A little reminder today to those who are about to travel: If you put all of your focus completely on the destination itself, you risk overlooking the actual journey. Whether you’re taking a road trip into the mountains or flying half-way across the world to explore another country, be in the moment. Appreciate your journey for what it is. Pay attention to the details. And photograph them. They are just as much a part of the story.

I’ll share some examples of the kind of pictures to think about taking on your next adventure. These are from our recent trip to Finland and Estonia but remember — the ideas apply to your travels, no matter where you’re headed.

First of all, the packing. I would have loved to see how my parents packed back in the day. I gather & sort my outfits on our closet floor in preparation for packing. Details worth recording, don’t you think?

What kind of electronics, chargers, and the like do you pack for your travels?

What about any itineraries, passports, and other travel documentation? By the way, I picked up this snap-closure clear envelope at The Container Store (they’re so easy to find at Target and WalMart and just about anywhere) … and it was the most handy thing ever for our trip. It held our documents and passports but memorabilia along the way. For those of you who can’t stand loose papers, pamphlets, receipts, ticket stubs, etc. this is a really wonderful tool for traveling and keeping it all together.

And by the way, so is this skinny notebook. This is where I journaled brief notes from each day of our travels so I’d remember some details, the spelling of certain places, and other little things worth noting. I believe I picked it up at WalMart? Notice there is no thick binding, so that’s why it’s really terrific. Skinny and flat and I kept it in my handy-dandy clear envelope.

Think about how you get from here to there. Car, train, bus, plane … whatever and however. Like most of you, I have a favorite bag that goes right along with me. It’s right there beside me during the whole journey, my trusty travel companion. It deserves a picture. (PS – Yes, that’s my JoTotes bag. LOVE.)

What about ticket stubs and other memorabilia? Back in the day, I’d save that sort of stuff. Now I photograph it and toss the originals. That’s a personal choice but it works for us. Less stuff and yet, we still get a visual of those things.

And don’t forget about currency for those of you traveling out of the country. It’s something you use while you’re abroad. It’s unique to that corner of the world. So capture that. Again, this is part of the story.