Post in Collaboration with Anavo Group
Hey Friends,
As we get older it becomes increasingly important to cherish the precious memories of the adventures we’ve had. Personally, I love surrounding myself with memories from my previous travels - both in order to perk myself up on harder days, and to remind myself of the experiences that have helped me grow into the person I am today. I don’t travel as often as I used to, so finding little ways to keep the magic alive at home feels more important than ever. If you're craving a dose of wanderlust from the comfort of your living room, here are a few creative ways to surround yourself with memories from your trips.
 |
| A few of the trinkets on my desk - I love collecting snow globes from each new country |
Trinkets From Your Travels -
As you travel you’ll learn a lot about the local culture and things that are important to the residents. You’ll see iconic structures, both old and new, as you explore your new surroundings. I
always like to bring a little something back from my travels with me - it doesn’t have to be anything big or expensive. It just needs to be something that can sit on my shelf that will catch my eye and make me smile. I have a tiny model of the tractor that we rode to the Northernmost tip of Denmark, a handmade reindeer from a Norwegian Christmas market and a rubber duck that I found on a cruise ship. They sit on a shelf in our bedroom so we see them every day as we’re walking past or getting ready. Whether you like to collect fridge magnets or come across something that makes you smile and reignites a memory, having a few items around the house to make you smile can help to keep the travel magic alive.
Curate a Travel Playlist -
Music is one of the most powerful triggers for memory - that’s why music is used for everything from helping children learn a new language to helping to reduce anxiety and improve the mood of care home residents. People can form such strong connections with music and certain memories that one UK-based care home group is harnessing through Care Home Open Week’s theme “musical memories”. Through this initiative Anavo Group are opening their care home doors, busting myths, and showing how music can transform the life of the residents in their care with special events. At 10:30am on Tuesday 17th June, the residents of Surbiton Gardens care home in London are being treated to a visit from special guest, Erin Boag from “Strictly Come Dancing” fame, alongside music quizzes and dances.
Cruise ships always have music playing and for the most part they play a lot of similar songs - it’s usually disco, funk, soul and a lot of 80s pop. With music constantly playing and a band performing every night, it’s easy to form connections between songs and the memories you make while on board. For me the bond between music and memory is so strong that I decided to create a “cruise ship playlist”. The playlist houses all of the songs I’ve heard on my travels, both at sea and in port. Every time I travel on another cruise ship I’ll update the playlist to include any new songs I’ve heard from that holiday. When I listen to the playlist my mind is instantly transported between different ships and ports, depending on the song that’s playing.
My own gallery wall, with a mix of my own photos and artwork that I was given on my travels
Create a Gallery Wall -
One of my favourite things I’ve ever done to display my memories was my rainbow gallery wall in the office of our old house. I love bright colours so I put all of my favourite photos and memories into a folder on my phone and picked the images that worked well all together. I got them professionally printed and framed, and filled the walls with my favourite memories. Every time I was struggling for inspiration or having a bad day, all I had to do was look at the wall and I would instantly feel happier and inspired to write about my travels.
You don’t have to be quite as over-the-top as I was with my rainbow wall, but I highly recommend filling your wall with memories. You could stick to photos, or add in tickets, leaflets, artwork or trinkets from your travels to give the wall a more eclectic feel. Having a visual reminder of your previous adventures on a bad day is the easiest way to bring a smile back to your face.
Other Ways to Keep Travel Memories Alive -
While music, photos and trinkets are my favourite ways to surround myself with memories of my travels, there are so many options. If you’re a foodie you could try to recreate a dish that you tried in another country, find somewhere in the UK that sells snacks from the country you visited, or even see if there is a restaurant or takeaway near you that sells food from a country that you’ve visited. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to re-live your favourite adventures - it’s simply about finding what works best for you and allows you to re-connect with your happiest memories.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have your say; it's a hoot!