Destinations: A Travel Book

I bought this journal as a gift for a couple going to Europe for a two-week vacation. It is the best travel journal that I found while shopping for one to purchase. It is the perfect size and contains lots of pages for recording those memorable events during a trip. It has maps and other bits of information one would need, especially for an international trip. This journal will be a wonderful keepsake for those who enjoy keeping notes about their travels and experiences.

I took this with me on a trip to Istanbul (my first time out of the country). It's styled to resemble journals from the golden age of travel, when it was de rigeur to tour the Continent when one came of age. Old-style illustrations and "filler" pages, including rules for shuffleboard are charming. There's a pocket in the back for ephemera (tickets, receipts, photos, etc.), pages for autographs or sketches, what you've purchased, people you met (and their addresses for correspondance), and lots of space for journaling. It was a pleasure to write in, and was a great way to preserve memories for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

When I first looked at this journal in the box, I was afraid that it would have the feel of vinyl. But it has a great leather feel, not exactly soft, but smooth with a bit of texture. The red is not a fire engine red, but it's closer to a cherry color. And the journal could be used by a man or woman (there is nothing especially feminine about it). The pages are organized into different sections - pages for an itinerary, for flight and hotel information, for information about shops and sights that you see, as well as about 30 additional lined pages for events and reviews. There are also pages in the back on which to tape your tickets and momentos. I thought that was a neat idea.I wouldn't say that the travel information included is very helpful, at least not for my Italy trip. But the journal is the perfect size for a 2 week trip, maybe even up to a four week trip. At the end of the journey, it will be a very nice keepsake! I'm looking forward to using it. I'm also purchasing one for my mother. The only drawback to this journal is that there is no ribbon bookmark.

This book contains all that is neccessary to log on one's trip to any corner of the globe. It offers a wide variety of informations that could be very useful in many situations. It also features a pocket for receipts and tickets. It looks as though it is a prop from an old movie and gives the feeling of classic style.