don’t seem to like it if you leave them home alone for weeks at a time.

 

[Flashback]

Not everyone flies first class or even business and it doesn't matter if you stayed somewhere cheap and cheerful. I'd encourage you to have a go (says me who is procrastinating)

Agree, Mrs Flashback and I may travel in style, but on the ground we're cheap and cheerful - it's how we're able to take so many wonderful trips each year. Definitely write them up, it gives inspiration to others for their travels. Which leads me onto my next point....

@VPS good thread, it has made me go back and look for a couple of trip reports I wrote about travelling with kids. I did not post them as it seemed most TRs are just about food, flights, hotels and scenery. If I can find them I will post as a belated report, I am sure that there are others that travel with kids.

This. I drop in the odd flight/hotel piece to provide that 'AFF feel' to it, but most of my TRs I hope people view more of being detail about the destination and how to do things the right (or wrong!) way, rather than focusing on food, flights and hotels etc. For us, while the journey is important, the destination is more important and the experiences you get out of it.

As to how I do it? Photos are taken on our point and snap camera or phones, more so the phone these days as camera quality has improved a lot. The point and snap is better for long distance shots that need a bit more perspective and/or zoom. Sometimes I'll write as I go, but usually I don't as holidays are relaxing time for me. It does add a bit of stress in a way once back though once you have started it, knowing you need to finish it....... I use the photos to jog my memory as well as writing from memory of course, as well as referencing my notes I wrote up while planning the trip. Half the fun for me at least is in the planning of the trip and once the trip is over, can look back at what worked well and what didn't work well.

 

[CaptJCool]

I’m a rookie at this TR.

Using an IPad Air 2.

Getting there & back is part of the journey so I quite like the insights from this, and now having wined and dined like many TRErs before me, can see the full merits of their posts about in-flight.

On the ground, I’m lookin for things that make my heart go zing!
Planes, trams, trains, iconic railway stations and anything that makes a valued journey

Anything laden with “tourist trap”, the popular, the unsurprising doesn’t hold particular interest but one could / can always find an absolute gem amongst the popular.

For me the places where the locals live and play where the tourist herds don’t go bring more of the surprises. This includes The unusual, quirky, wacky, intruigng, unique to location, inspiring, uplifting. Revelatory, and one street back kinda adventures, the chandelier in the meringue shop, the comic strip exhibit in the chandelier room, the rehearsing choir, the unnoticed cafe with divine poached eggs hidden down a narrow alley off a back street off a side-street, off a Main Street.... the horror of abandoned single children returned to Europe after American authorities allowed access for the rest of the family, more than a few terrible coffees, a local festival with an unusual play, which seriously stretched my sensibilities. Agog with wonder. Insights and revelations.
The accidental discovery




And yes, that’s an old railway track ....

It’s enriching This Livin’ the Dream

 

[RB]

I just tried to find Google Lens on my iphone and it is just defaulting to Google photos - are you using an iphone or android?

Sorry, I haven't been following this thread & just saw your post. Google lens is on my Nokia 7 plus, an android